Make Your Own...Disposable Towel Mop Refills

When buying cleaning products for the home, I generally ask myself two questions. 1) Is this something I can create using items I already have at home, and 2) Will buying this item require ongoing "refill" purchases?

Several years ago, before I began to consider these things, I bought a "disposable towel mop" (I'm not a fan of using brand names, but I'll give you three guesses at the common brand name) and would buy a box of refills every couple months. Yes, it was convenient, but it also had an ongoing cost that is not emphasized in the marketing of the product. When I stopped buying the refills, the mop just sat for a while until I realized I could create the refill cloths myself at very little cost.

I bought a stack of plain white cheapo wash rags that I use for various cleaning tasks. All I have to do is take one out of the drawer, fill up the sink with cleaning solution and water (until my cleaning solution runs out, at which point I'll use the ever-versatile vinegar and water solution), soak the rag, and wrap it around the mop head. When it begins to dry out, I stick it the sink, wring it out, and apply it to the mop again.

The other day as I was mopping, it occurred to me that if I wanted the scrubby strip Swiffer refills offer, I could simply buy some of those rags with the scrub side built in, which would achieve the same purpose when folded over the top of the mop.

This method is no less convenient than using the real deal refills, and it eliminates the ongoing cost of owning a disposable towel mop.

By the way, steam mops operate using pretty much the same principle. They come with several cloth mop heads that you detach, wash, and reuse. My mother-in-law got me a steam mop for Christmas that I love, but I still use my disposable towel mop once in a while when I want to clean the floor with some kind of solution.

You don't need a lot of fancy products to clean your home. You just need to allow yourself to think outside the box!