Swiffer’s home cleaning products, like the Swiffer WetJet, have become commonplace in homes nationwide. The WetJet is praised for its convenience and efficiency. Still, these pros also come at the expense of cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness as you consistently throw away and replace old solution bottles.
This is why many Swiffer WetJet owners are looking for solution substitutes that will allow them to keep their convenient mopping machine more cheaply and sustainably. This article will list the five best replacements for the Swiffer WetJet solution that you can use safely and confidently on any floor.
1. DIY All-Purpose Cleaning Solution
Most Swiffer WetJet owners know the frustration when they’re mopping their floors or finding a mess that needs to be quickly cleaned, only to discover that their solution canister is empty.
Instead of busting out the old mop and bucket of soapy water, we encourage you to try this all-purpose cleaning solution you can make at home in seconds using everyday materials.
There are several variations of this DIY mixture, but we find that the easiest and most effective blend consists of the following:
- 1 part water
- 1 part vinegar
- 2-3 drops of dish soap
When creating this solution, you’ll want to start with one cup of each part at a time until you know how much you need. For reference, the most giant Swiffer WetJet solution bottle tends to be 42.2 fluid ounces, roughly 5.3 cups.
How to Refill an Old Swiffer WetJet Solution Bottle
Once you’ve thoroughly mixed the DIY solution listed above in a bowl or bucket, you need to use it to refill your now-empty Swiffer WetJet solution bottle.
If you don’t know how to do this, don’t worry. Just follow the steps listed below:
- Fill a cup or bowl with hot to near-boiling water.
- Place the cap of your empty Swiffer WetJet bottle into the water for 1-2 minutes (this will help soften the lid for easy removal).
- Wrap a towel around the cap or hold it firmly with a gloved hand.
- Twist the cap off.
- Use a strong, sharp pair of scissors or diagonal cutting pliers to remove the locking tabs on the bottle cap’s inside.
Now that your Swiffer WetJet bottle cap is removed, you can refill it with whatever solution you prefer, replace it, and snap it into your Swiffer WetJet.
2. Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
As simple and budget-friendly as it might be to refill your Swiffer WetJet with a DIY solution, only some have the time or energy to do this. One could also argue that other purchasable solutions clean and protect their floors better.
If either scenario applies to you and you have hardwood floors at home, you can say goodbye to your WetJet wood cleaner and opt for Bona’s hardwood floor cleaner instead.
Bona is a family-owned, sustainably driven company that strives to create safer human and environmental health products. Its formula is also carefully designed to rejuvenate any hardwood floor and extend its lifetime.
While Bona does have its version of the Swiffer WetJet, you can easily buy its refill solution, which is offered at significantly larger sizes (ex., 128 fluid ounces) compared to the Swiffer bottles.
Related 6 Best Substitutes for Steam Cleaner Solution.
3. Black Diamond Marble and Tile Floor Cleaner
Marble and tile floors aren’t as typical as wood or linoleum due to the high cost of their materials, but the investment is almost always worthwhile. These floors tend to be gorgeous statement pieces homeowners go to great lengths to clean and protect.
Swiffer does offer a line of highly praised cleaning solutions that suit a variety of flooring materials. Still, if you’re looking for one of the best options to substitute for your marble or tile floors, you’ll want to invest in a bottle of Black Diamond’s marble and tile floor cleaner.
This solution is renowned for giving your floors a sparkling, streak-free shine without damaging them. In addition, the unique, hypoallergenic formula is safe for children and pets, eco-friendly, and biodegradable.
The only potential cons to keep in mind with this option is that the solution is concentrated, so you’ll need to dilute it before loading it into your Swiffer WetJet bottle.
4. Pine-Sol All-Purpose Cleaner
If there’s one company on our list that rivals Swiffer as a trusted household brand, it’s Pine-Sol. Some people are die-hard Pine-Sol users and don’t intend to give that up just because they want to purchase a Swiffer WetJet for a more effortless clean.
Luckily, you can have them both! I recommend purchasing Pine-Sol’s All-Purpose Cleaner. This versatile formula is powerful enough to tackle any cleaning task on nearly any material and leave you with a surface that has been disinfected of 99% of germs and exudes that signature Pine-Sol fragrance.
Purchasing the all-purpose cleaner also means using this solution for more than just Swiffer bottle refills.
Like the Black Diamond solution mentioned previously, Pine-Sol cleaners tend to be concentrated, so you’ll want to read its use instructions carefully to see if it needs to be diluted beforehand.
5. Aunt Fannie’s Floor Cleaner
Another highly renowned but cheap substitute for your Swiffer WetJet solution is Aunt Fannie’s Floor Cleaner.
This brand likes to keep its formula simple by using a vinegar wash concentrate closely resembling the DIY mixture listed above. The product’s overwhelming success proves that you don’t need a long list of complicated-looking chemicals for a cleaner to be effective.
Plant-based ingredients power the formula, which has the Leaping Bunny certification of being cruelty-free if that is something you prioritize in a cleaner. It is also pet safe and dermatologist-tested, making it perfect for families.
Of course, it is also super effective in disinfecting and restoring floors of various materials. In addition, it leaves behind a fresh scent of either lemon, eucalyptus, or lavender, created using 100% essential oils.
Final Thoughts
There’s no denying the convenience and peace of mind of using a Swiffer WetJet mop. Still, if you’re ready to substitute its standard solution (for whatever reason), we recommend starting with one of the above alternatives.
You can choose the best option for your floors, budget, and cleaning needs. But before you buy the budget-friendly bulk container, test out a small bottle of the new solution in your refillable Swiffer bottle to see if it’s the right fit.
For more, check out The Best Garbage Bag Brand for the Environment.
Anne James has a wealth of experience in a wide array of interests and is an expert in quilting, cooking, gardening, camping, mixing drinks (worked as a professional bartender), and making jelly.
Anne has a professional canning business, has been featured in the local newspaper as well as on the Hershey website, and has been her family canner for decades. Anyone growing up in the South knows that there is always a person in the family who has knowledge of the “old ways,” and this is exactly what Anne is.
With over 55 years of experience in these endeavors, she brings a level of hands-on knowledge that is hard to surpass. Amazingly, she doesn’t need to reference many resources due to her vast wealth of experience. She IS the source.
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