# Swiffers. Talk at me. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093 "2013-10-12T21:07:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/1 "2013-10-12T21:07:20Z")
Tell me about your life, your hopes, your dreams and how they have been utterly changed by SWIFFER BRAND DISPOSABLE MOP PRODUCTS. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/2 "2013-10-12T21:16:45Z")
Love them. I get an odd sense of satisfaction by throwing away a really dirty pad. Kind if like seeing my Dyson filll with dirt. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/3 "2013-10-12T21:19:53Z")
You gotta sweep really well before you mop. Otherwise the mop is just going to push the dust and hair around and not really pick it up. But, I’m pretty sure that is how any other mop works. I only have a small bit of exposed floor in my house - around the area rug in my kitchen and a small master bath. One Swiffer pad does the trick on those. Doesn’t do too well on the pits in linoleum. If you have some ground-in dirt, get on your hands with a sponge instead. If I didn’t have a Swiffer mop, I’d probably never ever mop my floors. Fuck that noise. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/4 "2013-10-12T21:22:31Z")
I got nothing against Swiffers, but I absolutely loathe their latest ad campaign with the elderly couple. Morty, get off your fat ass and help your wife before she falls off that chair! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/5 "2013-10-13T02:10:15Z")
My wife has been Swiffering a lot more now that the baby is scooting around the floor on his belly. I suggested just sticking the Swiffer sheet on his belly, but she didn’t care for my idea. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/6 "2013-10-13T02:21:10Z")
I adore that duster thing with the extended handle, my god, I’ve cleaned things with it I haven’t cleaned in years. The BEST for ceiling fans. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/7 "2013-10-13T02:42:28Z")
I don’t see any advantage to the wet mop (vs other wet mops) but I always live with multiple dogs and cats (and recently, people) and the dry products work much better than anything else I’ve tried for collecting fur, dander, cat litter dust and all the random grit they track in. I’ve swept an area 2, 3, 4 times and a Swiffer will still pick up dirt, hair and lint I can’t see. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/8 "2013-10-13T02:48:36Z")
Swiffers–not big enough cleaning area, hate the smell (of the wet ones obviously) Swiffer w/dry microfiber pad (bought separately and Not A Swiffer Product), better for certain things, e.g., pet hair. I would hate to rely on this thing for ALL cleaning, but then I have lots of bare floors. If it was just the kitchen & bathroom it might be okay. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/9 "2013-10-13T03:19:11Z")
I gave my wet swifter away a few months ago. Hated that damn thing! ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/10 "2013-10-13T03:47:40Z")
I really like the Sweeper Vac. I have nearly all hard floors in my house and 2 dogs and 2 cats. It gets the pet hair up quickly and unlike using the broom, I don’t have to scoop it up with a dustpan. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/11 "2013-10-13T04:31:28Z")
I use wet and dry microfiber towels in the most basic Swiffer - instead of buying the expensive refils. Works great. Better than sweeping and any kind of mop… ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/12 "2013-10-13T13:53:52Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > My wife has been Swiffering a lot more now that the baby is scooting around the floor on his belly. I suggested just sticking the Swiffer sheet on his belly, but she didn’t care for my idea. Perhaps she’d prefer [something purpose-built](http://www.betterthanpants.com/baby-mop.html). ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/13 "2013-10-13T15:55:10Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > My wife has been Swiffering a lot more now that the baby is scooting around the floor on his belly. I suggested just sticking the Swiffer sheet on his belly, but she didn’t care for my idea. Ha! We nicknamed my daughter “Swiffer” at that stage based on the dirty bellies of her shirts. I dislike the smell of the wet pads, but like how well they work on my bathroom floors. It’s a trade off that Swiffer usually wins. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/14 "2013-10-13T16:56:49Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Tell me about your life, your hopes, your dreams and how they have been utterly changed by SWIFFER BRAND DISPOSABLE MOP PRODUCTS. Or not. I’ve had a horny broom stalking me. Aside from that, not much has changed. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/15 "2013-10-13T17:46:10Z")
I’m not crazy about the wet ones–a damp cloth stuck on the head of the mop-pole seems to work just as well. But the dry ones are much better at picking up things like dust, cat hair, and pine needles from the wood floors than a broom, especially in the corners. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/16 "2013-10-13T18:00:54Z")
Okay, let’s change direction. I think a case can be made that dry Swiffers are superior to brooms, especially for folks who have small areas of smooth flooring. There are, however, non-disposable equivalents; O-Cedar for example makes a flippy sweeper with one side much like a Handi Wipe and the other much like a microfiber car polisher. It can also be used for damp cleaning. The head is washable (up to 100 times, the copy says) and many of the reviews claim it’s as good as the Swiffer they used to use. Swiffer v. non-disposable swifferlike tool. Talk at me. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/17 "2013-10-13T18:16:26Z")
Honestly, before Swiffer my life was a black, amorphous void of despair. Now that I Swiff, I am no longer frustrated by minor setbacks and trivial failures; my spine is straighter, my hair is darker, and I am pretty sure my floors are cleaner. It also seems to firm up flaccid membranes. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/18 "2013-10-13T18:20:20Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > Honestly, before Swiffer my life was a black, amorphous void of despair. Now that I Swiff, I am no longer frustrated by minor setbacks and trivial failures; my spine is straighter, my hair is darker, and I am pretty sure my floors are cleaner. It also seems to firm up flaccid membranes. Well, DUH! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kambria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb9ed0/32.png) [@kambria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambria)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/19 "2013-10-13T18:54:24Z")
Not sure if this counts, but we have a [Haan steam mop.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00359URM4/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I LOVE it! It sanitizes (granted, only if it contacts the surface for 2 seconds); the pads are washable, not disposable, it’s ready to use in 30 seconds, and it’s very lightweight…and it cleans almost anything from our floor if I just hold it there for a few seconds. Jeez–I sound like an ad for the thing, but it does a great job and there are 7 of us to dirty the floors. OTOH, my mom has one as well. They have pets and wear shoes in the house, and she’s not nearly as enamored of hers and uses a sponge mop instead. It might depend on your floors/needs. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093/20 "2013-10-13T19:12:14Z")
I have a reversible broom/mop thing [similar to this](http://assets.bensoutlet.com/products/3809/product/FlipMop-Main_6233_0_6663_0.jpg?1345149654) that I use dry on the hardwood and tile. The two surfaces of the mop come off (velcro) and are washable, so there’s no waste of disposable products. It picks up a lot of pet fluff. When I’m _washing_ floors, I have a couple of these [Rubbermaid “Reveal” mops](http://www.frugalupstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/4595446622_9d8a7a8788.jpg) with some extra re-usable pads. Pretty much the same as the “wet-jet” Swiffers, but reusable. I’ve been very happy with both. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiffers-talk-at-me/671093.md?page=2)