I owe my sister a big thank-you for turning me on to Swiffer dusters, truly a miracle product. Swiff the surface, kiss the dust goodbye. I think I’ve mentioned before that housework is my secret vice, which I hasten to add is not always evident on any given drop-by here at Chez NN.C. But I love me some Swiffers; I have two — one with the telescoping handle that does ceiling fans and miniblinds like you wouldn’t believe.
What makes Swiffers swiff-tastic? I assume it’s technology — it’s some sort of microfiber deal that attracts the dust and then doesn’t let it go until you take it off the little plastic handle and throw it away. For someone who’s been using her 7-year-old’s old diapers and retired T-shirts for the same thing, well, it’s a revelation.
So it was with this in mind that I took a chance on the WetJet, which was both less and more than I expected. As a mop, it doesn’t clean as well as the old-fashioned bucket variety, but as a miracle of recombining existing Procter & Gamble products into a new one that sells for $17, it is really something.
The “cleaning pad” is just an ultra-thin maxi and/or disposable diaper. A little battery-operated pump squirts the “cleaning solution” (which should be unscented and called Floor-dex, in case anyone from P&G reads this) in front of the ultra-thin maxi, which is then used to wipe it down. The dirty solution gets sucked up in the superabsorbent core — think of the last diaper/maxipad ad you saw, where they dump the test tube of blue water into the thing — and you move on down the tile.
Hot water and Mr. Clean still cleans better. But if it’s a big pain in the butt to drag out the bucket and mess with the mop, you can Swiff the floor a lot faster. The name could be code for “lick and a promise.” Or “maxipad on a stick.”
But sometimes, that’s the best you can do.
Ergh, but it’s going to be a busy week. Another self-imposed writing deadline looms at the end of it, which means there’ll be lots of Guilt Blogging, also Procrastination Blogging and maybe, if I’m lucky, no blogging at all, because I’ll be writing.
If you’re betting, don’t bet on the last one.
If you’re into Lance Armstrong, you don’t need me to help you find one of the 12 million Lance-centric websites out there, not to mention the Outdoor Life Network, aka All Lance, All the Time, Even the Commercials TV. But I have to say, if you’re a registered WashPost user, I’m really impressed with their photo galleries. The Tour de France is a natural for pictures; it would be hard to do a lousy one. But this gallery is typical of the WashPost’s now — non-irritating use of Flash, nice snaps, the whole bit.
See you here tomorrow, with my clean-enough kitchen floor.
Linda said on July 19, 2004 at 1:27 am
Did you watch the little demo on the Swiffer website on how to fluff up the duster? I always sort of fluff mine a little with my fingers; I had no idea you were supposed to be doing “The Twist” with it. LOL….
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alex said on July 19, 2004 at 8:53 am
I bought my Polish cleaning lady a Swiffer Wet Jet–at her request. The batteries were sapped in about two weeks’ time and for the life of me I cannot figure out how to open up the damn thing to replace them. Anybody figured it out?
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Michael Golden said on July 19, 2004 at 9:06 am
Borrow a three year old kid. They can get into anything.
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Nance said on July 19, 2004 at 9:16 am
Down at the bottom there’s a button. It’s not the button. It’s the more garden-variety battery-door thing right next to it. Click, open, replace.
My mop needs batteries — now there’s a concept.
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Bob said on July 19, 2004 at 10:04 am
Why all this fuss about cleaning? It’ll just get dirty again!
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Nance said on July 19, 2004 at 10:50 am
That’s why bed-making is the ultimate Sisyphean task. And yet, I find climbing into an unmade bed at day’s end icky. Alan knows that when I travel, I don’t care if he leaves the bed unmade in the days I’m gone, but please, please: Make it before I get home.
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joodyb said on July 19, 2004 at 11:28 am
A million thanks for doing the consumer reports thing on the Swiffer. I was afraid Google it. Now I don’t have to.
Also for the insight on beds, unmade. This explains a lot about my household.
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deb said on July 19, 2004 at 1:49 pm
this just confirms my long-held suspicion that most men don’t view dirt the same way women do — i.e., as a menace that requires constant vigilance. i was delighted several years ago when my sons’ teenage cousin ushered them into his sty of a room, convinced they’d understand this was where THEIR rooms were headed if they didn’t start heeding my advice. i listened smugly as jake opened the door, waiting for my sons’ epiphanies.
instead, they gazed on pure chaos and breathed as one: “COOL.”
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Pam said on July 20, 2004 at 8:17 am
While I love the swiffer dusters, I’m not as taken with the mop. Rather than purchase one, you could have taken mine. I don’t use it anymore. The cleaning solution seems a bit sticky to me. Bill says I will try ANY new cleaning product. And that is true…always on the hunt for the next cleaning breakthrough! I want to buy the Mr Clean carwashing kit but he stops me every time because it costs $20. Has anyone tried it yet? Is it a car washing miracle or a dud?
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Danielle said on July 25, 2004 at 12:08 am
Pam – the Mr. Clean Auto is awesome. I highly recommend it…and well worth the $ – you will pay alot more at a carwash per wash than the 20 for the kit, plus you can get a cleaner wash, in my opinion.
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