3 Ways to Make Your Own Reusable Swiffer Pads

In terms of

cleaning, convenience is key. Finding the time for chores is hard enough—why worsen the slog with soggy mops, buckets of filthy water, and ineffective dusters?

For these reasons and more, Swiffer's line of mops and replaceable pads—launched in 1999—has become a mainstay in millions of households,

generating $500 million in sales annually. Unfortunately, the brand is far from sustainable. Though the mop itself is reusable, the pads are single-use, earning D (Wet Mopping Cloth) and F (Dry Sweeping Cloth) grades from the

Environmental Working Group.

So what's a lazy cleaner to do? The answer is simple: Keep the mop, but make the pads from upcycled materials.

Here, three ways to make your own reusable Swiffer pads from items you already have on hand.

Those aging

towels and washcloths are given new life as reusable Swiffer pads! Simply cut to the appropriate dimensions (a Swiffer pad measures 8 1/4 x 10 3/4 inches) and secure to the mop head as usual. Bonus: Your Swiffer now does wet and dry duty.

Use the same directions as above, but with a t-shirt that's too worn out to be donated. While there are many

ways to upcycle an old tee, turning it into an extension of your Swiffer is at the top of the list.

If you're in the mood to get fancy (and are looking for something a bit more durable), sew strips of an old tee to the edges of your towel or washcloth to create a border, making the pad prettier and less likely to fray over time.