… when I was at the store the other day … Anyway, when I was at the store the other day, I forgot to buy “Swiffer Duster refills”.
Well with two cats and a forest in the back yard, vacuuming and dusting is really important to us. Then again, staying home and limiting our trips out into crowded places is even more important to us! So for the past few months, I have only been out shopping once every couple of weeks. If I forget something, it just has to wait until the next trip. Sure I could use something else besides a Swiffer Duster, but I have the empty silly plastic holder now! Might as well put something on it!
Clever me … I found instructions for home made Swiffer Duster refill on-line! Perfect! Check out sewmuchado.com, the original poster, if you like. I’ve lost the actual link, as I only read it once or twice and then forgot all about it. So sorry!
I started with an old pair of yoga pants, knit fabric and soft. Really the only suitable thing I had at home. (Sorry it is black fabric, not very easy to photograph!)
I cut FOUR squares 7″ x 7″ and FOUR squares 4″ x 7″.
All stacked up they looked about the size of my dirty old Swiffer.
I stacked TWO squares of 4″ x 7″ on top of two squares of 7″ x 7″, in two different piles, and sewed them together with a seam line right down the centre.
Then I flipped one stack over and sewed the two stacks together on the same seam line.
I moved the 4″ top pieces to one side and marked a tunnel for the holder to go through.
Then I moved the 4″ top pieces to the other side and also marked a tunnel for the holder.
I pinned through the large 7″ pieces only and sewed along the seam line I had drawn, sewing through the large 7″ pieces only. This was done on both sides.
Then I trimmed each layer 1/2″ smaller than the layer below so that they were all staggered on both edges, both sides. Then I clipped each layer from the edge to the centre at 1/2″ intervals on all layers.
Washing and drying my “new” Swifter refill made it even softer – hopefully making it a better dust collector!
My verdict? This is the one that sewmuchado.com made.
This is the one that I made.
The flannel would have been a nicer choice, but I don’t have any. Also, mine doesn’t work because my holder has a third tiny leg which prevents me from sliding my home made Swiffer Duster refill on all the way. 🙁
I wonder if the Swiffer Company actually planned it like that! Back to the drawing board!
Happy Sewing!
Im amazed at what you create. I often wonder what is she going to do next. I like your duster. Im with you, if I forget something when Im out, it can wait till next time.
Definitely it can wait until next time! and thank you! I must admit others had this idea before me, but I’m going to work on it until mine fits perfectly! I can use old clothes up to make these and they will be washable. Also, I won’t feel bad throwing the store-bought ones into the garbage all the time!
I think this could be a brilliant way to recycle old clothes that are not good enough to give away. Well done!
Thank you! I am always looking for a way to reuse and repurpose. I’ve got a fabulous idea coming up to repurpose jeans. Just finishing up the pattern drafting now. Thanks for commenting!
Jolly good idea! I had a similar one after purchasing my duster: I could make my own refills. However, not being a very frequent duster, I still have the originals (no cats or forests nearby). I vacuum mine to clear off the dust.
Years ago I bought a stack of wash & reuse microfibre dust cloths, good for scrubbing or dusting. The weave is deliberately nubby & rough. To keep the dust-clinging abilities (read: static) I *never* use fabric softener (it removes static).
Assuming any nubby microfibre cloth will do, eventually one or two of mine will become Swiffer refills. 😉
Good idea! I will have to save mine too and see what they look like when the time comes! I agree on the fabric softener, we are trying to stay away from the chemicals. I read somewhere that the store bought refills are toxic for animals? So don’t let them run off with one in their mouths? Take care!
Hadn’t heard, but if true am not surprised. (Thanks for the IG shout out!)
😁 thanks for reading and commenting!
Cool idea, now can you sew me someone to hold it and do the dusting cause I hate dusting. I do agree with you on the shopping concept……one trip every couple of weeks and if I forgot something the world will not end until the next trip. Keep the ideas coming.
Now there’s an idea! Sew up a house keeper! 🙂 Thank you for reading and commenting!
When I was a kid, my mother had a Fuller Brush dustmop, called a Wooley. It was wool yarn sewn onto a central piece; it worked well, & would be fairly easy to replicate
Oh! I haven’t heard of that one yet… I just googled images of it and it was a thick woolly thing, wasn’t it!