Eulogy for Swiffer
(Part of my Green This House program.)
It is with a leaden, anguished-filled heart that this witch must lay the very last of her Swiffer citrus-scented wet wipes to its eternal rest, and, dusting off the cobwebs from her faithful old mop, chalk that spring-fresh fling with chemical-impregnated disposables up to the Folly of Youth and the seductive siren call of fuss-free kitchen floors. I learned early on, when I decided to phase out my chemical constituents in favor of gentler, kinder helper products, that the concentrations of some 20 toxic compounds can be hundreds of times higher indoors than outdoors. (And verily, we’ve already replaced our usual Fantastik Orange Action countertop cleaner with Method’s pink grapefruit-scented all-purpose surface cleaner, which smells delectable.) Still, I can’t pretend not to feel some modicum of regret. Is it better to have Swiffered and lost, than never to have Swiffered at all?
I know, the body ain’t even cold yet, but here are some earth-friendly, all-natural options I’m considering while I mourn my loss:
 Aubrey Organics’ Earth Aware Household Cleaner uses an all-herbal formula that combines soap bark extract and coconut oil soap with geranium, rosemary, and sage. A multitasker that can be used on dishes, floors, countertops, and even laundry, this cleaner is 100 percent natural and biodegradable. ($6.78 for 32 oz., Aubrey Organics)
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 Made from plant-based ingredients and completely biodegradable, the adorably packaged Ecover Floor Soap says it leaves no chemical residue and is suitable for all non-treated floors such as tiles, marble, concrete and linoleum (but not sealed wood). Comes in a concentrate, which means you’ll get more mileage per fluid ounce. (I recommend pre-diluting the liquid in a trigger spray bottle, however, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of using a bucket. And a cesspool of nasty, goo-gunked water. Unless you’re into that kind of thing. I don’t judge.) One problem: the product is made in Belgium, which means extra fuel is spent to bring it here. ($4.17 for 32 oz., Kokopelli’s Green Market)
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 Unlike most synthetic commercial “pine” cleaners, the Super Pine cleaner uses naturally produced, biodegradable pine oil for that gen-NOO-wine “pine-fresh” feeling. One ounce dilutes to one pint of cleaning solution, which can be used for floors, counters, bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry. Rounding out its rustic, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers feel is the company’s assurance that the cleaner is “made the old-fashioned way, without dumping toxins into our waterways or cutting trees down, and with total planetary health in mind.” ($14 for 32 oz., Real Goods)
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 Earth Friendly Products’ Floor Kleener is made from “naturally derived” materials, such as coconut oil, lemon essential oil, and corn-based ethanol, and doesn’t require rinsing with water after it has worked its mojo on your floors. It comes in a trigger spray bottle and can be used on wood and wood-laminate flooring without stripping them of their wax or seals. The is ISO 9001-certified company’s tagline: “There’s clean and then there’s honest clean.” Hey wait a minute, I thought I was promised KLEEN? Those floors better not be just regular clean but KLEEN, buster, or there will be a reckoning, oh yes. Also available in the U.K. (Tip: Fill out some information in return for discount coupons.) ($3.79 for 22oz., Earth Friendly Products)
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 The self-proclaimed “world’s most versatile cleaner,” Basic-H by Shaklee was an environmental pioneer when it made its debut in 1960. Sixteen ounces of the concentrated fluid makes up to 90 gallons to clean hard surfaces, woodwork, walls, floors, glass, mirrors, and cars. Other suggested uses include removing crayon marks on walls, rinsing dirty paintbrushes, and lifting off old wallpaper, because there’s nothing we like better to do on weekends than lift off old wallpaper. Thank you, Shakelee! ($6.95 for 15 oz., Shaklee)
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 Another multitalented concentrate, Mrs Meyer’s All Purpose Cleaner can be used on non-porous surfaces such as finished wood and tile floors, counter-tops, walls, porcelain, bathroom fixtures, and sealed natural or synthetic stone. You can choose between lavender, lemon verbena, and geranium “aromatherapeutic” scents. Caveat: The Green Guide ferretted out from the company that Mrs. Meyers products include a small amount of synthetic preservative, EDTA, “a boosting agent which acts as an allergen and mild skin irritant”, and sodium citrate, which “although naturally derived, can still cause allergic reactions.” ($7.99 for 32 oz., Mrs. Meyers)
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 An option I’m finding increasingly attractive is to take the DIY route and mix my own natural cleaners with kitchen stalwarts such as vinegar and baking soda. (More green cleaning recipes here and here.) Imagine, I could actually do my high-school chemistry teacher proud (although she did once pull me aside to tell me that my thought-processing skills were “more creative” than scientific, which is teaching shorthand for “Why are you in my class breaking test tubes and not choreographing an interpretative dance of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales set to Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”? DON’T HIDE YOUR LIGHT UNDER A BUSHEL.” Ok, I made that last part up.) Besides being gentler on the piggy bank, mixing my own cleaners could also cut down on excess plastic packaging.
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Additional resources (international):
1. Australians may want to check out the rose geranium floor cleaner by Aussie company Ecologic. (AU$9.95 per liter, Biome Living)
2. Canadians can choose the mint-lavender blend of the chicly packaged Art Home Ecological Home Cleaner (also available in the U.S., but think of the fuel cost) by the Quebec-based Fruits & Passion. (US$10 for 34 oz., Fruits & Passion)
3. Folks in the U.K. have their own homebrewed multi-surface cleanser by Bio-D. (£2.17 per liter, Little Green Earthlets)
4. If you live in New Zealand, you can try Beauty Engineered Forever’s multi-surface cleaner that “loves your every surface while [it cares] for the environment.” The company’s products are Environmental Choice NZ-credited. (NZ$6.49 for 500ml, Nourish)
c.e. said,
April 12, 2006 at 11:24 pm
I discovered your blog via Claire/Loobylu and sheepishly admit I have learned so much. Having only recently embarked on the pursuit of “living greener”, it’s sometimes hard to sort out the good information from the bad, and I have bookmarked many of your posts.
I maybe have something to add to your non-Swiffer options, I’d be interested to know whether it could be considered eco-friendly. Hoover makes a machine called the Floor Mate in various models. It’s basically an electric mop that lays down soapy water, scrubs, and vacuums up the dirty water. I detest mopping floors and adore the machine (it’s not perfect, but it’s better than pushing around dirty water). The company tells you to only use specially formulated cleaners (which of course they sell), but I’ve used my Mrs. Meyers in it without any trouble, it just makes more suds.
Kitchen Witch said,
April 13, 2006 at 3:59 am
Since moving to a house with only a well for water, and with a septic tank right down the garden, I too have been phasing out all the nasties which normally lived in guilt-free bliss under the sink. Thanks for the suggestions - I’ve only come across the Ecover stuff in the UK, so new and exciting cleaning products are all to the good. Might I also add Bio-D products - eco-friendly and hypoallergenic etc etc. :)
Liz said,
April 13, 2006 at 8:47 am
Here’s a wicked low tech floor cleaning tip: dust mop. Here we have painted pine boards, but our old house had oak flooring. A pass through the house once a week keeps the dust from building up, and makes the water much less scuzzy when you do wash them.
The Worsted Witch » Ecover Redux said,
April 13, 2006 at 2:51 pm
[...] Chickies, I have failed you. Just now, while getting lunch at my local natural foods store (with my own tupperware, natch), I saw Ecover’s Floor Soap and decided a little too impulsively to add it to my tab. Then, returning to my desk, I examined the label a little closer and discovered that the product is made in Belgium. In an “ecological factory” with grass roofing, wood beams from sustainably managed forests, and bricks from coal-mine waste, but a Belgian factory nonetheless, which means this floor soap traveled thousands of miles to reach my grubby little hands, spewing pollutants in its wake. [...]
Cara said,
April 13, 2006 at 2:56 pm
Dude. NO SWIFFER!!!!?!?! That’s just wrong. ;-)
The Worsted Witch » B_E_E the Change said,
April 13, 2006 at 6:56 pm
[...] I’d be a shabby excuse for a design junkie if I allowed Beauty Engineered For Ever’s natty-looking line of environmentally sound cleaners to stay buried at the end of a previous post. The only cleaning products in New Zealand to have earned the Ministry for the Environment’s Environmental Choice accreditation, B_E_E is a superlative fusion of form and function. I particularly love the simple (and often sassy) cut-to-the-chase directions boldly emblazoned on the products. We have to wade through and decrypt enough advertising flimflam and puffery as it is. How did the company know that I want my laundry powder to “triumph over grime and evil” while caring for the environment? Those Kiwis really know how to make a girl swoon. [...]
Bellen said,
April 13, 2006 at 8:59 pm
Don’t throw out the Swiffer dust mot gizmo - I also gave up the Swiffer but I now use HandiWipes (?) made by Kleenex. Fold it to fit the dust mop, tuck it in the holes and dust mop away. Wash it out - I remove the big clumps of dusty dirt first - then I damp mop with it. Using it daily, washing it out after every use, one will last me a month or more.
mimulus said,
April 14, 2006 at 1:10 am
I’m into the DIy household cleaners and gotta say the Book “Better Basics for the Home” by Annie Berthold-Bond positively rocks…
green LA girl said,
April 14, 2006 at 2:34 am
Damn — I got so psyched when I read the title, cuz I really hoped that Swiffer had gone outta biz. Judging from the comments though, the disposable stuff has a stronghold on women who want clean stuff –
» The 23rd Carnival of Green! said,
April 17, 2006 at 3:14 am
[...] If your looking for the latest in floor cleaners, the Worsted Witch writes about eco-friendly floor cleaners. [...]
The Worsted Witch » Implements of Green said,
April 30, 2006 at 12:03 pm
[...] We picked up a few spray bottles from The Container Store to start mixing up our own green cleaning fluids. The decorative labels were printed off MarthaStewart.com, while the text itself was inspired by B_E_E’s cleverness. [...]
The Worsted Witch » Maybe Baby said,
May 10, 2006 at 12:01 am
[...] 3. Phase out your use of household chemicals, antibacterial disinfectants, and synthetic pesticides. According to various studies, exposure to household pesticides is associated with an elevated risk of childhood leukemia and childhood brain cancer. [...]
The Worsted Witch » Eco-Me Home said,
July 19, 2006 at 1:01 pm
[...] I’ve written about the importance of making over your home into a chemical-free sanctuary, while sharing some of my own favorite on-the-cheap homemade cleaners that easily trump toxic, immune-system-stressing chemicals any day. [...]
The Worsted Witch » Pesticides in Produce said,
October 30, 2006 at 3:07 pm
[...] Related articles: 1. The Pesticide-Parkinson’s Equation 2. Grass! On! The! Loose! (Chekhov’s Eco Tip) 3. Lawn & Order 4. Vinegar: Disinfectant of Champions 5. Eco-Me Home: Green Cleaning Solutions 6. Pollution in People 7. Eulogy for Swiffer 8. Maybe Baby: Chemicals & Kids 9. Why Pesticides Suck Reason #785 [...]
The Worsted Witch » Martha Stewart Living Jan 2007 said,
December 21, 2006 at 4:48 pm
[...] Related articles: 1. Chemical Pollution Harms Kids’ Brains 2. Hub’s Guest Review: Seventh Generation Laundry Liquid Detergent 3. Eco-Me Home 4. Vinegar: Disinfectant of Champions 5. Test Kitchen Witch 6. Eulogy for Swiffer 7. Maybe Baby: Chemicals & Kids [...]
korinthe said,
January 1, 2007 at 11:52 am
Found you through Loobylu. Will definitely be returning.
I just wanted to say — old kitchen towel cut to size, 1 part vinegar + 3 parts water, maybe a drop of palmolive or your favorite detergent. Soak and wring out towel. Tuck into Swiffer mop grab-holes. Floor is VERY clean and the towel is washable and reusable. You don’t even hem them after cutting to size, and you can scrub better with the towel than with a diposable.
If you find you have stubborn spots on a kitchen floor, spritz with a mild ammonia solution a few mins before mopping. Hot water helps too.
The Worsted Witch » Mail Call: Finding Eco Products said,
February 5, 2007 at 10:35 am
[...] Related articles: 1. Martha Stewart Living Jan 2007 2. Totally Bamboo 3. Vinegar: Disinfectant of Champions 4. Test Kitchen Witch 5. Eco-Me Home 6. Hub’s Guest Review: Seventh Generation Laundry Liquid Detergent 7. Maybe Baby: Chemicals & Kids 8. Implements of Green 9. Eulogy for Swiffer [...]
Kay said,
May 7, 2007 at 11:52 am
I loved my Swiffer, but I have gone to the Black and Decker Power Mop that allows you to put in your own floor cleaner (which I make). I like the little power brush on it to scrub stubborn places. It has the option to purchase their disposable mop head thingies or the places to tuck in your own. I love the idea of using old towels instead of buying disposable mop heads! I will definitely do that.
Cleaning Your Home the Earth Friendly Way « By Chance…..or Not said,
September 30, 2007 at 7:01 am
[...] While doing a little Swiffer research, I came across a great posting on The Worsted Witch and her Eulogy for Swiffer. In this post, the Worsted Witch gives her reasons for ditching the Swiffer while making a pitch for more environmentally friendly cleaning products such as Aubrey Organics’ Earth Aware Household Cleaner, Ecover Floor Soap, Super Pine cleaner, and others. She has a nice description of each including product claims as Earth conscious cleaners. [...]
Dani said,
March 31, 2008 at 4:14 pm
ENJO is cleaning without chemicals using just fibre technology and water.
I use nothing else in my home and it has never been cleaner.
Check it out - I highly recommend it for so many reasons - including eliminating chemical plastic bottle waste. I wouldn’t trust anything else with a baby crawling around on the floor.
Lilith said,
June 6, 2010 at 5:08 pm
I still use my swiffer, but instead of the wet wipes, I have a number of cotton or microfiber rags that i just soak & ring out with home made cleaner & then push into the little “holders” on the swiffer head, wipe up what ever it is I needed to wipe, rinse & ring out & toss in the laundry. It might sound like we would have tons of laundry on laundry day, but really we don’t. same number of loads as before & more money in our pocket by not having to buy swiffer wet wipes.