Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry & Wet Mop: An In-Depth Review (With Pictures)

By
Jeneva Aaron
Jeneva is the founder and CEO of thehousewire.com where she provides honest and objective reviews on home and cleaning products. She is a cleaning enthusiast. She got inspired to build her own cleaning blog when she realized how cleaning can make an impact on our lives and how a cleaner home can affect a person's mood.
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Updated April 27, 2023

Why has the Swiffer Sweeper swept the nation by storm?

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We purchased the Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry & Wet Mop so our reviewer could see how it performs at home. Keep reading for our in-depth review.

We’re always looking for tips to make sweeping and mopping our floors easier. So is the Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 the answer we’re waiting for?

It boasts dry dust pads to tackle surface dirt and hair along with wet cloths to cut through grime. But how does it perform in a busy home with pets and kids?

We tested the product to see how it fares against the daily dirt of real life in our home. Keep reading to see the results and if it’s worth buying.

A Cheap and Cheerful Quick Cleaning Fix
Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry & Wet Mop

PROS Of Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry & Wet Mop
  • Lightweight and easy to assemble
  • Safe for multi-surface use
  • Includes everything you need to get started
CONS Of Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry & Wet Mop
  • Flimsy design and uncomfortable handle
  • Expensive to buy replacement pads
  • Not suitable for heavy soiling
With wet and dry disposable cloths, the Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 mop starter kit offers convenient cleaning for light dirt. But don’t expect it to last.

What’s in the Box

Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry & Wet Mop - What's in the box

A quick bit of assembly is required for the Swiffer Sweeper, as the pole comes in four pieces that click together.

In the box is:

Flimsy Yet Convenient Design

2
Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry & Wet Design (700 × 355 px)

The Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 has pretty poor build quality. The mop pole is made from metal, which is a plus, but it still feels flimsy. And the handle is unbelievably uncomfortable.

With four different joints in the pole, I could feel the mop wobbling around all the time. I was worried about applying too much pressure in case it fell apart in my hands.

Warning

And the actual mop head doesn’t look like it will last a long time. The foamy base has thin edges extending past the head that are already showing signs of wear after only a couple of uses.

On the plus side, it’s quick and easy to assemble the Swiffer Sweeper by clicking the sections together. And you can take them apart again if you need to store it in a tight space, like on the RV.

It’s also super simple to attach the cloths thanks to the inventive corner gripper design. Just wrap a wet or dry cloth around the head and tuck the edges into the little rubber mouth bits, et voila!

I must admit I was impressed by the heavy-duty wet cloths, too. They’re much thicker than I was expecting for disposables.

But overall, the design feels cheap and frail. There’s a huge difference between the quality of the Swiffer and my usual spray mop of choice.

Easier to Move For Dry Sweeping Than Wet Mopping

3
Swiffer Sweeper - Maneuverability

The Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 is a dry and wet multi-surface mop. It’s designed to tackle sweeping and mopping with its quick and easy combination of refill cloths.

When it comes to using the dry sweeping cloth, the Swiffer is lightweight and easy to navigate around furnished rooms. I pushed and pulled the mop in all directions, and the Swiffer Sweeper’s swivel head easily stayed in contact with the floor at all times.

It was my first time using a Swiffer Sweeper dry mop, and I was pretty impressed with it after this step. Even if the swivel head didn’t quite move as much as I’d hoped.

But it was a different story when I swapped to the wet cloths from the mopping starter kit.

The wet mopping pad was so soaking wet that it glued itself to my floor and was awkward to move around. It was fine pushing forwards, but the head kept flipping over when I pulled the mop back.

I tried going slower, and it still happened. So I had to keep lifting the Swiffer and flipping the head back over to carry on mopping, not good.

It’s much harder to move the mop around with a wet cloth attached, which is disappointing. It wasn’t easy to get around furniture and into tight corners like it was when using it as a dry sweeper.

What Surfaces and Types of Dirt Can it Handle?

3
The Swiffer is designed for multi-surface sweeping and mopping. But there are some surfaces the wet cloths don’t mix well with.

I wouldn’t suggest using it on waxed wooden boards, non-sealed floors, or any water-sensitive surfaces. The wet cloths leave a lot of excess moisture on the floor, which can spell disaster for some types of floors.

I had to go back and mop the first section again because the Swiffer left it too wet. So this wouldn’t mix well with unfinished, oiled, or waxed wooden floors!

Swiffer themselves say to avoid these surfaces, as well as non-sealed tiles or carpeted floors for wet mopping. But the dust cloths add versatility, as you can sweep dirt away on just about any surface. You could even stretch to dusting your walls and ceilings!

The dust pads are soft and gentle, so they’re safe for pretty much all floor types. It’s worth vacuuming first to remove sharper dirt and grime that could scratch delicate floors.

TESTING INSIGHT:

But the dry mop picked up a serious amount of dust, pet hair, and dog dander left behind by my pooch. The cloths trap and lock dirt away, leaving the floor prepped for the mopping tool.

And after trying the Swiffer Sweeper Cleaner with different types of mess, I’d say it’s best at cleaning lightly soiled floors. I struggled to clean anything more than this due to the flimsy pole and lack of scrubbing ability.

If you’re looking to clean deep ridges or a heavily soiled floor, the Swiffer Sweeper isn’t the mop for you. But it’s ideal as a quick sweeping and mopping tool for light mess and daily dirt.

Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best floor cleaners

A Mixed Bag for Performance

3.5
Swiffer Sweeper Performance

To accurately review the performance, I’m going to split this into sections for wet and dry. I had a totally different experience with the wet cloth vs the dry cloth.

Dry Cleaning

Dry Cleaning with Swiffer Sweeper

Rating: 5/5

I vacuumed my floor before using the Swiffer Sweeper, so I wasn’t expecting to see much dust and dirt on the dry cloth. But I did!

I’ve always thought my vac did a pretty good job, but the heavy-duty dry cloths picked up a crazy amount.

If you’ve got pets, as I do, you’ll understand how hard it is to keep on top of pet hair and general dust. But this was easier than using a broom while still picking up the dirt left behind by my vacuum.

I’ll certainly add dry sweeping to my cleaning routine from now on!

Wet Cleaning

Wet Cleaning with Swiffer Sweeper

Rating: 3/5

I was super happy with my purchase after using the dry dust cloths and expected big things from the wet cloth. But I was disappointed.

The wet cloths that come with the Swiffer mopping starter kit are saturated with moisture. The first few sweeps were like mopping a puddle and there wasn’t any resistance to suggest it was actually cleaning the floor.

TESTING INSIGHT:

After a few minutes, the sweeper head found a happy moisture medium and I was able to tackle stains and grime with a bit of elbow grease. But by the time I reached the end of my pretty small kitchen, the cloth was too dry to clean.

So one end of my kitchen looked like a puddle, while the other was bone dry. I spread the moisture around rather than swapping to a fresh cloth, seeing as you only get three of them included with the Swiffer Sweeper starter kit.

Once I got around this, I was fairly happy with the cleaning performance. As I’ve already mentioned, the Swiffer handled light soiling better than anything more substantial. Like stuck-on grime around the bin.

The dirty mop head at the end of the session shows how much dirt, dust, and hair the mop picked up from one clean.

But I do have a few gripes. I wasn’t completely satisfied with how it cleaned the grout lines on my ceramic tiled floor. The cloths just don’t reach deep enough for a thorough clean.

It also left a lot of streaks on my floor, and zero shine of any sort. So while the Swiffer can handle light dirt and grime stains, it didn’t leave my floors looking as good as other cleaning products.

Impressive but Expensive Accessories

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Swiffer Sweeper - Accessories

Ok by accessories, I’m referring to the wet and dry cloth pads that come with the Swiffer Sweeper starter kit.

You get eight dry cloths that are covered in little patterns to help trap and lock dirt, dust, and hair away. They’re not too thin and feel better quality than a lot of other disposable cloths I’ve used in the past.

And seeing as this Swiffer is both a sweeper and a mop, the starter kit also comes with three wet cloths. They’re much thicker than I was expecting and have a green strip to make it easy to position on the mop head.

Plus they smell amazing! The scent stayed for hours, which I loved.

It’s really useful having both types of cloth with the Swiffer Sweeper dry and wet multi-surface starter kit. You can play around with them and see which ones work best for different surfaces in your home.

And I love the convenience of popping them in the trash when they’re done. I just wish the starter kit included a few more extras.

It won’t take long to burn through the 11 it comes with, so you have to keep buying replacement packs. The costs soon add up and it’s an expensive way to clean!

Common Complaints

While the Swiffer Sweeper starter kit has loads of positive points, there are some downsides to factor in. I checked out some of the most common issues people had with their Swiffer.

The Pads Come Off

It seems people struggle to keep the cleaning pads in place. There are a few complaints about how they keep falling off and how much time it takes to put them back on again.

I didn’t have this issue, though. The cloths stayed in place the whole time I used my Swiffer.

Flimsy Handle

Now, this is one I do agree with. The handle on the Swiffer Sweeper is uncomfortable to hold and it’s hard to apply much pressure through it. It feels like it’s going to bend and snap.

There isn’t any sort of secondary grip, either. So you haven’t got anywhere else to hold when you need to scrub at some stubborn dirt.

And some customers found the handle snapped off completely after a few months.

Flexible Mop Head

While a flexible mop head is good for getting around small living spaces, it also lessens the overall cleaning surface. Some users found it only cleaned in the middle of the pad seeing as you can’t apply pressure through the whole surface.

It needs some balance between flexibility and sturdiness for cleaning.

Flip-Flopping

The head is prone to flip-flopping around as you push and pull the Swiffer across tile and vinyl flooring. So you spend loads of time flipping it back over before you can carry on cleaning.

This is something I experienced myself and it seems a common issue on all kinds of surfaces.

Alternatives

If the Swiffer Sweeper dry and wet mop takes your fancy, here are some similar items to compare it with.

O-Cedar ProMist MAX Microfiber Spray Mop

The O-Cedar is another lightweight wet and dry option that doesn’t need a bulky bucket. But it uses washable microfiber pads rather than the disposable style of the Swiffer.

It means there are fewer ongoing expenses, as you don’t need to keep buying refill pads. Simply wash the cloth, dry it, and use it time and time again.

Check the avaibility on Amazon or Walmart.

Swiffer WetJet Floor Spray Mop

The Swiffer WetJet starter kit includes everything you need to get cleaning. It still uses disposable pads, but they’re all dry. You add the moisture via the spray function.

It’s suitable for all finished wood floors. Just choose between dry, damp, or wet mopping to suit the surface. With an extra boost of battery power, it tackles slightly deeper cleaning than the standard Swiffer.

Check the avaibility on Amazon or Walmart.

Bona Hardwood Floor Spray Mop

This Bona mop is similar to the Swiffer Sweeper but with a few extra perks. The handle is more ergonomic, and there’s a secondary grip for tackling stubborn grime with comfort.

The microfiber pad is washable up to 500 times, so it’s better for the environment and saves you money on refills. Use it wet or dry and control the moisture level with the spray.

Interested in reading more reviews? Take a look at our selection of the best flat mops.

READ FULL REVIEW: Bona Hardwood Floor Spray Mop Review


Time for a quick recap. The Swiffer Sweeper is popular and it certainly has its place, but that’s for quick bits of light cleaning rather than anything more substantial.

Our Final Verdict onSwiffer Sweeper

Design
4
The simple design makes it easy to store but it doesn’t feel as sturdy as other mops. I don’t like how the handle wobbles around, and I couldn’t scrub at tough stains for fear of it breaking.
Accessories
6
Watch out for the ongoing costs of buying replacement clothes. In the long run, it can be quite a budget. And of course, it’s not eco-friendly.
Surfaces
6
It’s also super versatile as a dust-buster. You can use it on all kinds of floors, or even walls, thanks to the gentle dry cloth. So while it didn’t deliver an amazingly clean, it’s still a quick and convenient way to keep on top of all your surfaces of daily dirt.
Performance
7
I do love how well the Swiffer Sweeper dry cleaned my floors. It picked up dirt, dust, and hair left behind by my vacuum cleaner. But the performance with the wet clothes really let it down for me. It struggled with anything more than light stains and then left my floor looking streaky when it dried.

Specs

Product NameSwiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Mops for Floor Cleaning
Product BrandSwiffer
SKU0003700092814
Price13.24
Weight1.14 pounds
Product Dimensions2.01 x 5.00 x 23.03 Inches
WarrantyMoney back guarantee

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