Swiffer WetJet….A Hit And A Miss
Written: Oct 16 '05 (Updated Oct 18 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quick Cleaning Solution For Small Jobs
Cons: Proprietary Refills Get Expensive
The Bottom Line: Decent quick spill and spot cleaning solution. Not terribly cost effective. I’ll wait for a more effective product to come along.
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| lllopez's Full Review: Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit |
Swiffer has inundated the market with a variety of products that cater to quick cleanups. My latest experience with the Swiffer line has come via the Swiffer WetJet which fortunately was a freebie.
Conceptually, the WetJet is a good idea. The target consumers are those who seek a quick solution to spills without having to take out a mop, bucket and search around for a cleaning solution. The battery activated cleaning solution dispenser broadcasts the Swiffer proprietary solution onto your floor surfaces. So far it seems like a no-brainer.
In The Box
Like all Swiffer products, the packaging is exceptional clad in heavy cardboard with see through plastic in just the right places and vibrant graphics. I have to say, at first glance, it yells quality. Enclosed and packaged with real care are the wand composed of three sections that snap permanently together, A 16.9 ounce bottle of Swifferfloor cleaner, a package of 4 attachable scrubbing pads, three disposable cleaning pads and 4 alkaline AA batteries.
Assembly is quick and easy. The 23 page user guide is there for easy reference in English, French and Spanish including assembly instructions, cleaning instructions, tips, FAQ and troubleshooting guide.
In The Trenches
The box claims this product cleans tough spots and messes. I really didn't find that to be the case. Perhaps if your floor surfaces are completely flat and non textured, unlike those found on more premium linoleum sufaces, you could work at a tough stain, being careful not to exert too much pressure on the wand, as it is composed of light duty aluminum and plastic. No, I would prefer to use this product on light, quick cleaning situations. In that scenario the Swiffer WetJet serves purposefully.
Tougher spots and stains call for tipping the cleaning head on its side and using the enclosed scrub pad. The WetJetis pretty effective on its side when using the scouring pad. You get a good bit of leverage on the head, though I suspect this would be a vulnerable area prone to breakage. The design of the head is actually pretty well thought out and the materials are durable for light to medium duty. A simple depression of your thumb on the dispenser actuator triggers the dispersion of cleaning solution onto your floor.
The cleaning head is ample which puts more pad surface on the floor to work. The pads are on the thin side but hold up to a thorough cleaning task. The profile of the entire unit is such that reaching under tables and such. The bottle dispenser could make the unit a little more versatile if it were placed on the side of the wand; doing so would allow the WetJet to get into even tighter spaces.
The cleaning pad adheres to the cleaning head via Velcro and does a decent job of soaking up small spills and removing light spotting on your floor surfaces; after 1 use it is pretty much shot though. Not only would I have no interest in keeping a damp, dirty cleaning pad around; after a while you have to deal with mildew. The cost of replacement pads runs about 10.99 for 24 units, costing 45¢ every time you pull it out for pads alone. The manufacturer suggests using 1 pad to clean 2 rooms.
The Swiffer Cleaning solution comes in Multipurpose, Wood, and Antibacterial refills costing about $3.49 each. The manufacturer claims the bottle is sufficient to clean 7 rooms which breaks down to just under .50¢ room, totalling.95¢ every time you use the Swiffer WetJet. While the manufacturer claims there is no residue left behind the cleaning solution, it certainly does nothing to enhance your floors appearance, like the Armstrong product does for instance. As floor cleaning solutions go, the Swiffer product is a miss.
In The Final Analysis
The Swiffer WetJet is an interesting product. I like the concept of having it at the ready for a quick pickup; and that’s about where my attraction to it ends. I hate the proprietary nature of the product. It’s Beta vs. VHS all over again. I really have little use for a product cannot be versatile or personalized. It would be great to substitute the Armstrong Floor cleaner instead of the Swiffersolution. I get the sense that
Swiffer doesn’t really care so much about the actual WetJetproduct as much as they look forward to the purchase of the expensive pads and solution. It reminds me of the cable, or telephone companies.
While I agree the consumer needs a product they can quickly address spills and spot cleaning, I am not sold that the Swiffer WetJet is it. It does do a decent job on light work, granted but I find it interesting that in the Users guide, it suggests you sweep or vacuum your floors before pulling out the WetJet and not any of their other Swiffer products like the Swiffer Dry.
This one, while intriguing is a high maintenance product with far too many moving parts involved in the incidence of ownership to garner my interest
Recommended:
No
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