Disposable mop pads swap to Washable cotton mop pads

Why make the swap

• Why switch to washable cotton mop pads

  Cotton terry pads fit Sweeper-style flat mops. Use them with water or a drop of unscented castile soap, so no added fragrance is left on the floor, then put them in the washing machine. A small pack replaces box after box of refills, with no plastic fibres shed in the wash.

• What's the concern with disposable mop pads

  Scented wet refills carry a fragranced cleaning solution, and one leading brand promises ‘up to 4 hours of freshness left behind’. Children’s eczema guidance advises avoiding fragrance sources in the home. The pads are also used once and thrown away, so the refill bill never ends.

• General information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing or have a health condition.

• Good to know before you buy

  Cotton picks up less than microfiber, so rinse the pad when it looks dirty, use a fresh one on big floors, and keep two in rotation. These fit Sweeper-style mops, not WetJet.

• Sources (4)

  1. Maker page, scented heavy-duty wet refills: 'up to 4 hours of freshness left behind' (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dartmouth Health Children's: eczema skin-care tips, avoid fragrance sources such as scented detergent and dryer sheets (opens in a new tab)
  3. Washing synthetic clothes released 640,000 to 1.5 million microfibres per kg of fabric (De Falco 2019) (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hospital floors: with detergent, microfiber removed 95% of microbes vs 68% for cotton mops (Rutala 2007) (opens in a new tab)

  Health and safety facts on this page come from these sources. What a pick is made of comes from its maker's listing or website, as stated on the date we checked.