Fab Find - Swiffer Wet Jet Pads, DIY Cleaning Solution & How to Refill Wet Jet Bottles

Right around Christmas time my (2nd) Shark Steam Mop pooped out on me so I bought a Swiffer Wet Jet. I had grand intentions of converting my stockpile of Shark Steam Mop pads into Swiffer Wet Jet pads by cutting them down, serging the edges and adding velcro strips. But the holidays were incredibly busy and I just couldn't find the time. So I found a great Etsy shop (Detroit Knitter - http://www.etsy.com/shop/DetroitKnitter)  that sells reusable pads and I placed an order for 6 of them. I gave 3 to my friend Danielle who is a clean freak (she seriously mops her floors every day). I have been using them CONSTANTLY and am always grossed out my how dirty our floors get. I used to think it was a conspiracy- that there was some color change chemical in the cleaning solution that turned brown when you sprayed it. That was the only reason I could come up with as to why our floors were always so bad.

Here's what I got from Detroit Knitter:

Along with my order came a recipe for Wet Jet cleaning solution. This recipe is courtesy of  ehow.com

Misty's Cleaning Solution
This is my own combination of ingredients: 2 tablespoons of ammonia, ½ cup of vinegar, ½ teaspoon of Johnson baby shampoo and fill the rest of the container with water. I came up with this combination while researching the properties of the different ingredients:
1. Ammonia is an awesome cleaner and spot remover
2. Vinegar kills bacteria, mold, and germs and it's a great rinse agent
3. Johnson Baby shampoo smells good and seems to add a sparkle to the floor (don't try to use an off name brand - they streak!).

Read more: How to Make Your Own Non-Rinse Mop Solutions | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2101538_own-nonrinse-mop-solutions.html#ixzz1mBqBn7DX

I made up a batch of the solution and kept it in a container marked "WET JET" so I could refill the Swiffer bottle when I was out of "brand name" solution. That magical day came yesterday. I popped that bottle out of  the mop and went to turn the cap off. And tried, and tried and tried. But it was not budging. So I  tried a trick that my mom taught me for hard to open jars. Run it under hot water for about 60 seconds. So I turned the kitchen tap on all the way HOT and let it run for a few seconds, then took the bottle and held the cap end under the hot water. I grabbed one of those rubber grippy jar openers and gave a little twist- and POP off the cap came. It has some "teeth" that lock into place inside the bottle cap so you can't open it - to refill it. But getting the plastic slightly warm makes it that tiny bit soft and you can get the bottle open. I filled up the bottle and twisted the cap back on, plugged it back in the mop and cleaned some more.