Take a deep breath. Chances are that the road has gifted your RV with dust, pollen, and perhaps even a sooty souvenir from last night’s firepit. Before you reach for your bulky vacuum, grab a Swiffer.
(Note that the tips in this article use the dry Swiffer, not the Swiffer WetJet.)
Lightweight, compact, and surprisingly versatile, the Swiffer is one of those travel-friendly tools that can handle more than just your RV floors.
Check out the following practical, RV-tested tips to get more mileage out of your Swiffer.
Swiffer sweepers belong in every rig
Swiffer products efficiently trap and hold dust and common allergens. This is a big win for RVers who move between sandy campsites, dusty highways, and pollen-heavy seasons. A quick pass with a Swiffer dry cloth or duster can cut down on sneezes and keep vents and air pathways cleaner between deep cleans.
Inside your RV
The flat head and long handle make a Swiffer perfect for reaching awkward spots inside your RV.
You can use dry Swiffer sweeping cloths to snag dust from many out-of-reach areas. Think: cobwebs in ceiling corners, travel dust on ceiling fans, and crown moldings that can hold pollen along with dust. You can do all of these chores without hauling out a step ladder. The Swiffer’s long handle can easily reach hard-to-access places inside your rig.
The Swiffer is also great for cleaning spider webs from dining chair legs and the kitchen cabinet kick plates. Use it to pull dust bunnies, pet fur, and grit out of narrow crevices, where the vacuum can’t go. Think: the slim voids on the top and sides of the RV refrigerator, behind the television, and between the wall and sofa, too. The Swiffer’s long handle helps reach and clean the deepest motorhome dashboard, too.
The Swiffer’s microfiber-style dry pads can be used without its handle, too. Use one to hand-clean RV blinds and vents. It quickly traps hair and pollen with a single swipe.
For gentle electronics dusting (TV screen, speaker grilles) use a Swiffer Duster or a dry cloth tucked into the sweeper head.
Take your Swiffer outside
Swiffers aren’t only for interiors. A Swiffer is great for knocking cobwebs from beneath picnic tables, under awnings, and in nooks around the campsite so your evening meal isn’t accompanied by eight-legged diners.
When you need to clean out debris from under your RV slide toppers or in and around the awnings, the long reach and flat head help you work safely from the ground or a short step.
My husband uses a Swiffer to reach and clean the basement areas including the long, sliding tool tray. He also uses it to brush away dirt, leaves, and cottonwood seeds from the exterior vents.
Perhaps the best outside Swiffer tip is when cleaning your RV windows. Just spray window cleaner onto the attached Swiffer cloth and wipe travel grime away. No need to scramble up a ladder! (This works best for me when I use my own DIY Swiffer sweeper cloths. Watch this video to see how you can do it too!)
DIY approaches
Disposable pads are convenient on the road, but replacement costs can add up. Many RVers make or buy reusable Swiffer covers from fleece or microfiber. Just slip them into the sweeper’s grippers and then toss them in the laundry after use. Or use the DIY as described in the video above and recycle an old towel.
Many full-timers keep one Swiffer dedicated to exterior tasks (cobwebs, awnings, picnic table) and another duster for inside chores to avoid cross-contamination.
Do you know of any Swiffer hacks?
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RVDT2765
I use my swiffer with the short handle to clean my windshield. Instead of a swiffer cleaning pad, I stick a doubled sheet of paper towel. I spray glass cleaner on the paper towel and have no problem getting to all the nooks and crannies of the windshield.
Genius, Cindy! Thanks for adding to the list.
Hi Gail, I chose get use a cleaning tool from Dollar Tree. You buy the handle and it has several options for the cleaning head, including a micro cloth (I keep a small spray bottle of Bona in the trailer), short fiber mop, broom and others. I just change the head for the task at hand. Thx for all of your articles!
I somehow missed this at our local Dollar Tree. Have to check it out! Thanks!
Gail, at first I thought, “This woman cleans way too much!” LOL But then I thought, “HEY, maybe I can use this on my tall sunporch windows, which get cleaned approximately never because…ladder 👎” So thanks for the tip!
A dry Swiffer could save your life! When driving a MH into a cold front from a warm, humid region, the cold outside air hits the windshield and causes condensation on the inside glass. Suddenly, you can’t see through the windshield with the windshield usually out of reach. This happened to us while driving west on I-10 just west of Houston. We were in the middle of 5 lanes, suddenly couldn’t see and therefore couldn’t safely pull over to stop. My wife grabbed the Swiffer, covered it with paper towels and frantically wiped off the windshield. The defroster couldn’t work that fast. Check the weather prior to traveling, especially if going from a warm, humid area. Keep that Swiffer close by!
I’m glad you are ok, Jay! Your wife is a quick thinker! Thanks for sharing.