Zero Waste Mopping

Different kinds of mops line the shelves of the shops, many of which require the purchase of replacement heads once they wear out. These heads often come in plastic packaging and may themselves be made from or contain plastic parts. Some brands of mops even use attachable disposable wipes (“…and this is the best part – when you’re done, just toss it!” says the advertisement for one mop as they throw the single-use wipe into the bin*). It’s no surprise that a common item seen on naturestrips in hard rubbish are mops. I suspect many are broken, yes, but I wonder if people take the opportunity to buy a different kind of mop instead of the replacement head once their last one is spent? It can be confusing to go back to the store years later to find the right replacement head.

I recently used up my last sponge head for my Sabco sponge mop that I purchased years ago. I started to look into zero waste alternatives to buying the replacement sponge, which comes in plastic packaging and has a plastic bracket attached to it with four small plasic screws that come in another small plastic packet within the main packaging.

I searched online for ideas and didn’t find one specifically for my mop type, but I did come across this great article (take a look at Tammy’s website and blog – it’s rad!) and some other ideas that got me thinking. I decided to give a crochet mop head a go.

I had some leftover thick cotton yarn at home, so crocheted up a large version of my dish scrubbers (these babies). After struggling for ideas on how to attach the scrubber, I reminded myself that sometimes the solutions for zero waste are simple, so I waited for an idea to come. Bingo – tie it on shoelace style with an old shoelace. It worked a treat!

I know we don’t all crochet or sew, but there are some other simple ideas in the article linked above and I hope this provides a little inspiration to re-think your next automatic purchase. Do you really need it? Is there something you already have (or could make with existing materials) that can do the job? Could you find it second hand? If you do need to purchase it, select the most environmentally friendly option at the shops.

The best option in this case would be no mop at all and for what it’s worth, I did actually get down on my hands and knees and wipe down the floor with rags from our old, unusable clothes while I pondered my mop solution. It was perfectly fine for small areas and spot cleaning, but I didn’t really fancy doing it through the whole house. I do recommend trying it though as you may find that is a perfectly fine solution for you (just fold up an old towel to kneel on!).

*I REALLY think we are going to look back on this kind of mentality in the near future and see that it is completely, well, MENTAL