Don't Throw Out Your Old Fleece Blanket — Turn It Into A Handy Cleaning Tool

If you have one too many fleece blankets taking up space (we see that pile in the corner of your living room), don't start tossing them out just yet. Even the stained ones can be put to good use around the house. Simply transition them into your cleaning routine by using them to mop your floors. Fleece is a wonderfully soft fabric that can be used on the flat head of a dry or wet Swiffer-like mop. The great thing about fleece is that it doesn't fray very easily, making this a fairly simple and straightforward project with minimal sewing. Just cut it to size and attach it to your mop.

Way too many textiles end up in the landfill each year, whether from tossing clothes we've outgrown instead of donating them or mindlessly trashing home items, like blankets or curtains, in an attempt to clear out clutter. Repurposing old blankets as cleaning tools is one way to keep them out of the landfill. Plus, you'll be able to wash and reuse your homemade mop pads as you clean, saving you money on all the single-use mop pads you've been buying — some varieties cost over $15 per box at Walmart — while also keeping those out of the landfill, too. This creative way to repurpose old throw blankets helps you declutter your home, keep extra items out of the landfill, and save some money along the way. Sounds like a win-win-win. Let's walk through the process of how to make it happen.

Begin by measuring the flat head of your mop, so you know how much area needs to be covered by the fleece. Add a few inches to the length because we'll be folding the ends over to make pockets that will slide onto the mop head. A standard Swiffer-like mop will work with a 16 inch by 5.5 inch piece of material. Lay out the blanket of choice and cut out the appropriately sized rectangle. Fold the fleece in and over itself about 2.5 inches on each of the long ends to form pockets. Make sure it fits precisely onto the mop head. Sew the outside edges of the folds, leaving the middle open so you can slip it over the mop head. Alternatively, you could attach the ends to the mop using Velcro if you don't want to sew. Slip one end of the mop head into a pocket, followed by the other end in the other pocket, and you're ready to clean the floors.

Since you'll have plenty of material from the blanket, you can sew multiple mop pads, so you always have a fresh one on hand. Then, simply toss them in the laundry when you're done cleaning. You can also use them to dust other areas of the house by hand, like those bookshelves that haven't gotten much attention lately or the mantle that looks a bit neglected. Use them as general cleaning pads and stash one in each room around the home for easy access. When you run out of extra blankets, you can give new life to old towels with similar uses, and keep the spirit of repurposing alive by reusing old pillowcases as a cleaning tool, too.