Swiffer Wet Jet Not Spraying? (Do This First)

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Swiffer Wet Jets are a convenient alternative for mopping floors. Instead of filling a bucket with water, mixing in floor cleaner, and lugging the bucket all around the house, just make sure there’s cleaning solution in the premixed bottle, put a pad on the bottom, and you’re good to go.

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Unfortunately, sometimes these wonder mops can stop spraying, leaving you scratching your head while grimacing at your dirty floors. In this article, we’ll discuss the most common reasons your Swiffer Wet Jet isn’t spraying and how to fix the issue.

swiffer wet jet not spraying

Why Is My Swiffer Wet Jet Not Spraying? 

There are a few common issues that could make it stop working. For instance, you might have put the cleaning solution or pad on the wrong way. You could also have dead batteries, clogged spray nozzles, or clogged pump motors.

How To Fix A Swiffer Wet Jet That Won’t Spray

Now that you understand some things that can make a Swiffer Wet Jet stop spraying let’s talk about how to fix them.

Replace The Batteries

Swiffer Wet Jets take four AA batteries. If your mop stops making noise when it stops spraying, the problem is with the motor. In this instance, the first thing you should do is replace the batteries. 

Replace Solution

If you’ve used your Swiffer Wet Jet frequently since the last time you replaced the solution, you might need to put in a new bottle.

If you run out of cleaning solution in the middle of mopping your floors and you don’t have any new bottles on hand, you can make your own solution.

To make your own solution for a Swiffer Wet Jet, take the cap off the empty bottle and rinse it out to get it ready for your homemade floor cleaner.

To make a mild cleaner, put three drops of dish soap into the bottle, fill it halfway with white vinegar, and top it off with distilled vinegar.

Replace the cap, shake it vigorously to combine the ingredients, and place the bottle back in the machine as usual.

Make Sure The Solution Bottle Is Installed Correctly

If your Swiffer Wet Jet has stopped spraying, but the batteries are fine, and there’s enough solution, you may have installed the bottle incorrectly. 

To properly insert the cleaning solution, follow these easy steps.

  1. Turn your mop upside down. 
  2. Align the flat side of the bottle with the Swiffer handle.
  3. Press the bottle firmly into the holder. You’ll hear a click when the solution is installed correctly.

Make Sure The Cleaning Pad Is Applied Correctly

If your Swiffer Wet Jet stops spraying after you’ve applied a new cleaning pad and there’s nothing wrong with the batteries or the cleaning solution, it’s possible that you applied the pad incorrectly, blocking the spray. 

To apply a cleaning pad to your Swiffer Wet Jet properly:

  1. Remove the two strips of paper from the back of the pad to reveal the sticky strips underneath.
  2. Line up the sticky strips to the corresponding strips on the bottom of your Swiffer, making sure that the rough strip on the face of the pad is towards the back of the mop head. 
  3. Hold the pad in place for three seconds to ensure adhesion. 

Unclog The Spray Nozzles

If your Swiffer Wet Jet is properly assembled and has fresh batteries and plenty of cleaning solution, the problem may be with the sprayer nozzles.

Follow these simple steps to unclog the nozzles.

  1. Remove the bottle of cleaning solution and set it aside.
  2. Fill an 8-ounce glass ¼ of the way with white vinegar, then fill the rest of the way with warm water.
  3.  Dip a small scrub brush into the vinegar solution and use it to scrub the build-up off the sprayer nozzle above the mop head.
  4. Gently insert a toothpick into the hole on the sprayer nozzle to break up any dirt that could have gotten trapped inside. Be careful not to push too hard, or you could break your Swiffer.
  5. Set the mop head in the sink or bathtub, pour the vinegar solution into the reservoir where the cleaning solution bottle usually sits, and press the trigger like you would do to clean the floor. This will move the warm vinegar solution through the sprayer hoses and break up any dirt clogging them.
  6. Once the sprayer works again, you can pour out any vinegar solution left in the machine, dry it off, and reinsert the bottle of cleaning liquid.

Unclog The Pump Motor

If your Swiffer Wet Jet is assembled correctly, has fresh batteries, plenty of solution, and you tried unclogging the spray nozzle to no avail, you may have a clogged pump motor.

Unclogging the pump motor is a bit time-consuming, but if you want to avoid buying a new Swiffer Wet Jet, you can follow these instructions to try to get it working again.

  1. Take the cleaning solution out and set it aside.
  2. Remove the two screws on each side of the hole where the solution bottle sits.
  3. Remove the big screw that holds the mop head to the handle.
  4. Pull the cover apart by squeezing the smaller half, releasing the tabs inside. 
  5. Turn the motor manually using a flathead screwdriver.
  6. Apply a dry lubricant to the pump motor and around the terminal ends.

When you’re finished, you should hear the motor whirring when you squeeze the trigger that releases the cleaning solution.

Conclusion

The Swiffer Wet Jet is a convenient alternative to lugging around a mop and bucket every time your floors need to be cleaned.

If your Swiffer stops spraying, don’t throw it away! Most of the time, the solution is quite simple. 

The most common reasons it stops spraying include:

  • Dead Batteries
  • Lack of Cleaning Solution
  • Improper Assembly
  • Clogged Sprayer Nozzle or Pump Motor

With a bit of troubleshooting, you can have your Swiffer Wet Jet up and running again in no time.

Shauna Stone
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