Am I lucky or what? My husband reminds me frequently that I am. A husband and father who likes to clean. And iron. And cook. Yes, I am a lucky girl!
We moved recently to a house from the 1880s that my husband spent a year lovingly restoring. Most of the flooring is wood, including the kitchen, and my husband is fanatical about making sure the floor around the sink stays dry. Now, we’ve offloaded the dish washing duty to our two girls as part of their chores that they earn allowance for. Do you know that it’s impossible to keep the floor dry while unloading and reloading the dishwasher? Try it. It’s true!
That’s where Swiffer Wet Jet comes in. One quick swipe with it around the kitchen cleans up the water, the residual crumbs, and whatnot, and the inevitable dirt sticking to the floor. And it’s fun too. I know because my girls fought over who gets to use the Swiffer. They also fight about the dishes, too, but that’s usually over whose turn it is … i.e., not my turn!
My 10-year-old son has chores, too. He feeds the dog twice a day and is responsible for putting away the food after dinner and wiping down the kitchen counters. We recently rejiggered the chores when the girls complained their brother was getting off too easily. I think it’s important for everyone — boys and girls — to learn to cook and clean up in the kitchen. My husband sets a great example for that … he’s the resident neat freak!
When our Swiffer box arrived with a Swiffer Wet Jet, Wet Jet Refills, and Wet Jet Pad Refill, the big green box elicited a lot of excitement, and various family members tried to claim it, but we decided to keep one and share the other with another dad.
I decided to give it to my dad friend at the boxing gym, Nate Busa. He’s a co-owner at Nonantum Boxing Club and also a Newton firefighter. I always see him mopping and vacuuming the gym, and I know he cleans his firehouse too. With three active kids, he drives his boys all over the state to their lacrosse games, and I see him with his little girl at the gym in the summer. Does he clean at home too?! Yes, he does. But the question is: where will his Swiffer end up?
According to the Swiffer Cleaning Index, dads today are pitching in nearly two times more than their dads did. I believe that! In fact, the roles have really shifted as half of Dads today say they do the lion’s share of the cleaning in their home, dividing chores with their significant others. Dividing housework up among the family members means more time for fun stuff together.
We like the Swiffer Wet Jet because it means you don’t have to deal with the old-fashioned mop and bucket! And it actually traps and locks dirt and grime instead of pushing it around. The Swiffer Wet Jet starter kit retails for $21.99 if you want to try it too.
I doubt I am alone with a husband who helps out around the house with the cooking, cleaning and kids. Luckily for the modern family, there are lots of dads who are an integral part of raising kids and running a household. Time for you to brag about your spouse! What amazing things does he or she do to help out? Please share!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
p.s. Here’s a picture book for parents who clean to read to their kids:
Charley Mouse Cleans House by Katerina Gorelik
Join Charley Mouse as she cleans the homes of fairytale characters who need her help to find missing objects. This is a seek-and-find interactive book! The illustrations give this book a cozy feeling and may inspire your kids to clean their rooms! [picture book, ages 3 and up]
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
The Traveling Taco:
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
At my wedding shower I got a vacuum & my reaction was : Sweet! A gift for Randy! I like organizing (but never have time for it). Randy’s more of the day to day cleaner. He loves to vacuum & clean floors. Me, not so much.
Hi Dee,
That’s so great!! I hope Randy liked the vacuum from your wedding shower!! I hate to vacuum too but I don’t mind sweeping or using the Swiffer. I do hate mopping if it means the bucket/water set up though! I hate wringing it all out. Randy sounds like a keeper! 🙂
DH does help clean. He doesn’t usually mop, but he does vacuum, he will clean the bathrooms sometimes and he keeps our little patio nice and neat.
Hi MaryAnne,
I hate to vacuum so a husband who vacuums is a keeper to me! 🙂
Love your post and the big grin on your husband’s face — just give them a new toy and they are happy. 🙂 I’m lucky too as my husband cleans, vacuums, cooks, does laundry etc. My father always helped my mother, so I was happy to marry someone who helped out.
Hi Patricia,
I think dads who help out are such great role models for their daughters and sons too!!
I bet my kids would fight over cleaning the floor if we had one.
I actually help build one of the early models of it!
Hi Ann,
I wonder how long that would last :)? If more than a day, I say you need a Swiffer Wet Jet!!
The Swiffer seems great! Thanks for the post! 🙂
Thanks Brenda,
It’s super convenient!