By Joanne Mamenta
The Nashville Tennessean

No buckets, no wet mops, no elbow grease. With today's profusion of all-in-one floor-cleaning appliances, you can just mop the floor and throw away the cleaning pads.

Two kinds of the mop-in-a-box products are available.

The wet mop uses an absorbent cleaning pad and a pre-mixed ready-to-use cleaning solution.

The dry mop uses thick textured, electrostatic cloths to pick dirt, dust and hair. Depending on the brand, you might get scented cloths or battery-operated buttons to dispense the cleaning solutions.

"They can be pricey, but the convenience is so strong that it wins people over," says Ron Gunter, owner of an Ace Hardware that carries two lines of the mops.

The rise in hardwood and ceramic floors has added to their popularity, Gunter adds. "That has really fueled it, creating a mini-industry of products to care for these kinds of floors."

The products' only major downside is price. In addition to the start-up kit, costs for refill pads, cloths and cleaning solutions add up.

Consumer Reports estimates that to clean a 300-square-foot floor once a week for a year, it will cost $78-$115, depending on the brand, because of the replacement pads and cleaning solutions.

Many consumers have come up with thrifty ways to maximize the use of the products in order to save money and still clean with ease.

"After I mop, I turn the pad over and use the other side instead of throwing it away," says Julie Robertson, a mother of three who lives in Nashville.

"Then I take it off and use the sides to pick up anything left over. I probably get more use out of those pads than anyone. And there are always coupons for the refill pads.

Cheap alternatives For damp mopping, wet a dishcloth with the floor cleaning solution and attach it to your Swiffer mop. Afterward, toss the dishcloth in the washing machine.

Use reusable microfiber dust cloths for dusting electronics, blinds, ceiling fans.

Instead of refills, use two new (or used!) dryer sheets on the mop.

Try old towels, old cloth baby diapers and blue garage hand towels on your mops.

For a "cheapskate" wet mop imitation, use any old kitchen cleaning solution and a sponge mop with a shop towel wrapped around the head. Squirt and scrub.

Of course, you could follow Consumer Reports' advice, which is to stick to the regular mop and bucket.