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It is impossible not to think about brooms when we want to clean the floor of our house. There are different models and in this article we will explain each one.
Brooms are a cleaning tool that, through a hard or soft bristle brush and a wooden or metal stick, sweep all the dust accumulated on the floor, to collect it later in a container and deposit it in the trash.
Brooms also work to clean floors with soap and water, so it is an indispensable element in a house, office, factory or premises. Their manufacture has some variants which we will tell you about below.
Summary
- Brooms are cleaning tools that have a soft or stiff bristle brush and a long wooden or metal stick, which are used to sweep the floor and remove any dust or rubbish that accumulates on a daily basis.
- Although there are many materials and designs of brooms, they can be divided into three: the domestic ones that are used to keep the house or office clean, the professional ones that stand up to rougher and more recurrent use, and the outdoor sweepers.
- Before buying any model you like, we recommend you to recognise the type of floor you are going to sweep with that broom, as this will determine the type of bristles you will choose, as well as the type of brush you need.
The best brooms: Our Picks
Buying guide: What you need to know about brooms
Brooms make people’s lives much easier, so having one at home should be a must. So that you know which model is best for you, we explain their characteristics, the advantages they have, as well as the factors you should consider before buying one.
What are brooms and what are their advantages?
The first models of brooms were made with the same unpolished wooden stick and instead of a bristle brush, they consisted of a bundle of tied branches that could sweep up the dry leaves of trees. Today you can still see some examples of this model in the streets.
Over the years, their design and materials have improved, and today there are different brush shapes, sizes, bristle types and grips, so they have gradually adapted to people’s needs.
Household brooms, professional brooms or sweepers – what should you pay attention to?
Here we tell you about 3 models of brooms that we believe you can easily acquire, as you have surely seen them in department stores, local businesses or shops specialising in cleaning articles.
Household brooms. These types of brooms are perfect for use in the home because they can vary in brush size and design colours. Generally, the bristles of the brush are soft and the stick is made of wood.
Professional brooms. Also known as industrial brooms, this type of broom is used in large places such as companies, premises or factories. The main difference is their size and resistance, as they must have semi-rigid bristles that allow them to remove dirt and particles deposited in carpets or corners.
Sweeping brooms. This model of broom is the classic one you would see in a witches’ movie, as it has a large wooden stick and a bundle of branches tied at one end. It is heavy-duty and a bit tricky to handle, but it has good traction.
| Domestic | Professional | Sweepers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristle material | Synthetic fibres | Polyester fibres | Sorghum |
| For what type of floor | Smooth indoor floors | Rough or pavement floors | Rough or outdoor floors |
| What can you sweep? | Dust, fluff or light particles | Dirt or larger particles | Rubbish, dry leaves, twigs |
Where to buy brooms?
You can find them physically in large and international shops, they are sure to be in the cleaning supplies section.
If you want to take advantage of online shopping, e-commerce platforms have brooms of all kinds that can be delivered to your door.
But if you want advice on the best model of broom you need, you can buy them in shops specialising in household cleaning products.
Purchasing criteria
It is important to know that, before buying any model of broom, you need to consider some factors that will help you make a better decision. In fact, these are elements that you already knew about but had not paid attention to, and here we explain why.
Type of bristles
Regardless of the material that the bristles of the broom brush are made of, it is important that you pay attention to the flexibility and movement they have when sweeping. This depends on whether they are soft, semi-rigid or rigid.
Soft bristles. This type of bristle moves easily when in contact with the floor and is good at dragging dust, hair, fluff or any other small particles. Recommended for use on smooth, even floors.
Semi-stiff bristles. A little more force is needed to move these bristles but they do not lose mobility completely. They are recommended for use on slightly rougher floors or pavement, as they are very good at dragging dirt or particles from rugs and carpets.
Stiff bristles. These are usually tree branches attached to sweeper brooms, they are very long and do not move easily. They can also be made of plastic and are perfect for cleaning solid rubbish or larger items on the floor.
Floor type
Brooms should be made according to the floor they are going to sweep, as there are very delicate materials that could be scratched or damaged if they are not cleaned properly. Here we tell you which broom model is ideal for each type of floor.
Indoor smooth floors. Brooms with soft or extra-soft synthetic bristles are very good at cleaning smooth wood, mosaic or marble floors. As the floors are unrelieved, the dust can be swept up easily and does not require much force to remove.
Exterior or carpeted floors. As they are outdoors or are a material that keeps a lot of dust inside, such as rugs or carpets, it is necessary to sweep them with industrial or professional brooms with semi-rigid bristles that can remove all these particles.
Rough or unfinished floors. Patios or terraces that are merely made of concrete and have no finishes can be swept with brooms with hard bristles that allow pressure to be exerted on the dust or rubbish that can become embedded in them.
Type of brush
Regardless of the material the bristles are made of, whether they are flexible or not, a good result in cleaning the floor by means of brooms depends on the brush they have.
Small brush. When it is not necessary to sweep an entire surface, you can use brooms with small brushes that are handled like a broom and look like they belong to the shoe shine kit.
Long-handled brush. Unlike conventional broom brushes, this one has a much longer handle than normal to reach hard-to-reach places such as corners, corridors or nooks and crannies. Can be used under the bed, in the wardrobe or under the car.
Ultra-stiff brush. Used for cleaning large, exposed surfaces such as carpet, for example. The difference is that the dust that is being swept up does not spread into the environment and gets trapped in the bristles of this brush.
Rubber brush. This brush has rubber bristles that are flexible but have the stiffness to remove dirt residue from a carpet or rug. Dust and other particles stick to the rubber bristles and it is very easy to wash.
Electric brush. This is a combination of a normal broom and a hoover, as the dust swept up by the brush falls into a container that can be removed when it is too full. It is ideal for people who are not looking to make a lot of effort while sweeping.
Special treatment
On the other hand, there are models of brooms that were created to achieve a specific purpose, i.e. apart from cleaning, they can add shine, wash or disinfect the floors they pass over. Here we tell you about some models.
Brooms for applying wax. As the name suggests, they wax floors using a large felt brush and liquid wax. The idea is to spread the wax evenly and give the floors a unique shine.
Corner brooms. Also known as horsehair brooms, this is a model whose design is so flat that it can reach the farthest corners of the house. They can also be tucked under furniture and sweep up all the dust that has accumulated.
Rice straw brooms. This model is quite curious because its function is to dust carpets and straighten their pile in case they are no longer so pachoncitas.
(Featured image source: MikesPhotos/ Pixabay.com)
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