How To Clean Your Broom

Brooms are one of the most functional cleaning tools in a home. They come in varieties designed for both indoor and outdoor use and help us clean everyday messes as well as dusty forgotten places. But how often do you think about washing this useful cleaning tool? For many folks, that thought has occurred, well, never. Cleaning with a dirty sweeper means you're most likely not getting your floors and other surfaces as clean as you think, notes the Cleanzen Blog.

In the past, buying a new broom often won out over giving your old one a good cleaning, but the cost of just about everything continues to go up. Learning to clean and care for tools like the broom you already have can end up saving you some cash. It's also more sustainable to keep a perfectly usable, albeit dirty, broom out of the local landfill. Whether your broom needs a light cleaning or way more attention, we've got you covered.

Giving your broom a light cleaning is a good idea once every few weeks or so, and more often if you're sweeping exceptionally dusty areas. To do this, simply take your broom outside and give it a few whacks against a sturdy tree or pole. That should dislodge most of the nasties hiding in the bristles. Do this before you begin a more thorough cleaning as well, advises Food52.

More extensive cleaning of your broom should happen once every few months. Filling a bucket with warm water enough to fully submerge your broom head is the next step. Add a bit of dish soap and swish it around to get some suds going. Consider adding a few drops of bleach if your broom needs disinfecting. If you have natural fiber bristles, submerge and soak the broom head for about 15 minutes; you can leave it up to 30 minutes if the bristles are plastic. It's also a good idea to give the handle a swipe with a disinfecting cloth while you're at it.

The next step is to thoroughly rinse the broom under running water, then place it in a good spot to dry with the bristle end up. Accomplishing this chore outdoors and letting the broom dry in the sun helps to kill germs, Food52 adds. With regular cleaning you'll feel better than ever about using your trusty broom.

Some cleaning professionals, like Maids by Trade, suggest having different types of brooms for different types of chores. For example, slender bristles are useful for fine dust and dirt while brooms employed on a patio usually need to be tougher. To accomplish ultimate hygiene, you can also consider having several brooms around the house to keep bathroom germs away from the kitchen. Thinking about this aspect of broom use also bolsters the case for regular cleaning and disinfecting.

Maids by Trade also suggests sweeping a room starting in the outer areas and moving the dirt toward the center of the room for that final sweep into the dustpan. Using a dustpan with a rubber edge will allow you to avoid those little lines of hard-to-gather dust that often get left behind. With a few tips like these from the pros, your home is sure to look and feel cleaner than ever.