I replace my indoor broom when it gets too nasty (fluff that won't come off, etc), or when the straws start to bend. Maybe every year or two? That broom then becomes the garage broom, and the garage broom then becomes the patio broom. The patio broom hangs in there until the bitter end.
ETA I like a straw broom, I think they work best. I've also found that storing it off the ground/attached to the wall when not in use makes it last much longer.
I no longer use a regular broom inside, I use flylady's rubba sweepa http://www.mothering.com/discussions...bba_sweepa.asp it works better then a regular broom and when it gets dusty I can use water and soap to clean it!
Those of you using vacuums on tile, how do you get to th corners without having to put the attachment on?
We have a dyson animal and when I suggested we vacuum the tile with it my df said it would be bad on the vacuum and tile, despite it having a hard floors setting.
Originally Posted by whoami
Those of you using vacuums on tile, how do you get to th corners without having to put the attachment on?
We have a dyson animal and when I suggested we vacuum the tile with it my df said it would be bad on the vacuum and tile, despite it having a hard floors setting.
We have to sweep out the corners, baseboards if we want them clean, especially with our older model dyson that can't fit underneath the baseboards.
I use the straw kind of indoor broom. It lasts a very long time and I pull off the fuzzies wash it with soap and water from time to time. I'd replace it if the straw was worn down or all bent sideways (I let it dry upside down in the belief that that will keep them from getting all bent). I do vacuum quite a bit, though, which I'm sure adds to the longevity of my broom. But we have legos and sweeping before vacuuming is often advisable.
If you buy an old fashioned broom and treat it right, it will last decades. I know the brooms used at the dojo I used to attend (they're used several times every night) were over 20 years old and looked brand new just because they were used mindfully.
Originally Posted by whoami
How often should you replace your broom if used daily?
What kind of broom do you use?
I just replaced a broom that was well over 10 years old, a year or so ago. I replaced it because we had a major flood and we used the broom about a million times in the course of nine weeks for all kinds of gunk (water, concrete dust, mortar dust, drywall dust, insulation fibers, dryer vent lint, carpet tack strips debris, all manner of construction mess). We replaced the tile, vinyl, and carpet with floating cork flooring and I didn't want to use the old, icky broom on our pretty new floors. I did use it during the install process, though, because that is just a huge dusty mess. I thought I moved the old one outside, but I haven't seen it lately and we were just working on the garden earlier today...so who knows, it may have been pitched or given away.
I like corn brooms with a wood handle. I got our newest one from Costco. I drill a hole in the handle and hang it from a nail off the ground. It helps the broom live a long, helpful life.
We actually don't use the broom that much with our new flooring. Just around the edges and along the top of the baseboards. Our roomba does such a great job and then I mop with a flat cloth-covered contraption.
I would recommend getting a new broom at least once a year if you use it daily. It can be surprising how many germs and bacteria can develop on a broom, especially in a house with animals that shed. One place that has a variety of brooms and dust pans is abatix.com. They are usually priced a lot more reasonably then some other companies out there. Here's a link to one for example: ["http://www.abatix.com/default.aspx?page=item+detail&itemcode=LAGRCP6374&catlist=255" LOBBY DUST PAN BROOM]
I haven't owned a broom in years. I don't like the idea of just pushing dirt around or whipping it up into the air. My Oreck has side brushes which keep my edges very clean.
I swear by the WISP. I've had it for a few years now, I use it almost every day, and it still looks brand new. It actually comes with a wall hanger, and I've found that storing my broom off the floor like that makes a difference. I used to have sneezing fits when I'd sweep, but I don't think my WISP kicks up dirt like other brooms. There's some sort of static electricity or something on the bristles that keeps the dirt on the bristles and not up in the air (and you can just rinse them off if they get yucky). And I LOVE the dustpan!!! (it's a 3 piece set) You can scrape the dirt off the broom right into the dustpan using a comb they have on the side of the dustpan - you just drag the broom through and it empties all the dirt and fuzzies right into it. And you operate it with your foot instead of bending down to move it every time you want to scoot the pan back. That's a lifesaver with a clingy baby who wants to be held all the time (even when there are floors to clean)
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