How To Sweep A Floor

How To Sweep A Floor

When it comes to home cleaning projects, sweeping floors is very important. Sweeping keeps your floors free from unsightly and unhygienic dust and debris. Sweeping a floor is an essential home task that many people do wrong.

Many people don’t realize that the way you sweep can make all the difference in keeping your floor clean. If you want to keep your home looking its best between mops or vacuums, consider these helpful hints when trying to effectively sweep a floor of any kind. Here’s how to sweep a floor.

Clear Away Obstructions and Messes

Start by decluttering a room you intend to sweep to remove any messy obstructions. Additionally, remove furniture, throw rugs, and many decorations that may get in your way while sweeping.

This is also a good opportunity to throw your rugs in the wash and dust any furniture. Doing this will prevent your throw rugs and furniture from getting your freshly cleaned floors dirty when you replace them.

Choose the Best Broom for Your Needs

There are a variety of brooms on the market these days, so it’s important to choose the right one for your specific needs. If you’re sweeping a hard floor, such as tile or linoleum, you’ll need a stiff broom that can effectively move dirt and debris. For smoother floors, opt for synthetic brooms.


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For rough texture floors, use natural fiber bristles. After deciding on the type of bristle you need, find a broom with angled bristles to get into corners and crevices. Lastly, pick a broom with a comfortable height handle that is not too heavy.

Also, don’t forget a dustpan and a hand broom. A hand broom will help you sweep your debris pile into the dustbin. Use a dustpan with a razor thin lip to help you sweep up all the dust.

Pick a Sweeping Method

When it comes to sweeping, there are several ways you can go about it. You may start sweeping on the outer edges of a room by pushing and building a dirt pile at the center of the broom.

Pick a Sweeping Method
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You can also start at one end of the room and keep the dirt pile close as you move about the floor or you can sweep a section at a time and put dirt piles in the trash can after completing each section. Make sure you choose a method and starting point that works best for you.

Start Sweeping in the Furthest Room

If you’re sweeping a floor for the first time, start in the furthest room from the entrance and work your way towards the front door. This will help keep all the dirt and dust in one area and make it easier to clean up.

Begin on a section of the floor that’s away from your body and gently drag the broom toward your body. You can use quick short motions or long sweeping motions to get the job done. Make sure you choose a sweeping style that fits your personal preference.

Clean Your Broom Periodically

It’s always best to take care of your tools, so make sure you clean your broom frequently. Dirt and dust will build upon the broom bristles over time so it’s important to remove buildup before it becomes a problem. You can wash or wipe off any loose dirt with water or use a brush to get at the harder-to-reach areas.

This is very important because as you sweep, your broom may accumulate dander, pet hair, and dust bunnies on the bristles. Turn your broom upside down and use your hand to remove the lint, pet hair, and other woozies from the bristles. If you’re still far from the collection point, take that fistful of fuzzy and dump it directly in your garbage can.

Dispose of the Dirt Pile

Now it’s time to get rid of that dirt pile. If you have a dustpan, this will be a breeze. Simply place the dust pan directly under the dirt pile, and using your other hand, flick the pile into the pan. If you don’t have a dustpan, no worries – just use your broom to push the pile over to a garbage can.

Wash Your Supplies and Put them Away

After sweeping your floors, the broom bristles will get dirty, especially if you have pet dander and human hair on your floor. Most of the time, your broom just needs a quick removal of build-up with your hand. As you clean your broom, don’t forget your brush and the dustpan.

Wash Your Supplies and Put them Away
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Use dish soap to wash things, and place them away in their rightful places. Don’t leave your broom standing up against the wall – this will cause it to lose its shape, weakening the bristles. Always store the broom with bristles upright and off the floor.

Use the Drawbridge Technique to Deal with Annoying Dustpan Lines

If you want to get crazy, you can use the drawbridge technique to deal with annoying dustpan lines. This is a two-person process that will make cleaning the floor much faster. One person sweeps the dirt and debris towards the dustpan while the other person uses their free hand to keep the pan open so nothing falls out. The person with the dustpan has to act like a drawbridge, keeping their hand on top of it while making sure nothing falls out.

This method is very important, especially if the dustpan you’re using has a lip that’s too thick to let dust and smaller pieces of debris pass over easily. You can also vacuum or wipe up dust lines that you’re having difficulty corralling with your broom.

FAQs about How to Sweep a Floor

Is it better to sweep or vacuum the floor?

Sweeping is a great way of cleaning floors of large debris. However, for hardwood floors, it’s better to vacuum to get rid of fine dust and particles that may miss, especially in the wood floor crevices.

What is the proper way of holding a broom?

When holding a broom, you should grip it about one-third of the way down from the top. This will give you the best balance and control when sweeping. Make sure you use both two hands to hold the broom.

Can I sweep up liquid spills?

No, sweeping liquid spills will only spread them around and make the mess bigger. Instead, use a mop or towel to soak up the liquid. Learn how to mop a floor to make cleaning spills easier.

How do you sweep without stirring up dust?

Use smaller, shorter strokes while holding the broom more parallel to the floor. This will help you avoid stirring up dust while sweeping.

Final Thought about how to Sweep a Floor

As you can see, sweeping the floor is not that difficult, but also not as easy as you thought. And by following these simple steps, your floor will be far cleaner than it would have been had you simply dragged the old broom across it.

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