How to Sweep

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

13 Apr 2009 10:12 AM

While sweeping is simple (even a four-year-old can do a good job sweeping), having proper technique when sweeping can make the job easier and faster. Here are some things that you need to know all about sweeping.

First things first

When cleaning, it is generally better to start from the top and work your way down. So if you have to sweep up the crumbs on the dining room floor, first wipe down the table and chairs, or you may find yourself doing the sweeping twice.

Keep your broom handy at all times. Getting little messes right away will be easier and more effective than letting things pile up. Plus dirt and grit has a tendency to scratch hard floor surfaces.

When you sweep, you want to start from the outside of the room in, or from the inside edge of a porch to the outside ledge. This will ensure that you don't miss any spots and that the dirt won't get trapped at the baseboard or corners. Move the dirt to the middle of the room. Picking it up there is much easier than picking it up in the corners. As for the porch, if it is just dirt and soil, you can probably just sweep it off of the edge. Pick up any trash or large amounts of dirt with a dustpan or other tool.

Choose your broom

The type of broom you need will depend on the job. Keep at least one broom for outdoor work and one broom for indoor work. An indoor broom should have relatively fine bristles and be lightweight enough for daily use. Finer bristles will pick up smaller particles of dirt. An outdoor broom is best when it has strong, firm bristles and is wider. The bristles in this type of broom won't get stuck on porous surfaces such as concrete porches and wood decks, and the wider surface will make the job go faster.

Check out the second half of this post here in the Home blog.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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