Broom Care and Maintenance

01

Cleaning a Broom Regularly

Dust, hair and small debris tend to build up at the base of broom bristles with regular use. Left unaddressed, this buildup reduces the broom's effectiveness and can create unpleasant odours, particularly if the broom is used on damp surfaces.

A simple way to clean a broom is to comb through the bristles with your fingers or a stiff comb to remove tangled hair and debris. For a deeper clean, bristles can be rinsed under running water and left to dry fully before the next use. Adding a small amount of mild soap to the rinse water can help remove grease or stickier residues, particularly on brooms used in kitchens or garages.

It is important to let a broom dry completely, bristle side down, after washing. Storing a damp broom can encourage mould growth at the base of the bristles and may also cause the binding material holding the bristles in place to weaken over time.

02

Storing a Broom Correctly

How a broom is stored has a significant effect on how long its bristles retain their shape. Leaning a broom against a wall with the bristles resting on the floor causes them to bend permanently over time, reducing the broom's sweeping effectiveness.

The better approach is to hang a broom by its handle, bristles facing downward but not touching any surface, or to store it bristle side up if hanging is not possible. Many households use a hook or clip mounted on a wall or inside a cupboard specifically for this purpose. This keeps bristles straight and extends the useful life of the broom considerably.

03

Trimming Worn Bristles

Over time, broom bristles naturally fray and wear unevenly, particularly at the tips. Trimming the bristles straight across with a pair of sturdy scissors can restore a more even sweeping edge and extend the usable life of the broom. This is a particularly useful technique for natural fibre brooms such as broom corn or besom styles, where the fibres tend to splay outward with heavy use.

Synthetic bristle brooms are generally more resistant to fraying but can still benefit from an occasional trim if the bristle ends become uneven.

04

Knowing When to Replace a Broom

Even with good care, every broom eventually reaches the end of its useful life. Signs that a broom needs replacing include bristles that have become permanently bent or splayed despite trimming, a significant loss of bristle density from shedding, or a handle that has become loose, cracked or unstable.

Continuing to use a worn broom past this point tends to make sweeping less effective and more time consuming, so replacing it promptly is usually the more practical choice.

05

Matching Care to Broom Type

Different broom materials respond differently to cleaning and storage. Natural fibre brooms, such as broom corn or besom styles, are more sensitive to moisture and should be dried thoroughly after any wet cleaning to prevent rot or mould at the binding point. Synthetic bristle brooms tend to be more forgiving of moisture but can still benefit from regular dry cleaning to remove trapped debris.

Outdoor brooms exposed to the elements, such as yard or push brooms left outside between uses, should ideally be stored under cover when not in use. Prolonged exposure to sun and rain can weaken both the bristles and the handle over time, regardless of the material used.

With a little regular attention, a broom can remain an effective and reliable cleaning tool for a long time, often far longer than its original price might suggest.