5 Ways to Make Your Broom & Dustpan a Million Times Better
There are few cleaning tools more frustrating than the broom-and-dustpan duo. The schmutz that hangs onto the broom’s bristles! That line of debris that just will not make its way from the floor into the dustpan! Rawr! The good news is that we have easy hacks for both of those problems — and even a few more. Here are a few little things you can do to make big sweeping changes (hehe!) to your sweeping game.
1. Use a wide-toothed comb to clean out your broom.
Who of us hasn’t struggled to get stubborn dust bunnies out of a broom’s bristles? If you’re not exactly ecstatic about running your fingers through the bristles, a wide-tooth comb should do the trick. Just use it to brush out the bristles while standing over a trash can. You can also hot glue a basic comb to the top of your dustpan just below the handle: Then, run the bristles through the comb and they’ll fall right into the dustpan.
2. Add zip ties to the handles.
Hanging your brooms and dustpans by the holes can be downright impossible. (Who designed these things!?) Add a zip tie to the handle, though, and you have a more accessible loop which you can slide over a hook.
Read more: The Clever Reason Some People Are Putting Zip Ties on Broom Handles
3. Use duct tape when it’s time to sweep your pile into the pan.
You know that last line of dust that’s impossible to push into the dustpan? By sticking some masking tape to the edge of the pan and the floor, you can decrease the gap between the two, making it much easier to corral every last bit. Also, before you throw out the tape, you can use the sticky side to grab any little flecks or pieces that had insisted on staying behind.
4. Run the dustpan under the faucet.
If you’re sweeping up little dust bunnies or hair balls, you may notice that they like to jump out of the dustpan on the way to the trash can. To help keep these things in the pan, just run it under the faucet a little before you sweep. The water will help stick those lightweight flight risks in the pan.
Read more: This Little Trick Will Make Your Dust Pan Suck Less — And It Won’t Cost a Thing
5. Put a tennis ball on the end of your broom handle.
Turns out, a tennis ball is a great scuff marker eraser! Instead of getting down on your hands and knees, cut an X into the ball and squeeze it onto the end of your broom handle to create one super-powered sweeper.
Read more: Stick a Tennis Ball on the End of Your Broom to Make a Super-Powered Cleaning Tool
Got any other tips to add? Leave them in the comments below.