Is There a Dust Pan That Actually Works?

For many reasons, I love to sweep my floors. It’s a nightly ritual that’s not too hard, makes my kitchen look super-clean, and helps keep pests out. But in my years of sweeping, there’s one step I haven’t managed to perfect: picking up the last little pile. I don’t know about you, but I have yet to find a combination of dust pan and broom that doesn’t leave a trail of grit in its wake.

Could I be doing it wrong?

For a long time I had the absolute cheapest, most basic dust pan and brush set and, while it lifted the biggest pieces of dirt, it left a line of dirt. But I figured that’s what I get for having just that — the cheapest, most basic dust pan and brush.

But recently, I bought a nifty little dust pan and broom combo that seemed promising. The dust pan had a rubber lip, touted for its ability to conform right to the surface of the floor. The brush was angled to sweep slightly from above, instead of the side, to address the ergonomics of my exact debris-sweeping style. I bought the set with great enthusiasm.

And yet … every time I use it, I’m still left with a line of dust. It is great for bigger things, like the time the kids knocked over the Christmas tree and I had a mess of pine needles and broken ornaments to round up. But for everyday use, it falls short. Again, I wonder if I’m doing it wrong — or if I haven’t found the right product yet.

In the meantime, I have a solution: I sweep, then suck up the remaining dirt with my hand vac. It works pretty well, and it’s a satisfying little process.

But I’d love to hear from you: Do you have a dust pan and/or brush that you think really works, or a technique you’ve perfected over the years? Help me, readers!

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Discuss in the comments!