When it comes to cleaning your floors, you may feel overwhelmed when choosing which type of broom or mop will work best for the job at hand. Depending on what area you are trying to tackle, a certain broom or mop may help make cleaning your floor easier. Believe it or not, not all mops and brooms are created equal. Having the right tool can make this household chore much simpler and more enjoyable.
A large difference in many brooms and mops is the material they are made from and the shape of the tool. We have researched various mops and brooms and have created this extensive list to help with your cleaning needs.
Brooms:
- Angle broom
- Corn broom
- Push broom
- Standard broom
- Hand broom
Mops:
- String mop
- Strip mop
- Dust mop
- Steam mop
Keep reading to find out more information on each type of broom and mop listed above. We will give a list of advantages and disadvantages for each cleaning tool. While cleaning your floors may not be a fun chore, choosing the right equipment can make this duty less of a burden.
Brooms
1. Angle Broom
The angle broom is great for your everyday cleaning needs. As you can see from the picture above, the bristles are uniform in length but cut at an angle.
Cutting the bristles at an angle allows the broom to reach corners and spaces a standard broom cannot. Angle brooms are ideal for kitchens, as they can reach debris in corners, under tables, or other tight spaces.
Plastic is used to make the bristles on an angled broom, making these brooms long-lasting. These bristles will not fall out or wear out easily.
When first purchasing an angle broom, the bristles may seem stiff and not flexible. But with time, the bristles will become more flexible, making it easier to get into corners and hard-to-reach spaces. These brooms work best in small areas.
Click here to see this angle broom on Amazon.
2. Corn Broom
A corn or straw broom has a fan shape to its bristles. Corn husks are used to make the bristles, hence the name corn broom.
Several rows of stitching are found on the top of the bristles to keep them securely in place. The corn broom can cover a large area and is known for getting larger objects off the floor. Corn brooms are also ideal for outdoor sweeping jobs.
If you're searching for a broom to help clean up dust, the corn broom is not your best option. Collecting dust is not a strong feature of the corn broom. These brooms will last for many years, but some people find them hard to use at first.
The corn bristles are rather hard and hold their shape extremely well. As with plastic bristles, the corn bristles will soften over time, making them more flexible and easier to use.
Click here to see this corn broom on Amazon.
3. Push Broom
The primary purpose of a push broom is to clean large spaces. You generally will not use a push broom for everyday cleaning inside your home.
A large head is the primary feature of a push broom. Sweeping large areas is easier with this type of broom, as fewer passes are needed because of the large cleaning head. Use a push broom to clean large areas such as your garage floor, sidewalk, patio, or deck.
Large pieces of debris are easily removed with a push broom. However, dust and smaller pieces of debris can often be left behind when using a push broom. While you might not use this type of broom every day, they are extremely handy to have to sweep those large areas.
Click here to see this push broom on Amazon.
4. Standard Broom
When you think of a broom, this is often what type of broom you will think of. A standard broom is mostly used for small, indoor spaces.
This type of broom is the most popular because of its ability to both collect dust and sweep up small and large debris. Whether you live in an apartment or large home, you will benefit from having a standard broom as one of your cleaning tools.
The long handle can be cumbersome for shorter adults or small children, but for the most part, this type of broom is easy to use. Standard brooms are recommended for use in smaller spaces, as sweeping a large area with a standard broom may take a while. Standard brooms are often inexpensive and easy to find.
Click here to see this standard broom with dustpan on Amazon.
5. Hand Broom
A hand broom sets itself apart from other brooms in that it is compact and has a short handle. These brooms are perfect for those small spills and quick cleaning jobs.
Hand brooms usually come with a dustpan that snaps right onto the broom. These brooms are easy to store and convenient to grab for spot cleaning and small spaces.
You will obviously not use this type of broom for big jobs and will only use it for small and quick cleaning jobs. Young kids can easily use these brooms to clean up any spills they may have. Hand brooms can clean up a small job in no time at all!
Mops
1. String Mop
A string mop is the most common type of mop. Cotton yarn is often used to make the many strings on this mop head. String mops work best when they are used with a mop bucket to help wring out excess water. These mops are highly absorbent and great for commercial and home use.
While these mops are great for large spaces, they are not the most effective when it comes to cleaning. They can be difficult to wring out and can leave behind large amounts of water.
When you dip your mop back into the bucket, you are putting dirt into your clean water, essentially using dirty water to mop the rest of your floor.
Click here to see this string mop on Amazon.
Click here to see this mop bucket on Amazon.
2. Strip Mop
A strip mop is similar to a string mop, but strips of fabric are used instead of pieces of string. Strip mops can be used either wet or dry. Using a dry strip mop is great for dusting your floors. Dust adheres to the strips and is not just spread around the floor.
Strip mops clean similarly to a string mop. They are not usually as large as string mops, so they are better for cleaning smaller areas. Strip mops often come with removable heads, so the heads can be washed over and over and can be replaced when they're worn out.
As with string mops, the dirt on the mop is placed in the water when rinsing the mop out, making your cleaning water dirty.
3. Dust Mop
Dust mops are used just as their name suggests—for dusting! A dust mop is used dry and is great to use for dusting floors before using a wet mop.
Sometimes you just want to remove a layer of dust on your floor and don't want to hassle with water and cleaner. A dust mop can collect large amounts of dust and debris.
Although dust mops are great at removing dust, they do not actually clean your floor. They simply remove any dust or debris. Dust mops can also be difficult to clean if they are not machine washable.
Click here to see this dust mop on Amazon.
4. Steam Mop
Steam mops are becoming more and more popular in the world of mops. Don't worry about carrying a bucket of water around with this mop. The water goes directly into the mop!
These electric mops emit steam to clean the gunk and grime from your floor. Remove stubborn spills and stains with a steam mop. Use your mop pads again and again, as most steam mops come with washable mop pads.
You should sweep or vacuum your floor before using a steam mop, which does add an extra step. The cord can also be difficult to work around when using the mop.
Click here to see this steam mop on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning your floor is something that is likely done daily in your home. Whether you are sweeping up crumbs after mealtime, mopping your bathroom floors, or removing leaves from your sidewalk, surely one of the mops or brooms listed above will be helpful for you.
Finding the perfect tool can make a world of difference in how clean your floors can be. Happy cleaning!
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