Brooms
Brooms are typically wide, long-handled block brushes which are used in industrial
and commercial settings to assist in maintaining clean facilities. Made with
a variety of natural and synthetic filament, brooms and mops are manufactured
for a range of applications from basic wet or dry floor sweeping to industry-specific
equipment scrubbing, static dissipation and chemical sweeping. Brooms are made
between 10 inches and 2 feet long for broad, efficient sweeping. Industrial and
commercial manufacturers use street brooms, deck scrubs, floor sweeps, garage
brushes, fender brushes, roof brushes, hand scrubs, automotive wash brushes,
counter dusters and wire scrub brooms in their facilities as an essential part
of the manufacturing process.
Synthetic filaments are made course, medium or fine for effective sweeping of
different materials. Coarse bristles sweep heavy debris including oil, dry dirt
and soil, wet chemicals or refuse, wood scraps, nails and metal chips thrown
to the floor as a result of deburring or other fabrication processes. Coarse
bristled brooms can clean rough surfaces, and are often used at job sites for
cleanup. Fine bristles effectively sweep tiny particles such as dust, sand, wood
shavings and light dirt. They are used on smooth surfaces and are mainly used
for indoor environments. Wire filament brooms are used for sweeping or scrubbing
rough surfaces such as stone, brick, concrete and street pavement as well as
hard-to-reach industrial ovens and other industrial equipment.
Common broom filaments include vegetable fibers such as African Base, tampico
and palmyra; natural and synthetic horsehair; synthetic fibers such as polypropylene,
styrene, PVC and nylon; and wire filament. Different filament materials have
various properties desirable for different applications. Tampico, for example
has good absorbent properties; polypropylene is chemical resistant; nylon is
light, resilient and eliminates static; horse hair is scratchless and fine, and
wire filament scratches and buffs uneven surfaces. Broom filaments are generally
stapled or hand-drawn into hardwood or plastic blocks which are attached to long,
angled handles for easy pushing. Handles may also swivel or pivot to accommodate
small spaces and turns.