Care

Care of the Broom

As described in “Swept Away” by Karen Hobbs:

•  Buy only the best quality broomcorn brooms and whisk brooms

•  Do not store your broom standing on the sweeping end; it bends and warps the straws.

•  Do not use soaps or harsh chemicals on your brooms, as it will remove the natural wax coating of the broomcorn; it will then become dry and brittle.

•  Do not keep your broom in a place that is hot and dry; it makes the straw brittle and stiff.

•  A little bit of water or dampness never hurts a broom if you shake it thoroughly and hang it up or stand it on the stick end.

•  If the ends become flared, dip them in warm water twenty to thirty minutes. Wrap the end of the broom with a thin piece of cloth and hang it on the wall overnight. Remove the next morning and it is good as new again.

•  Keeping your broom out of direct sunlight will prolong the natural colors.

•  Sweeping with alternative sides and corners of a broom helps it wear evenly.

•  When the first three inches or so are worn down, discard the broom or use it only to scrub basement floors. A worn broom takes twice the energy to do half the work.

If you want to sanitize the pot/veggie scrubbers, you can just dip them into boiling water for a few seconds. Make sure they are dry before storing away.