Choosing the right broom
What's in a broom?
Before you buy a broom you might want to consider which fibre
is best suited for the task you have at hand. Some of the characteristics
that will determine which fibre will best serve you are: Stiffness,
Durability, Resilience and Cost.
Each fibre serves a slightly different application
and the task at hand will dictate which fibre you should choose.
Smooth surfaces require a natural fibre or a flagged soft bristle
of polypropylene. Those brooms with a combination of natural
and synthetic fibres or a combination of stiffnesses are more
suitable for medium sweeping on semi-rough surfaces. Brooms constructed
from stiffer synthetic fibres are better suited for course surfaces
and concrete. Heavy debris will also require a broom designed
for course sweeping. When choosing a broom, one must also consider
the area to be swept and the weight of the debris. With larger
areas or with areas of very heavy debris we recommend using a
24" broom with a brace on
the head or a Shouldered Industrial Style Corn Broom.
Whatever your task
we have a broom for you.
Understanding
the fibres
Palmyra
Palmyra (Bassine) is a natural fibre that is obtained from the
stiffer portions of the Palmyra Palm leaf. It is durable and water
resistant which makes it ideal for stiff scrubbing applications.
Tampico
Tampico is a natural fibre that is naturally
creamy white in colour but is usually died black. Tampico has
a soft to medium texture with good durability. The fibre is resistant
to water, heat, acid and alkali. It is frequently mixed or blended
with other materials to vary the texture and properties. It is
a long lasting highly versatile fibre, ideal for "all purpose" or
medium sweeping.
Polypropylene
Poly-Pro is a synthetic fibre available in
a straight or crimped version and a variety of colours. The fibre
is very light with excellent resilience to acid and most solvents.
Poly-pro has poor recovery if fibres are bent to an angle of
over 90 Degrees, however it can be used in hot water and has
good wearing properties. It is ideal for abrasive scrubbing.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride fibre is a synthetic available
in straight or crimped version available in a variety of colours.
The fibre is very light with excellent wear and sweeping properties.
PVC is solvent resistant and can be used in hot water not greater
than 65 degrees Celcius. This fibre has an excellent memory and
if it suffers minimal bending, will return to its original shape
while at rest. PVC is the most widely used synthetic fibre due
to its versatility.
Styrene
Styrene is a synthetic fibre that is also
known as the "silver flagged" fibre. Styrene withstands moisture
and has excellent wearing properties. When the ends are "flagged" the
styrene allows for more fine dust retention making it ideal for
smooth hard surfaces.
Corn Brooms
All brooms
are not created
equal! Some will be "All Corn" some will have a great deal of
filler that is not fine corn fibre, some will have shoulders,
some will have thin handles and some thick.
The all-corn
broom although usually the more expensive is designed to
be an all purpose product. The long fibres of pure corn will
move heavy and / or light debris easily. The flexible
fibres will keep their shape and easily advance the debris
until the job is done. These brooms are usually made with
a thicker handle that allows a firm grip while the job is
being done.
Indoor,
all purpose brooms are usually a corn fibre border with a
filler of heavier Corn, Rattan or Yucca fibres. The center
core stiffens the broom while the outer border of a finer
fibre moves the smaller particles and dust. These brooms
will often have a 7/8" diameter handle to fit comfortably
in most hands.
Medium duty brooms
will usually be of heavier design including a larger handle. A heavier corn exterior is often combined
with a Yucca or Rattan fibre centre. The corn is sometimes
flagged to pick up debris in corners and hard to reach areas.
These are excellent brooms for both fine and heavier debris.
Heavy
Duty or Warehouse brooms usually combine the fibres of the
Medium duty brooms but are of heavier construction, are often "Shouldered" and
include a metal band to anchor the head to the handle while
supplying extra leverage for those heavier sweeping jobs.
Stitching on
the head of a corn broom is designed to support the fibres
and maintain the shape of the broom. The number of rows of
stitching often indicates the quality although some manufactures
have increased the number of rows of stitching to create
the illusion of a better quality product without increasing
the quantity of fibre or the quality of the broom.
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