Cleaning your floors always starts with the sweep of a broom. All the cracker crumbs, pet hair, and dust particles can make your otherwise shiny hardwood floor dull.
Sweeping and mopping aren’t the most pleasant chores, but they’re necessary if you want to keep your floors lasting long without losing their luster.
You’ve spent so much time, money, and effort on choosing the best hardwood flooring for your house; it’d be a shame if your broom was the main culprit behind your dull, scratched floors.
The ideal broom for hardwood floors should have soft bristles that can catch and hold onto dust particles, hair, and debris without scratching the floor.
The stiffness of a broom’s bristles can fall on any level of the spectrum. Stiff bristles are the most common cause of scratches that make your hardwood floor dull over time.
So, which features should you be looking for in a broom that’s safe for your hardwood floor? Let’s find out.
Features to Look for When Choosing the Best Broom for Hardwood Floors
All brooms perform the same function, which is cleaning, but there’s a ton of difference between each one. Some bristle materials are perfect for hardwood while some aren’t, and specific design elements affect how well a broom functions and performs specific tasks.
Here are some of the most important features to consider when buying a new broom for your hardwood floor.
Bristles
If you want to remove dust particles and hair without having them swirl around in the air, stiff bristles are great at getting the job done. But the main disadvantage to stiff bristles is that they can leave prominent scratches on your hardwood floor. On the other hand, softer bristles are better at removing fine dust without scratching and damaging the finish of your floor.
So which type of bristle is best for your floors? Understanding the different types of broom bristles available on the market will help you make the right decision for your home.
The types of bristles include:
- Flagged bristles have an increased surface area because of the broom’s splintered ends. The increased surface area is better for sweeping, trapping, and collecting small dust particles.
- Unflagged bristles are best for removing wet and heavy debris because of the special straight-end bristles. These types of brooms are good for cleaning the outdoors, bathroom, and kitchen. But they’re generally very harsh and stiff for hardwood floors and can cause scratch marks.
- Microfiber cloth brooms collect dust particles and dirt more than they sweep them. Mops and brooms with microfiber bristles are excellent for cleaning hardwood floors and they can work pretty good, both dry and wet.
- Rubber bristles resemble thin rubber fingers rather than standard bristles. These types of thick rubber bristles pull pet hair off the carpet and hardwood floorings. The broom head is easily washed with warm water and soap. As efficient as they are for hair, the same can’t be said about their dust-removing abilities. So they serve a very specific purpose.
Materials
Bristles
There are 2 broad categories when it comes to the material of a broom’s bristles; natural and synthetic. Some people prefer natural bristles, while some like to keep synthetic ones in their houses.
Natural bristles can range from soft to stiff. There are several natural bristle material options including yucca, Tampico, broomcorn, and palmyra. Some materials like broomcorn and yucca are even used together for collecting large debris and removing fine dust particles, which makes for a great all-purpose broom.
Synthetic bristles consist of propylene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bristles or microfibre and a recycled material called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Synthetic bristles offer softer options than natural bristles.
Handle
Broom handle material also makes a huge difference since it’s responsible for determining how much force should be applied when cleaning. Broom handles are commonly made from metal, plastic, and wood. Among these three, metal and plastic resist moisture and heat quite well and far better than wood.
This is an added quality that allows the broom to be used in temperate environments with increased humidity. Wood is not only heavier but also attracts moisture, so it isn’t the best choice in every case. The best broom handles are lightweight and stable, so there’s no added pressure on the surface of the floor.
Handle Lengths
Broom handles differ in length, thickness, and overall design. The handle length should be such that it allows you to stand upright and help prevent any back pain.
Many brooms come with adjustable handles, giving each user the freedom to adjust handle lengths according to their needs. Handles long enough for the user to stand upright, can help prevent back pain and allow the user to get better leverage while sweeping.
Adjustable brooms should come with a joint locking mechanism that prevents them from bending too much and breaking.
Weight Of the Broom
When sweeping a large room, lightweight brooms can prevent fatigue from kicking in. Plastic brooms with synthetic bristles reduce weight which is great for your back. Aluminum handles are also used to make the broom lighter.
Heavy wood brooms can weigh upwards of 2 pounds. Yet wood works quite well when you opt for natural bristles, and the added weight is nothing compared to the enhanced performance.
Dustpan
A dustpan attached to a broom comes with its own set of advantages. The biggest one is that you don’t have to play hide and seek with the dustpan since it’s attached to the broom. Secondly, since the dustpan comes with the broom, it fits perfectly with the pan’s shape.
Dustpans can add a lot of value to the cleaning experience. Most dustpans now come with cleaning claws or teeth that wipe the broom clean of its collected dust.
Storage
Storage space is a huge factor that can influence your decision when buying a broom, especially for people with apartments and limited storage space. Luckily, if your storage space, pantry, or closet has enough height, a broom won’t take much space, as compared to a vacuum.
Smaller homes can do well with installing hooks, brackets, loops, and braces that allow you to mount your broom on the wall. Some brooms even come with detachable heads that make storage that much easier.
Brooms that come with a dustpan usually have enough space to be stored within the dustpan itself.
Is It Okay To Use Brooms On a Hardwood Floor?
Yes! Using brooms on a hardwood floor is completely fine. You don’t have to use a microfibre mop all the time. But in order to keep your floors shiny, they require regular maintenance. To protect your floor’s finish you need just the right broom for the job, which means that stiff bristle brushes are out of the race because they can’t clean effectively without causing scratches.
The Top Brooms for Hardwood Floors
Here’s my list of the very best brooms for hardwood floors that money can buy.
1. TreeLen Broom and Dustpan
This bad boy is a 2.2-pound cleaning system that leaves no corner dirty with dust bunnies. The adjustable extension pole is great for preventing backaches. You may also appreciate that along with a long adjustable broom handle, it comes with a long dustpan handle as well containing a locking mechanism for increased efficiency.
Features
- Aluminum handles
- 2.2 pounds in weight and 52 inches in length
- Pliable flagged bristles that don’t scratch the floors
- Long handle dustpan
- Compact storage
- Easy to assemble
2. SANGFOR Dust Pan and Broom
This set contains 4 layers of flagged bristles which means that the broom has an increased surface area. This broom comes with an adjustable extension pole and a long-handled dustpan with a rubber lip that prevents the dust from going under the pan. It also has a rubber comb that removes hair and dust stuck in the comb for more thorough cleaning.
Features
- Plastic broom with a stainless steel handle
- 54.3-inch length and 2.4 pounds weight
- Soft broom bristles
- Dustpan lock
- Dustpan teeth
- Flexible rubber lip
3. O-Cedar Fast N’ Easy Broom
Effective cleaning for hardwood floors that won’t eat through your wallet? Sign me up! This soft flagged bristle broom with O-Cedar’s technology helps trap and collect dirt and dust while preventing it from settling on the floor again. The design involves an angled brush which makes it easy for you to reach tight corners for precise cleaning.
Features
- 53-inch handle
- Light recycled plastic body with a weight of 1.26 pounds
- Soft flagged bristles
- Angled brush
4. SWOPT Premium Straight Broom Head
This cleaning head functions as a part of their cleaning system. With soft bristles, the broom cleans the wooden floors and is great for picking up pet hair as well. If you want the handle to come with it, it has to be purchased separately, giving you the freedom to customize it the way you want.
Features
- Flagged plastic bristles
- Interchangeable and versatile premium broom head with a wide variety of handle collections to choose from
- 12.6 ounces in weight
5. OXO Good Grips Large Sweep Set
This sweeping set features a long adjustable handle that goes from 39 to 53 inches, accompanied by a locking ability. It has angled bristles that are the main cleaning power behind this sweeping set. The bristles trap dust and dirt off the floor without letting it resettle on the floor. They’re efficient and still soft enough to protect your hardwood floors from scratches.
The broom set comes with a dustpan with a long handle which allows the user to use it without bending a lot and hurting their backs. The dustpan has a comb that cleans the attached dust bunnies and hair.
Features
- 36-inch dustpan handle
- 20 inches of adjustability on the broom handle
- Flagged and angled bristles
- 2.2 pounds in weight
6. O-Cedar Power Corner Large Angle Broom
The O-Cedar Angle broom won’t leave any corner unchecked with a double bristle technology, keeping your floors clean and safe from dust bunnies. With firm yet soft flagged bristles, hold on to the dust particles before they get a chance to resettle on the floor.
It’s a great eco-friendly option since it’s made from 80% recycled material. The bristles resist breaking and bending because of O-Cedar’s innovative memory technology.
The handle is at a perfect length to let you sweep without backache.
Features
- Plastic material
- 1.5 pounds in weight
- Soft flagged bristles
- Double bristles
7. Quickie Bulldozer Push Broom
With every swipe and push, this push broom covers a whopping 18-inch area.
With flagged bristles made from poly-fiber material, the broom softly sweeps dust and dirt off the floor without leaving a single scratch.
Push brooms function differently than normal sweeping brooms. To aid in pushing the dust away, the 60-inch handle provides enough leverage for you to do your job perfectly.
Though the broom weighs around 2.45 pounds, the added weight is worth the extra ground it covers and can be stored away compactly or hung with the head removed.
Features
- Polyfiber flagged bristles
- Covers an 18-inch area with each push
- 60-inch long, sturdy handle
- 2.45 pounds in weight
8. FURemover Telescoping Handle Broom
The FURemover, from the name itself, is a dead giveaway. It has a very specific function, and that’s the collection and removal of pet hair. Because of its rubber bristles, the broom attracts and pulls the fur towards itself from the floor and carpets. It’s great for dogs and cats alike, especially during their hair shedding season.
The collected hair is easy to wash off using soap and warm water.
Features
- Plastic handle
- Unflagged rubber bristles
- 1.4 pounds in weight
- Telescopic handle
- Extension for handle from 36 inches to 60 inches
- Easy to clean
- Built-In Squeegee
9. Full Circle Mini Dustpan and Brush Set
Full Circle’s Tiny Team brush set isn’t just cute to look at but also efficient. The brush has unflagged bristles, and their softness with flexibility make them an efficient choice for small spills and dust bits on the hardwood floor.
The brush also comes with a stylish bamboo handle and is a great eco-friendly material.
Features
- Unflagged brush bristles
- Silicon lip on the dustpan
- 7×7 inch (brush and dustpan included)
- By weight, it’s 0.15 pounds
- Stylish and eco-friendly bamboo handle
Which Broom is The Best?
Buying a broom might seem straightforward, but it’s much more than that when you know how many different types of brooms there are on the market. There are several brooms with different features that are perfect for different functions. However, after looking at the very best in the list above, we’ve decided on our winners in each category.
- Best broom overall: TreeLen Broom and Dustpan
- Runner up: SANGFOR DustPan and Broom Set
- Budget-friendly: O-Cedar Fast ‘N Easy Angle Broom
- Best pet hair remover: SWOPT Premium Straight Broom Head
- Best adjustable handle: Sweep Set by OXO
- Best angled broom: O-Cedar Power Corner Broom
- Best push broom: Quickie Bulldozer broom
FAQs
What kind of broom do you use for hardwood floors?
To clean your hardwood floors without damaging their finish, you need a broom with extremely fine and soft bristles. Rubber and horsehair bristles are an excellent choice, but other synthetic bristle options in the market make soft and efficient brooms as well.
What is the best thing to sweep wood floors with?
Brooms with soft and long bristles are great for cleaning wooden floors. Mops made of microfiber cloth and brooms with thick rubber bristles also help efficiently collect dust and debris off the floor.
Is it better to vacuum or sweep hardwood floors?
Using a vacuum cleaner is one of the easiest ways to clean your hardwood floors. It gets rid of fine dust and dirt particles out of the most stubborn corners. Though brooms tend to scratch the wooden surface, many soft bristle brooms do a splendid job without damaging the floors.
Does sweeping scratch hardwood floors?
If sweeping is the only option you’re left with, make sure you’re using a soft and fine bristle broom or a microfiber cloth broom to sweep the floor. Using a stiff-bristled broom can scratch the varnish of your floors and, ultimately, the wood itself.
Get The Best Clean With The Best Broom
Hardwood floors require high maintenance, but the aesthetic, appeal, and value they add to your home, are worth it. Always make sure to check the type of bristles when you’re buying a broom.
Make sure they’re soft and won’t scratch your floors. Out of all the brooms we’ve mentioned, which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
