No matter how much you may want to deny it, housework is one of those basic things of grown-up life. And because you cannot go anywhere without crossing the floor in your home, cleaning the floor is a basic thing you have to do. For that a broom may be your best friend. Brooms have been used for centuries, and you certainly already own one.

But how much do you really know about this essential cleaning tool? To learn more about it, read the following sweeping facts about brooms.

1. The first machine-made brooms appeared in the early 1800s. True, before the 19th century, all brooms were hand-made at home using a bunch of fibrous material that was tied together with a twine and attached to some kind of wooden stick. The result was a rough-hewn broom that had to be re-tied on a frequent basis. In the early 1800s, broom manufacturing started to grow with the help of professionals, and within few years specialized machines were developed to automate this manual chore.

2. Brooms work by pushing debris across the floor or other surface. Trueish. Although this statement is certainly true, it does not tell the whole story. Your broom is a multi-tasking tool that can pick up lightweight dust, fluff, pet hair, etc. So, it is a good idea to give it a regular vacuuming or ‘comb out’ to remove all the clingy stuff and ensure it works efficiently.

3. Natural fiber corn broom are best for cleaning hardwood floors. False. Sturdy natural corn broom are just too much for your elegant and expensive wood floors. Instead they are perfect for heavy duty sweeping tasks such as sweeping patios and mudrooms. That is because corn brooms can lead scratch and dull delicate surfaces. A broom that has softer bristle is a better choice.

4. With modern vacuum cleaners and robots, broom are becoming out-of-date. False. Broom is still very popular and for many reason – they are greener than mini-vacs, canisters and uprights and are 99.99% free of noise pollution. Moreover, a broom iseasy to store and with it, you will never be limited by the length of the cord. And what’s more, a quality broom can complete tasks many vacuums would choke on.

5. Brooms are versatile cleaning tools you can even use one to mop the floor. True. In many European countries, people commonly wash the floor with a push broom and a bucket of soap water. Convenient for those who hate housework, this trick allows you to sweep and mop at the same time. Drape the broom with cleaning cloth and use it to clean your tile, laminate or wood floor.