# Pulling a "Push Broom"



## Charc (Nov 17, 2009)

I was always taught that you never pull a push broom. The lesson stuck, hard. I will not pull a push broom again, even if only habit.

I'm wondering what the consensus is from others? From my own observation It would seem that the way force is applied when pulling a push broom really doesn't sweep.

Is there a standard practice? Even an authoritative document to backup one side or the other?


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## cdub260 (Nov 17, 2009)

Up until I worked as a janitor (my first job) I felt the same way you do but I learned that for some cleaning jobs a push broom used in reverse is the best tool.


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## philhaney (Nov 17, 2009)

I'm with CW on this one. There have been times when pulling on a push broom was the best way to go. There have also been times when all I had at hand was a push broom, and the only way to clean where I needed to was to stick the broom into the spot and pull.


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## Van (Nov 17, 2009)

You always Pull a push broom when you are brooming concrete. It's really six o one.... Now Push broom will develope a "memory" , where the bristles all get pushed in one direction, which is why it's nice to turn them around on the stick every once in a while. The memory thing also makes them very hard to pull sometimes which might be where you're comming from Charc ?


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## gafftapegreenia (Nov 17, 2009)

The Van Man wins again.

Now what's really important is sweeping method. I like my crews to start from the wings and sweep towards center stage. NEVER in "patches".

Also its good to go "sweeeeep-TAP", tapping the push broom down after each push, otherwise dust falls off the broom in the NEXT sweep, and you're kinda defeating the purpose of sweeping.


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## lieperjp (Nov 17, 2009)

After spending a summer of grounds work - I usually used a push broom at least four hours a week - I have to agree with Van. Pulling a push broom backwards is the best way to broom concrete/asphalt. Especially if you have a stiff bristle broom. On wood/masonry I find a soft bristle broom works the best. Sometimes - especially in hard to reach corners - a backwards stroke helps. 

So, question for the rest - on stage or in your workroom: Soft or Stiff bristle? I like my soft bristle brooms. It seems to pick up sawdust and other stuff better and it's less likely to retain the material you're trying to sweep up. However Greenia's sweep-tap method works awesomely too.


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## derekleffew (Nov 17, 2009)

My first time ever Stage Managing in an IA house...rehearsal ends and the house head tech asks me if they can sweep the stage. I say "sure, go ahead." Then I see a guy throwing what looks to me like red dry pigment all over the stage!

Never before, or since that I can recall, have I seen sweeping compound used on a stage.



A dampened bath towel wrapped around a push broom is the best way to "mop" a stage.


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## gafftapegreenia (Nov 17, 2009)

I'm a fan of dry mops as well. Very useful especially when those dancers want it perfectly clean.


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## Les (Nov 17, 2009)

derekleffew said:


> ...Then I see a guy throwing what looks to me like red dry pigment all over the stage



Ah, yes, "red sweep" as we call it at Lowe's. The waxy consistency really clings to all the dust and does a great job of keeping it out of the air. I guess it's kind of like how they spray a building with water while they are tearing it down.


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## Grommet (Nov 17, 2009)

I built this 4' push broom for my baking job. 

It works great with cornmeal and flour.


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## edmedmoped (Nov 18, 2009)

gafftapegreenia said:


> The Van Man wins again.
> 
> Now what's really important is sweeping method. I like my crews to start from the wings and sweep towards center stage. NEVER in "patches".
> 
> Also its good to go "sweeeeep-TAP", tapping the push broom down after each push, otherwise dust falls off the broom in the NEXT sweep, and you're kinda defeating the purpose of sweeping.


Exactly what we do


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## Charc (Nov 18, 2009)

Two notes. I suppose of relevance may be that I Was taught in relation to sweeping up stages and our shop. There are instances I can think of, and have experienced, where the only way to physically sweep the area is to pull the broom. That in my mind is acceptable. But this is more of a general operating procedure. If you're moving across a stage, I don't want to see you going backwards the whole way.

As for greenia, I whole heartedly agree with the push tap method. That and sweeping to center. You form a big ol' line, and sweep it into a pile. The alternate method is the concentric rings method, which I dislike, unless sweeping solo. The advantage is that you are never walking back across the stage to sweep again, you're always pushing material. The "patches" method is always unacceptable.

As for sweeping compound, I've used it a fair bit. However, usually in a basement space with finicky smoke detectors. Though the contracted cleaning company did use it for their general work I believe.


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## cdub260 (Nov 18, 2009)

Charc said:


> As for greenia, I whole heartedly agree with the push tap method. That and sweeping to center. You form a big ol' line, and sweep it into a pile. The alternate method is the concentric rings method, which I dislike, unless sweeping solo. The advantage is that you are never walking back across the stage to sweep again, you're always pushing material. The "patches" method is always unacceptable.



How do you feel about the total chaos method, in which the sweeper follows no set pattern and more or less sweeps wherever he feels like sweeping.

One of my coworkers here in Pageantland is particularly fond of this method.


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## icewolf08 (Nov 18, 2009)

I was always taught that it was a "push" broom for a reason. Understandably there are situations where pulling the broom makes more sense, is more effective, or may be the only way to reach an area. However, it seems like the physics of operating a push broom make it more effective when pushing it as you are actually bearing down on the broom as opposed to pulling up on it.


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## lieperjp (Nov 20, 2009)

So, I found a new favorite way to clean the stage... 



The Back pack Vac with a sweeper attachment. Really nice for cleaning up dust/sawdust/styrofoam pellets or shavings/any small item. Also nice because you don't have to drag a bulky shop vac around the stage. 

Always Practical? No. But fun, yes. After all, who doesn't like vacuum cleaners that looks like a jetpack?


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## DuckJordan (Nov 30, 2009)

lieperjp said:


> So, I found a new favorite way to clean the stage...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Oh the old Ghost busters treatment eh? we have one in our theater doesn't work worth a darn, of course none of our vacs do as we have a problem with out pit flooding all the time and the head of the drama department doesn't know there are two filters for our vacs a wet filter or a dry one so long story short, crappy vacs so we always use dust mops and push brooms (btw dust mops work really well for removing glitter [aka herpies] from the stage)


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