Maintaining hygienic standards is easier when employees have access to the right tools for the job, including the proper brooms. The staff in charge of cleaning will be better able to carry out cleaning tasks effectively and efficiently when they have tools that are fit-for-purpose.
Hygienic Design of Brooms
Drilled and stapled brooms are produced with the traditional method of folding bristles and stapling them into a block. This creates a tight fit that holds bristles in place. When a tool is well-designed, there are minimal places for contaminants to hide in and multiply. However, bristles have been known to fall out, though less frequently on better-quality tools. For most food industry purposes, this provides a high level of hygiene and supports sanitation efforts.
Resin-set brooms have cropped up in recent years, but they present a host of hygiene concerns—namely, that the resin itself isn’t approved for food contact and have been known to fall out of the broom, creating and spreading its own contamination. This type of broom isn’t recommended for food processing.
Ultra Safe Technology (UST) brooms from Vikan are state-of-the-art tools that have a unique design and construction that improves bristle retention and hygiene. Bristles are fully molded into bristle security units in patterns that maximize efficiency while allowing the broom itself to be cleaned easier. This level of hygiene is appropriate for facilities that require a higher level of cleanliness, such as ready-to-eat food, baby food, and infant formula processing plants.
Bristle Stiffness
Bristles come in a variety of lengths and thicknesses to accommodate different debris size. Generally, softer bristles are better at picking up small particles and stiffer bristles can clean up larger debris.
Soft bristles are longer and thinner than other types, which make them fit for picking up small particles like flour, sugar, and dust. These bristles can be used with a cleaning agent and water for a washing effect.
Medium bristles are suitable for wet and dry applications. They’re also great for sweeping larger food particles such as peelings.
Stiff bristles are shorter and thicker; giving them more strength for clearing away large particles or scrubbing difficult dirt. They can also be used wet with cleaning agents for the most difficult of cleaning tasks.
Soft/stiff combo bristles combine the best of both worlds, offering stiff bristles that loosen stubborn dirt and soft bristles that sweep away fine particles.
Soft/Split bristles are comprised of soft bristles with split ends to hold more water and cleaning agent to achieve a maximum washing effect. They are also effective at sweeping away fine contaminants like flour and sugar.
Sweeping Brooms
Sweeping brooms are traditional floor brooms. They’re available in a variety of bristle options to accommodate all cleaning and sanitation efforts.
Angled brooms are ideal for sweeping narrow spaces and collecting large particles of debris before further cleaning or sanitizing.
Push brooms work best over large areas, moving heavy debris across an area. The thick bristle pattern has the strength to push large particles and the density to keep from losing smaller debris. These come in fine particle varieties that specialize in sweeping dry powders like flour, starch, and sugar. Combo bristles can be used on a mix of large and small particles like those found in baking operations.
Upright brooms are often used as lobby brooms and are ideal for sweeping narrow spaces and between production lines.
Lobby dustpan sets easily and quickly clean up large floor areas. With its large dustpan attached to a handle, it allows workers to conveniently sweep debris away.
UST push brooms from Vikan maximize the cleaning effect while minimizing potential contaminants. Bristle Security Units are organized to form a unique bristle pattern that provides improved efficiency and makes tool cleaning and inspection easier.
Deck Scrubs
Deck scrubs, made to work with water and liquid cleaning agents, are ideal for scrubbing tough and stubborn messes from floors and walls. These tools have a wide base and tough bristles for cleaning stuck-on messes or just giving the floor a good washing. They come in a variety of widths to meet every cleaning challenge.
Waterfed deck scrubs allow a steady stream of water to move through the tool for superior cleaning power during scrubbing.
Narrow flared deck scrubs have a distinct bristle pattern, allowing them to work well in difficult-to-reach and constrained areas. By applying firm downward pressure on the scrub, the bristles will reach and clean into awkward corners and recesses.
UST deck scrubs have a unique construction and Bristle Security Unit pattern that make them effective at scrubbing stubborn debris on both textured and smooth surfaces, particularly in high-risk areas where hygiene is critical.
Specialty Brooms
The right level of clean needs the right tool, and our specialty scrub brushes get the job done with distinct bristle patterns, stiffness, and angles.
Grout brushes have an arrow-shaped bristle pattern designed to deliver effective cleaning performance to the natural cracks, crevices, and grout lines of tiled surfaces.
High-low brushes have angled bristles that were designed to clean the area where the wall meets the floor, as well as in exposed drains and gulleys.
Tank brushes have a unique 180-degree bristle pattern for uniform cleaning of curved surfaces.
The right broom for the job ensures employees can effectively and efficiently clean. If you need help choosing the proper tool for the job, contact Remco Products at cs@remcoproducts.com, and our customer service representatives can assist you.
