When we moved into our loft, it had previously inhabited by a potter. Even though the floors were clean, there was a ridiculous amount of fine dust that kept sifting up into the air each time we swept, so we headed to the local hardware store for some reinforcements. There we found our new best friend, we wish we had only known about it sooner! Click through the jump to see how this earth friendly product can tame the dust on your floors...
Kleen Sweep is typically used in workshops and garages when sweeping up sawdust or fine dust. When fine dust is swept, it stirs into the air and then falls again on your freshly swept floor which can make surfaces slick and hazardous. Which is what happened in our case. No one wants to chase your dog around the apartment for fun and slip and fall.
The back of the bag gives you two different methods in which to use the product.
Option 1: Sprinkle it lightly everywhere - then sweep it up.
Option 2: Make a line of the product and push it around the floor with the broom.
For either method a push broom is advised, if using it indoors in a smaller area, small or less narrow push brooms can be purchased for a few dollars.
We decided on option 2 and made a line across our floor. Even though we have a large square footage to sweep, we keep our line of "Kleen Sweep Stuff" to about 24". Unless you had a heard of elephants who have recently been taking mud baths come through your place... a small amount of the product will do just fine.
Using the broom we swept our floors clean and the fine dust that once plagued our breathing air and floors had been eliminated. The Kleen Sweep clings to dust and dirt alike and carries it along for the ride, leaving spic and span floors behind you.
We picked our bag of Kleen Sweep up at the local Ace hardware store for less than $10, but all different sizes of bags are available and all were within reason. Want to know if a store near you carries it? Just call before you head out and ask to see if a place near you carries "sweeping compound."
It can be used on more than just concrete floors, wood, tile and vinyl are all able to be tackled with Kleen Sweep. Although it seems silly to make your floors dirtier before cleaning them, it has cut down on our floor care and has always eliminated the need for mopping them as it picked up stubborn mud and dirt that would normally necessitate a mop!
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Wow, thanks for this very helpful tip!
view Ariana's profile
So I am assuming this is something we can just pick up at a general, big-box home improvement store? I have a lllllot of wood floors that could use this!
view LauraJane's profile
LauraJane- I have seen it at Home Depot before, although when we went looking for it, we had neither helpful sales associates nor luck finding it on our own, although we neglected to look with the taping and mudding supplies near drywall.... and upon reflection, it could have been located there. Ace or any "small town" hardware store should carry it, and you can google it and several places carry it online (but we don't think you'll have a problem finding it!).
-Sarahrae
view sarahrae's profile
I've never heard of this. Great tip!
view LilyC's profile
We get sweeping compound for our filthy theater. It's still dusty as hell, but the sweeping compound really helps. We get it in 100 lb boxes.
view MollyMayhem's profile
Why didn't you just hoover the floor? Or am I missing something? This Kleen Sweep does sound like an interesting product, though; thanks for sharing!
view Talloush's profile
Talloush- We did actually try a vacuum, both a regular upright vacuum and a shop vac, but both just stirred the dust up more than not. Now that we have all the potters dust gone, we still use it and it cleans the floors as we go and leaves a great low luster shine!
-Sarahrae
view sarahrae's profile
*flashback to sweeping the offset printing shop every day for a year. we used the same thing.. but it was bright red. it works REALLY well for dust. without it, the really fine dust gets airborne, and all over the inky rollers on the vintage two-color machine, and i get in trouble.
then i almost lost 8 fingers on the cutter.
view antimatt's profile
Thanks for the info! We are finally in cleaning mode now that our renovations are almost done, and it is really hard to get all the drywall dust off our new floors. We'll have to try this.
view leely16's profile
My Japanese mom sprinkles used (dried) coffee grounds on the floor before she sweeps. She says the heavier coffee grounds keep the dust from stirring into the air. Same concept, I guess.
view Raena's profile
Make sure you ask a salesperson at a place where you know their staff are quite knowledgeable. If you're just at a store that isn't hardware-specific, they often don't know what it is, and it's hard to explain what its use is to confused (often teenaged) staffers: "sweeping compound, you know, the stuff you put on the floor and then sweep back up again?"
Anyway, yes, this stuff is very useful!
view Ina's profile
With 2 cats and a dog in an old victorian, we are swamped with dust bunnies! I just bought a bag today and am looking forward to trying it, but I wonder, do you have to use a push broom?
view fetching's profile
I did try to use my regular broom and although it doesn't do a horrible job of taking care of things, the compound itself is heavy enough it gets stuck up in the bristles. So it might work with a straw broom since it is a little tougher, but you might look into getting a narrow push broom model. They make them with heads that are only 6-8 inches (sometimes with camping gear). Good luck!
-Sarahrae
view sarahrae's profile