Some Rubber for Ensign Steve

[livius drusus]

HAHA I TRICKED YOU, ES. You thought this would be about secksay times, but instead it's just another housecleaning thread.

So I has hardwood floors now and it turns out it's way, way harder to keep them looking and feeling remotely clean than it is to keep carpet clean.

Vacuum wall-to-wall once a week and you're good to go. Hardwoods, otoh, you've at least got to sweep every other day or else walking on them barefoot feels like you're walking on kitty litter.

Since I do not appreciate walking on kitty litter, I had to find the perfect broom, and find it I did: the Sweepa Rubber Broom (http://www.simplygoodstuff.com/rubber_brooms.htm?gclid=CNmE3Myp5pQCFQGbnAodJW1eQQ).

OMFG the sense of satisfaction is beyond my ability to describe. It creates this unbreachable barrier almost molded to the floor. Nothing sneaks through those bristles. Not a speck of dust, not a single cat hair.

Also, telescoping handle. Also, squeegee on the other side. Also, can be wet and used as a mop or on windows, mirrors and tiles.

If some tragedy occurred to me as it did to Pinecone (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=457937#post457937) and I could no longer get cotton-scented bleach, my rubber broom would telescope down into the pit of my despair and rescue me.

[biochemgirl]

I've seen those but wasn't sure if they actually worked. We tore up the carpet downstairs last year and refinished the hardwood floors so that's mainly what we have now. I had been having the problem of getting all the dog hair off the floor and the swiffer was not just cutting it. I'll have to get one of those. :nod:

[biochemgirl]

Oh and I am disappointed by the lack of sexual content in this thread. :sadcheer:

[livius drusus]

Swiffer blows goats compared to the rubber broom. There's some sexual content for ya. It's true, too.

[biochemgirl]

It's true? I would think there would be some sort of law about that.

[livius drusus]

You know perfectly well there are laws about that, farm girl. It's just that Swiffer doesn't care. Swiffer thinks he's above it all. Swiffer has begun to believe his own press.

[Dingfod]

More rubber for Ensign Steve:

http://www.shopatblue.co.uk/images/swimshortyimage.jpg

[ms_ann_thrope]

Inneresting! Does it make any horrible rubber-squeaking noises during use? Does it require more muscle to use than a regular broom?

I do have the Sweepa Pet Hair Brush, which works great on furniture, but would not be practical for cleaning floors. :P

[livius drusus]

No squeaky noises at all. Just a satisfying "puff" or "pat" when it touches the floor.

It requires less muscle to lift because it's so light-weight, but you make many small brushing movements instead of fewer long, grand sweepings. It's like a lower weight, more reps curcuit.

[Qingdai]

Oh ye fowl temptress!
Our new house has bamboo floors, beautiful, but every speck of dust is highlighted by the blonde on blonde wood.

And I am trying not to spend any money.

[LadyShea]

FYI, carpets only feel less gritty or whatever to your feet, but are really festering pits of foulness.

Pulling up old carpet = Streptococcal skin infection

Gah, I hate carpet

I will try the rubber broom though, I usually use the bare floor attachment on my vacuum, but it's not always convenient to pull it out for a quick sweep.

Oh, and another wood floor coolness I just learned, steam cleaning. Mom lent me her steamer that has a floor attachment...kick ass on the wood floors. No streaking or dull spots or need to dry them. I also steamed the bathrooms...non-chemical disinfection rules.

[Lady Brik]

Want want want. Brik? This might 1up our current OXO broom!

[JoeP]

More rubber for Ensign Steve:

http://www.shopatblue.co.uk/images/swimshortyimage.jpg

Inneresting! Does it make any horrible rubber-squeaking noises during use? Does it require more muscle to use than a regular <...>?

:eyebrow2:

[livius drusus]

Oh ye fowl temptress!
Our new house has bamboo floors, beautiful, but every speck of dust is highlighted by the blonde on blonde wood.
I have dark hardwoods and they're hard enough, but at least my cat's black fur, which forms a good 80% of floor debris at any given time, is completely invisible against the floor until I start sweeping. Then these giant tumbleweeds of cat fur spontaneously generate themselves.

And I am trying not to spend any money.
Perfectly understandable. I was concerned that I was wasting money, but ye olde corn husk broom was just not cutting it on these floors. I also hated that scratchy noise against my pretty new hardwoods. It sounds like equity loss.

FYI, carpets only feel less gritty or whatever to your feet, but are really festering pits of foulness.

Pulling up old carpet = Streptococcal skin infection

Gah, I hate carpet
Oh, I know. I hated hated hated the carpet at my old place. Fucking 20 year-old builder's special beige carpet. Every week I vacuumed and every week I filled two canisters with decades worth of ground in crud. It was never clean. I just tried not to think about it.

I will try the rubber broom though, I usually use the bare floor attachment on my vacuum, but it's not always convenient to pull it out for a quick sweep.
Right, and in my case, I have an upright. I don't like dragging around the entire house using the bare floor attachment, although I have used it in tandem with the broom just to suck up the piles.

Oh, and another wood floor coolness I just learned, steam cleaning. Mom lent me her steamer that has a floor attachment...kick ass on the wood floors. No streaking or dull spots or need to dry them. I also steamed the bathrooms...non-chemical disinfection rules.
I tried a steam cleaner on the lino in my old apartment and it was okay but didn't really impress me. I wouldn't use it on my wood floors just on principle. Water and wood do not make sweet music together, even when it's steam. In the long term it could damage the wood.

Bona (http://www.bonakemi.com/shop/products.asp) is what I use to clean the floor, and it is yet another product and/or service I heartily recommend. I tried 3 or 4 different wood cleaners (OrangeGlow, Murphy's Oil Soap and Minwax are the ones I remember). This one blew away the competition. No streaks, no waxy residue, no milky film, no sticky weirdness, no build-up over the poly finish, no agonizing funk from hell. Just a beautiful warm glow and the scent of a wood deck after the rain.

Want want want. Brik? This might 1up our current OXO broom!
Far be it from me to hate on OXO (OXO rules!1), but srsly the rubber broom is so going to 1up it.

[wildernesse]

I also have the pet brush version of this broom, and it works very well on my furniture. And on the cats themselves, who are enamored with it and will stand between me and the sofa cushion in order to be brushed with it when I am cleaning.

Maybe you should try brushing your cat with the broom. heehee

[livius drusus]

My cat fears and resents the broom. She will hug the walls (or perversely tear through my dust piles :shakecat: ) to avoid it when I'm sweeping.

[brikenjon]

Want want want. Brik? This might 1up our current OXO broom!

Far be it from me to hate on OXO (OXO rules!1), but srsly the rubber broom is so going to 1up it.

A slippery slope indeed... first the dish soap dispenser, now the broom. I do hope OXO doesn't blackball me.

I'll order this "rubber broom" as long as I don't have to use it.

:cool:

[Lady Brik]

You won't have to, but I can't guarantee that you won't want to.

[livius drusus]

Oh yeah! Listen to her, brik; the Lady knows. The satisfaction of using the rubber broom is nigh on irresistible.

[LadyShea]

I tried a steam cleaner on the lino in my old apartment and it was okay but didn't really impress me. I wouldn't use it on my wood floors just on principle. Water and wood do not make sweet music together, even when it's steam. In the long term it could damage the wood.

I wouldn't use it weekly or anything, but the one time (in three years) I did use it the amount of embedded crumud that came up was astounding.

I live near the beach, I have dogs and a 2 yo. The cleaning stuff and mop just isn't enough over time.

Anyway, I won't use it again until we are ready to refinish (not a full refinish but like a mop on stuff for the scratches, dents, etc.)

[brikenjon]

Oh yeah! Listen to her, brik; the Lady knows. The satisfaction of using the rubber broom is nigh on irresistible.

We'll see. They are scheduled to arrive on Friday. 2 for 1 deal, plus I got the brush version for another five bucks. Amazing how much money you save by spending it. ;)

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

I have this Dirt Devil I use on our hardwood and laminates. I love it.

[brikenjon]

We'll see. They are scheduled to arrive on Friday.

The rubber brooms have arrived. So far, the telescoping handle is kicking my ass. Beyond that, the real test will have to wait for Brandi to get home.

[Ensign Steve]

ladybrik is a Brandi, too? There's too damn many Brandis on this :ff:. I'm getting all confused.

[livius drusus]

When I first got it I couldn't figure out how it telescoped either but I couldn't wait to try it, so I hunched over and used it collapsed. I seriously questioned the wisdom of the purchase at that point. :giggles:

I can't wait for Lady to come home and do the real testing. :hyper:

[brikenjon]

ladybrik is a Brandi, too? There's too damn many Brandis on this :ff:. I'm getting all confused.

She's the best damn Brandi I know, in fact. ;)

[brikenjon]

When I first got it I couldn't figure out how it telescoped either but I couldn't wait to try it, so I hunched over and used it collapsed. I seriously questioned the wisdom of the purchase at that point. :giggles:

I can't wait for Lady to come home and do the real testing. :hyper:

The fact that there were two of them helped me figure it out. I threaded the head onto the first one right off the bat, which locked the telescoping mechanism rather firmly. I tried telescoping the other one and it pulled right out, so I was able to use that one to figure out how to unlock the other one.

I'm surprised at the lack of instructions that came with everything I ordered. Not that it's terribly complicated, but a couple of sentences on a little sheet of paper or the packaging itself would be nice. I also bought the "Super Squeegee" for cleaning the windows, since we haven't done so since I bought the place almost a year ago. I'm going to have to do a little trial-and-error to figure out the best way to use the damn thing.

I also bought a package of ten "Bongo Ties" from that site (darn you, liv!) even though I don't have any particular plans for them. They just looked cool.

[livius drusus]

:rofl: I trawled that site for days to see if I could rationalize buying enough stuff to qualify for free shipping. As soon as you use one of them Bongo Ties I want to hear about it.

I thought the same thing you did about the paucity of instructions for using the broom, btw. I just totally forgot about it once I figured it out and the awesomeness of the sweeping experience took over.

[Ensign Steve]

I find it beyond ironic that a thread with my name in the title has to do with cleaning supplies.

Impulsively buying shit off the internet, however? Not so ironic.

[Lady Brik]

Holy crap, LIV! This broom is great! I was shocked that I only had to go over an area once to pick up all the dirt/crumbs.

I'm excited to try spot mopping with it, but it's Saturday evening and I'm too damn lazy.

[livius drusus]

:woohoo: The official :ff: rubber broom fanclub has now doubled in membership. :woohoo:

[JoeP]

We're going to need a "cleaning tips" subforum.