Broomstick" redirects here. For the racehorse, see Broomstick (horse). For the Paul McCartney song, see Broomstick (song).
This article is about the cleaning implement. For sensor technology, see Push broom scanner and Whisk broom scanner.
Broom
A broom with bristles traditionally made using broom corn.
Sorghum-made brooms with long handles as well as short handles
File:Houki-constructionworker-japan-2012.ogv
Video of a Japanese construction worker cleaning up his construction site with a Japanese broom.
A broom is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. It is thus a variety of brush with a long handle. It is commonly used in combination with a dustpan.
In many Asian countries, however, brooms are not always made of stiff fibers, as there is often a distinction between a "hard broom" and a "soft broom". Soft brooms are made for sweeping the walls of cob webs and spiders, and are very important for that reason. Hard brooms are made for the harder job of actually sweeping dirt off sidewalks