Talked to an old timer at the supply yard about broom finishes

He said he soaks his push broom in a bucket of water for a full hour before starting a driveway. I always just gave it a quick dip. Tried his way on a job in Bellingham last Friday and the pull was way smoother, no sticking or dragging marks. Anyone else have a trick for getting a cleaner broom finish?

4 comments

4 Comments

beth7112mo ago

Yeah, that soak trick is a game changer. I'll even add a splash of fabric softener to the bucket sometimes, makes the bristles slide even better.

ivanbell2mo ago

That blue softener trick from @betty_carter works on dried glue too.

betty_carter2mo ago

My grandmother taught me that trick with the fabric softener, @beth711. I used it just last week on a paintbrush caked with old oil paint. I let it soak overnight in a coffee can with some water and a capful of that blue softener. By morning, the bristles were soft and the paint just rinsed away under the tap. It saved a brush I thought was a lost cause.

nguyen.angela1mo ago

That blue softener really is something else. @beth711, I had the same thing happen with an old brush I'd let dry out after a latex paint job. I tried the soak method you mentioned and let it sit for a full day with a little fabric softener mixed in. It softened up the bristles so well that the dried paint just flaked off when I worked it under warm water. That brush is still going strong two years later.