A broom is a cleaning tool made of stiff bristles attached to a long handle, used for sweeping dirt, dust, and debris off floors. You've probably seen one in your school's supply closet or leaning in the corner of your garage. The bristles, traditionally made from plant fibers but now often plastic, brush away crumbs, leaves, or whatever else has ended up on the floor.

Using a broom takes technique: you make short, controlled sweeping motions to gather everything into a pile, then sweep the pile into a dustpan. A good sweep can clear a messy floor in minutes. Different brooms exist for different jobs. A soft indoor broom works well on kitchen floors, while a rough outdoor broom with stiff bristles can handle concrete patios or sidewalks.

Brooms appear constantly in stories and folklore. Witches supposedly fly on broomsticks in fairy tales, and in some traditions, people jump over brooms during wedding ceremonies. The phrase a new broom sweeps clean means that someone new in charge often makes big changes right away, just like a fresh broom picks up dust better than an old, worn-out broom.