Here are my favorite ways to use a handmade Frog Hollow Broom!
1. Chasing chickens off your
patio! OK--this might be a problem unique to Frog Hollow. These are my sweet chicken ladies relaxing in the shade of the lilac bush at the edge of my patio. Coming out and flapping my arms while hollering, "Shoo!" doesn't impress them one little bit. But grab a broom and walk out with that in my hands and it is a different story! Off they skeedaddle to greener pastures and tasty bugs!
2. Cleaning debris out from under your toddlers high chair! 'Nuff said! If you have toddlers or toddler grand-children--you already know about this!
3. Sweeping snow off shoulders and boots. I am the chief shoveler at Frog Hollow. I love the muffled quiet of new fallen snow in the morning. I actually love shoveling that new fallen snow too! But I don't want to bring it into the house. A quick swipe with a Frog Hollow whisk broom cleans me up and helps keep my floors dry!
4. Cleaning tubs and showers. This might not be conventional but it sure works. With a bit of Bon Ami and some water you can make quick work of cleaning your tub and shower walls. Just be sure to rinse and dry your broom completely. (And stay away from the shower glass.)
5. Removing webs from windowsills. Here's Tom using one of our Flyswatter Whisks--which have many more uses than fly murdering! In case you are wondering, this is a staged photo! It is usually me doing the spider web/window sill sweeping!
6. Helping hummingbirds escape the greenhouses. This might be another use peculiar to Frog Hollow! It is a sad thing to see my darling hummers freaked out and banging themselves against the clear greenhouse ceilings. A gentle nudge with the broom helps them find the door or open vents so they can escape to the wild blue yonder. Freedom!
7. Cleaning baseboards. Another terrific use for a small broom. Just use water or your favorite cleaner and gently sweep away dust. Be sure to test this in a hidden spot to ensure your paint is waterproof!
8. Dusting around plants on a shelf. Our lovely new Tampico Turkey Wing Whisk is soft and gentle. Perfect for sweeping away tiny plant debris or even for dusting the plants themselves. In the greenhouse, we use them to knock pesky aphids off plants when they get a foothold. Try dipping the little brooms in water to dust furniture too! Be sure to dry all Frog Hollow Brooms well after use. And always hang brooms instead of standing them on their bristles.
9. Cleaning that spice grinder! I've tried toothpicks, paper towels, and blowing (not recommended unless you don't mind a snootful of ground cumin!) I tried our tiny turkey wing whisks, but they were a bit coarse. So I went to the shop and created our Tampico Brush! It is super handy for cleaning out from under that grinder blade, and the other end is a perfect pastry brush.
10. Scaring flicker woodpeckers. Flickers are beautiful birds--when in the wild! They lose some of that beauty, in my mind, when they start rat-a-tat-tatting on the wood-framed windows of my home. I've been seen throwing pebbles at them--they weren't impressed. I've stamped my feet and threatened them with the stew pot--they didn't believe me. But if I lean out an upstairs window and bang on the gutter or side of the house with a broom--well then, off they fly! Far better to hear that drumming on a distant tree!