“Is it weird to give someone a broom for Christmas?” I asked, half rhetorically, as we bought our friends a black hand broom and dustpan at a shop in LA last December. At Remodelista, it isn’t weird. In fact, it’s been the office holiday gift (computer brushes, dish brushes, tall brooms, short brooms) year after year. A glamorous, or glamorously priced, household cleaning tool isn’t something people generally like to spend money on, so it actually makes a great gift. Our friends loved it, and six months later I saw the broom and dustpan hanging prominently on a rail in their hallway. I was satisfied.
Here are eight great gifts—from Scandinavian washing-up bowls to artisan furniture polish—for the friend who loves (or should love) to clean.
Above: Le Papier d’Armenie Set of Three Booklets is a natural air deodorizer made of dried Styrax tree sap; $40 for the set at Flotsom & Fork. Photograph from Le Site Pigeon in Japan where it’s also available. Above: The Eco Max Bottle Brush in Small ($7.50 NZD; $5.14 USD), Medium ($9 NZD; $6.16 USD), and Large ($10 NZD; $6.85 USD) is available at Father Rabbit. They’re also available at House of Lilollia. Above: Traditional Heirloom Cloths (Small for $8 and Large for $16) are available at Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. Read more about the cloths in our post Object Lessons: The Humble Cotton Cleaning Cloth. Above: The Normann Copenhagen Washing Up Bowl and Brush has a gray rubber bowl and beech brush; $87.50 at Normann Copenhagen. Above: From Brooklyn-based furniture restorer Christophe Pourny the Color Reviver and Flannel Polishing Cloths come as a set from the Butler’s Closet. The polish is made by hand from organic and virgin oils from North American seeds for reviving the faded color of wood. Above: We like a good copper scrubbie (like this one from Redecker) and our latest find is this heavy-duty Copper Sponge for €7.90 ($9.41) from French shop Merci (they carry so many rare finds that it’s worth the shipping if you tack on a few things for yourself). Above: These 1969-designed Pincinox Stainless Steel Clothespins from the South of France are an alternative to the typical wooden clothespins; $20 for a pack of 20 at Flotsam & Fork. (They’re also available as a set of 20 for $25 on Amazon.) Above: French broom makers Andrée Jardin’s Mr & Mrs Clynk Short-Handled Brush and Crumb Collector wins a spot on our list again (we featured it in last year’s gift guide); €30 ($35 USD) at Merci. For more ideas, see our posts:
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