How a Street Sweeper Works

 

Since most cities and towns have paved streets, there is an ongoing need for street sweepers. After all, it would take a large team or multiple teams to do the work that even a few sweepers can perform. These vehicles do an effective job of removing dirt, stains, leaves, and a variety of other debris from roadways. Chances are you have seen a street sweeper in Washington or another location doing its work and wondered how it operates. These cleaning machines are more than glorified brooms. Sweepers’ unique design allows them to thoroughly remove buildup from paved surfaces and leave them looking clean.

Built to Make Sweeping Changes

Motorists that drive over a recently swept street or parking lot will probably notice that the surface appears to be wet. The dampness is not a mirage; a small amount of water remains after street sweeping. A street sweeper’s jets spray water onto the pavement, and this part of the process keeps debris from flying around during sweeping. The brushes visible underneath the vehicle sweep the trash onto a belt that moves it to a container where it is stored and then transported to a dump location. As such, a street sweeper is an effective tool for municipal cleaning.