The Cleansweep Broom Company is the grandfather of modern broom manufacturers in Britain. Founded in 1926 by three brothers - Barnaby, Bill and Bob Ollerton - with a simple dream: a broom for all who need one, at a cost all can afford. With this vision in mind, the Ollerton trio were the first to establish manufacturing lines and successfully mass-produce brooms for the public. 

According to the company’s biography, A History of Cleansweep, this happened as something of a happy accident: each of the brothers were skilled in a separate part of the broom-making process. Barnaby had a keen eye for aerodynamic twigs, and Bill’s mastery of carving charms was well-known, whilst Bob was superb at selecting the perfect woods for the broom shaft. This division of labour meant that the three could work thrice as fast as a craftsman alone. 

The One That Started It All
Cleansweep One
Released: 1926

Material: Oak shaft, willow twigs
Top speed: 52mph
0-60: n/a
0-120: n/a
0-180: n/a
New features: None
Price on launch: 9 Galleons (~380 Galleons, adjusted for inflation)
Current price: Upwards of 250,000 Galleons

On its release, the Cleansweep One was the cheapest broom on the market by quite some degree. The closest competitor, the Silver Arrow, sold for fourteen galleons and fourteen sickles - you don’t need to convert that to modern money to know that that’s quite the difference! As the first mass-produced broomstick, this model holds quite the value to collectors, with a recent auction going for an undisclosed value, though pundits estimate it to be well over 250,000 Galleons. Check your attics for this one, dear readers, you may be sitting under a fortune!

Only a year after its launch, every Quidditch team in the country were riding Cleansweep Ones, which did wonders for the company’s reputation. Word spread like wildfire of the new broom’s affordable price and absurd capabilities: everybody wanted a Cleansweep! Following this overwhelming success, and with the Galleons pouring in, the trio were able to expand their operations. They recruited many local broom-makers to produce Cleansweeps to keep up with demand, expanding their operations over the next six years threefold. 

The Cleansweep Broom Company released the Cleansweep Two in 1932 to overwhelming popularity, likely feeling some pressure from the newly-formed Comet Trading Company. This was quickly followed by the Cleansweep Three in 1934. Not willing to falter for even a moment, the two models released in quick succession. Contemporaries claimed this weakened the market base for Cleansweep, but recently-released financial reports show quite the opposite.

Things changed once the Comet 180 from Comet Trading Company was released. Yet another broom that was superior to Cleansweep in all metrics; it birthed a rivalry the likes of which had not been seen before in broomstick manufacture - and indeed, has not been seen since. Some may argue that the Flyte & Barker versus Thunderbolt Products feud has the makings of a legendary rivalry, but as yet it is too soon to say.

Cleansweeps Three, Four and Five released in 1934, ‘41 and ‘51 respectively. None seemed to capture the same roaring success as the Cleansweep One and Two, however, right until the Cleansweep Six. This broom literally and figuratively swept the competition away.

Sixth Time’s the Charm
Cleansweep Six
Released: 1973

Material: Certified Broom-Quality oak shaft, maple twigs
Top speed: 84mph
0-60: 22.8 seconds
0-120: n/a
0-180: n/a
New features: Cleansweep Skybelt Charm
Price on launch: 32 Galleons (~460 Galleons, adjusted for inflation)
Current price: 120 Galleons

Now regarded as a vintage broom with panache, the Cleansweep Six was the first broomstick to offer the now-ubiquitous skybelt, a requirement on all modern commuter brooms. This iteration of the charm slowed the user’s descent in the event that they fell from the broom. It was not enough to stop severe injuries, but countless deaths were prevented as a result. Following a ruling in the Quidditch World Cup, the skybelt is now illegal for use in the sport, as spectators said it made accidents too boring.

The Cleansweep Six heralded a Golden Age for the company, with the Cleansweep Seven arriving a few years later in 1988. The Cleansweep Eight, Nine and Ten all met with high praise from reviewers; some say that the Cleansweep Ten is the best amateur’s broom on the market today for those on a tight budget.

Today, the Cleansweep Broom Company enjoys an almost cult-like following. Whilst not the fastest or the most expensive brooms, the Cleansweep Family believe that the rich cultural legacy and wonderful Spanish oak smell are worth the occasional jeer of ridicule from those astride a more glamorous broom.

Sweeping Out The Cobwebs
Cleansweep Eleven
Released: 1994

Material: Certified Broom-Quality Spanish oak shaft, maple twigs
Top speed: 163 mph
0-60: 9.2 seconds
0-120: 14.2 seconds
0-180: n/a
New features: Anti-Jinx Varnish, built-in vibration control
Price on launch: 460 Galleons (~760 Galleons, adjusted for inflation)
Current price: 300 Galleons

No longer young enough to be a true contender in professional Quidditch, the Cleansweep Eleven does still hold a place in amateur and youth Quidditch competition. As an entry-level broom for the young sportsman, it serves admirably. Critics of the time praised it for the vibration control, which allowed training for significantly longer before hands grew numb. As the flagship model for Cleansweep, however, many fans are on edge as they look to the future. When will this model finally be retired? Not yet, says Cleansweep.

No official word as of yet on the next-in-line to the Cleansweep legacy, but rumour has it that promising prototypes are being evaluated by the Ministry of Magic’s Broom Regulatory Control. Time will tell, but the clock is ticking for this ageing business.