Street Sweeper

jobs · city life · helpful work

Ancient cleaning crews. Street sweeping is not new. Thousands of years ago, cities hired people to sweep streets and remove trash to keep neighborhoods healthy and pleasant.

Machines do the work now. Today, cities use special machines called street sweepers that vacuum up dirt and debris from pavement. They're like giant robot vacuums on wheels that run on electricity or fuel.

People still sweep too. In many places around the world, people still hand-sweep streets with brooms. They reach corners and small areas that machines can't, and they often pick up litter by hand.

Keeping cities healthy. Street sweepers prevent dirt and leaves from clogging storm drains, which helps stop flooding. They also remove trash that could harm animals or pollute rivers and oceans.