- Broom upgrades increase cleaning speed and reduce time spent clearing each debris pile.
- Buy a broom upgrade when cleaning, not travel or inventory, is the slowest part of your run.
- Balance your build: brooms pair best with backpack capacity before pushing into new craters.
- Zone rule: upgrade the broom before unlocking each new crater to keep runs efficient.
How Broom Upgrades Work in Clean the Moon
The Clean the Moon broom upgrade path is your primary tool for faster cleaning. Your broom determines how quickly you clear moon dust, space junk, and meteor debris — the three core resource types in the game. Every broom tier reduces the time needed to clear debris piles, which directly increases how many materials you collect per run.
The broom is one of three main upgrade categories alongside backpacks (carry capacity) and moon boots (movement speed). The key to efficient progression is not buying everything at once — it is identifying your current bottleneck and spending where it saves the most time.
| Upgrade | Improves | Priority Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Broom | Cleaning speed per debris pile | Clearing debris takes longer than collecting |
| Backpack | Carry capacity before selling | You return to sell too frequently |
| Moon Boots | Travel efficiency | Walking eats most of your run time |
Before every purchase, ask: what is the largest time loss in my loop? Buy capacity for inventory delays, broom power for cleaning delays, and moon boots for travel delays.
Broom Upgrade Priority Order by Game Stage
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Broom value changes as you progress. Early on, cheap broom tiers give strong returns because starter gear clears debris slowly. In the mid game, alternate broom purchases with backpack upgrades so faster cleaning is not wasted on a full inventory. In the late game, top-tier brooms let you pair manual clearing with cleaning robots and your lunar base for maximum throughput.
Early Game: First Broom Tier
Use your first earnings on an affordable broom improvement. Starter gear clears debris slowly, so an early broom tier shortens every run while you stay close to the selling point.
Early-Mid: Alternate With Backpack
After one or two broom tiers, buy backpack capacity. Faster cleaning means a fuller inventory sooner — balance the two so neither becomes the bottleneck.
Mid Game: Pre-Crater Broom Boost
Upgrade the broom again before unlocking your first crater. New areas contain denser, tougher debris, and entering with a weak broom makes each run drag.
Late Game: Top Tier Plus Automation
Once manual cleaning is stable, invest in cleaning robots and base expansion. Return to top-tier broom upgrades whenever manual clearing becomes the main limit again.
Do not push into distant zones with an underpowered broom. Longer routes produce less cash per minute when cleaning and travel times outweigh the value of extra debris.
Broom vs Backpack vs Moon Boots: What to Buy First
The correct purchase depends on your loop, not a fixed order. Use the comparison below to decide your next upgrade based on what is slowing you down right now.
| Situation | Best Purchase | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Debris takes long to clear | Broom | Reduces per-pile cleaning time |
| Backpack fills after few pickups | Backpack | Fewer forced return trips |
| Long walks between debris and seller | Moon Boots | Cuts travel time on routes |
| Entering a new crater | Broom first, then capacity | New zones have denser debris |
| Automation income is stable | Top-tier broom | Maximizes manual run value |
Broom Focus
- Best for: dense debris zones
- Raises materials per minute
- Strongest before crater unlocks
Backpack Focus
- Best for: frequent sellers
- Extends each collection run
- Cheap early efficiency
Moon Boots Focus
- Best for: long routes
- Speeds base returns
- Priority after zone expansion
The most consistent progression comes from rotating all three categories rather than maxing one line. Each upgrade should target the biggest delay in your current farming loop.
Broom Upgrade Checklist for New Craters
Before spending currency on a new zone, run through this checklist. Entering a crater underprepared often makes the unlock cost more time than it saves.
Before Unlocking a New Crater:
- Broom tier is at least one level above current zone requirement
- Backpack capacity supports a full route without interruption
- Currency reserve covers zone access plus one immediate upgrade
- Short selling route planned until capacity improves
- Robots (if owned) running to maintain income during pushes
FAQ
Q: Should I upgrade my broom or backpack first in Clean the Moon?
Buy one cheap broom tier first to speed up every run, then invest in backpack capacity. After that, alternate based on your bottleneck: broom upgrades when cleaning is slow, backpack upgrades when you return to sell too often.
Q: When are moon boots more important than a broom upgrade?
When you spend more time walking than cleaning. This usually happens after unlocking larger or more distant zones where routes between debris and the selling point get longer.
Q: Do broom upgrades help in later craters?
Yes. Later zones contain denser debris that takes longer to clear with low-tier brooms. Upgrading the broom before each crater unlock keeps your per-minute income from dropping.
Q: Should I buy robots before maxing my broom?
Invest in your first cleaning robot after your core cleaning tool and storage capacity are meaningfully upgraded. Robots provide passive income, but manual clearing with a strong broom remains your main early progression driver.