A sweeping appliance having a housing having dirt receiving enclosure. A slot-like opening is formed in the underside of the housing. An elongate rotary brush having a plurality of bristles is located towards the front of the sweeping appliance. Front and rear wheels support the housing. A lower regions of the housing is bent to provide a ramp up which particles of dust are swept. A deflector is provided adjacent the brush and extending into the bristles at an angular distance. The deflector halts the progress of the bristles until the brush forces the bristles forward of the deflector, the resilience of the bristles causing them to spring forward. The bristles strike the ground at speed where they impact particles of dirt and force them up the ramp and into the internal enclosure.