According to longstanding domestic superstition, sweeping dust or debris out of a house through the front door removes not just dirt, but also good fortune and spiritual protection. Instead, households are advised to collect swept dirt in the center of the room and discard it through a side or back exit. The direction and location of disposal are seen as critical to preserving household energy and prosperity.

The practice is rooted in the symbolic significance of thresholds in traditional belief systems. The front door represents both a boundary and a portal—connecting the private home with the outside world. Disrupting this space by sweeping outward is believed to allow spiritual forces, especially protective ones, to exit unintentionally.

In many folk traditions, particularly among African diasporic and Southern U.S. communities, sweeping is not only a physical act but a spiritual one. Certain rules govern when and how cleaning should be done—such as avoiding sweeping at night, or not sweeping around someone’s feet, which is believed to prevent marriage. In this context, sweeping toward the front door violates customary spiritual etiquette and risks displacing positive energy or ancestral blessings.