Moon Sweepers Beginner Guide: First Hours, Tools & Money Loop

Welcome to the Lunar Surface Department (LSD). Due to extreme budget shortages, your assignment to clean 50 square kilometers of lunar dust begins with nothing more than a standard plastic toothbrush. This beginner guide covers your crucial first hours, the core cleaning loop, smart upgrade paths, and how to scale your solo or co-op operation.

For equipment specifications, check our tools and brushes guide, consult the vehicles breakdown, or track your progression milestones in the achievements guide.

What Is the Core Cleaning Loop in Moon Sweepers?

Every expedition on the lunar surface revolves around a simple four-step cycle:

1. Sweep: Walk across dust-covered ground with your brush active. Watch your tool’s canister fill percentage on your HUD.
2. Pack (Q Key): When your tool is full, press Q to pack the gathered regolith into a portable cargo capsule.
3. Transport & Deposit: Carry your packed capsules back to the outpost depot chute and interact to deposit the material.
4. Launch & Collect: Trigger the shipment rocket launch sequence. Once the launch clears, your account is credited with cash based on the total weight delivered.

What Should You Do in Your First 30 Minutes?

When landing at your initial station, avoid wandering into distant craters. Stick close to the depot perimeter and execute these immediate priorities:

Step 1: Claim Your Free Starter Toothbrush

Head to the station tool dispensary counter and claim the free Toothbrush. It is slow and narrow, but it costs nothing and immediately starts collecting early dust.

Step 2: Clear Your Immediate Station Hex

Pick a single dirty hexagonal sector right beside the depot. Focus on sweeping clean paths rather than zig-zagging randomly across multiple sectors. Completing 100% of a hex awards an immediate bonus of approximately $10, providing quick early capital.

Step 3: Upgrade to the Household Broom ($25)

Do not spend excessive funds trying to maximize the Toothbrush. The Nail Brush ($5) provides a minor early upgrade, but saving for the Household Broom ($25) is the true turning point, doubling your working surface area and holding 3 kg of dust.

How Do Container Upgrades and Canister Trips Work?

A common early mistake is focusing exclusively on brush width while neglecting storage volume.

The Household Broom starts with roughly 3 kg of dust capacity. When your canister fills up, you must pause and pack a capsule. For $30, you can purchase the first Container Upgrade, doubling your tool’s capacity to 6 kg.

When Should You Stop Sweeping on Foot and Buy a Vehicle?

Foot sweeping becomes inefficient once you expand beyond the initial three or four sectors around your starting station.

To transition into motorized cleaning:

1. Save $200 to construct the Garage structure near your base depot.
2. Save $300 to purchase your first Push Sweeper or hold out for the Ride-on Sweeper ($1,000).
3. Once motorized, your sweeping speed and hopper volume increase by orders of magnitude, paving the way toward automated conveyor hubs and long-distance exploration.

For detailed vehicle statistics and pricing, continue reading our items catalog and guides index.