If you want your brush to last a long time you need to look after it. Cheap brushes can last if cared for and the lifetime of expensive brushes can be shortened by bad practice.
Avoiding cross-contamination of metals
Avoid cross-contamination of metals: only use stainless steel pipe-cleaning brushes on stainless steel parts and titanium brushes on titanium parts and make sure any other part of the brush does not touch the pipe. If you use your stainless steel brush on a different metal and then on a stainless steel part, the bristles can pick up tiny pieces of the other metal and transfer them, risking corrosion of the stainless steel.
Mark your brushes carefully so you know what each brush is made from. Many bristle materials look the same as each other which can be confusing.
Keep your working space free from dust to minimise the contact between metals with iron in them and metals without.
Caring for your pipe-cleaning brush before use
Before you use a pipe-cleaning brush, always check for any damage to the brush that may affect its use or damage the part you are working on.
Ensure you always use the right brush for the job. Using a brush that is too stiff on soft materials can damage the material you are trying to clean and using a soft brush on abrasive materials can damage the brush.
Caring for your pipe-cleaning brush during use
In this section we look at how you can use your pipe-cleaning brush correctly in order to clean it as you go along.
If you are using your brush in a power tool, only use the brush in a clockwise direction (as if you were screwing a screw in) to avoid untwisting the core and shaft.
Do not exceed the number of revolutions per minute (RPM) written in the product description of a power brush.
Between uses of your brush, remove any debris stuck between the bristles.
Caring for your pipe-cleaning brush after use
If you have used a cleaning agent, wash the cleaning agent from the brush with water and make sure the brush dries completely before storing to avoid corrosion.
If your brush is made from steel, apply a light coating of oil to help prevent it from rusting.
Storing your pipe-cleaning brush
The safest place to store your brush is in the packaging it was supplied in but the most important thing is to store your brush where nothing heavy can be put on top of it. Heavy objects could damage the bristles and ruin the shape of your brush.
