elliotw37•21d agoProlific Poster

Found out a poly brush beats a wire brush for clay flues

I've been using wire brushes for years on clay flue tiles and always fought with scratches and gouges. Last month a older sweep at a job site handed me his poly brush to try on a stubborn buildup. The difference was night and day, no damage to the tile and the soot came off way faster. Has anyone else switched over and noticed their flues looking better?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisa_brown21d ago

Night and day difference" and "no damage" - give me a break. I've been using wire brushes on clay flues for 15 years and never once had a scratch or gouge issue. Sounds like you were using the wrong size or being too aggressive. Poly brushes are just soft and leave behind soot, so you end up needing two passes instead of one.

elliot_allen6521d ago

Wait, you’re saying poly brushes leave soot behind? That hasn’t been my experience at all. I’ve used them on some pretty rough clay flues (like, the ones that look like they’ve never been cleaned) and they grabbed the soot better than a wire brush ever did. I think the poly bristles flex and get into the rough spots without digging in, so you actually get more off in one pass. Maybe the poly brush you tried was a bad one or just too worn out? I’ve got a few different brands saved up in my truck and they all do a solid job.