There are many types of cleaning brushes available on the market; however, not all brushes can do any type of job. Some cleaning jobs will require a specialized type of brush, so know what type you need before you begin any industrial cleaning process. The wrong brush could damage your equipment, or at the very least make it harder to clean.

Heavy duty cleaning brushes include wire brushes, scrub brushes and other janitorial brushes. The more abrasive types are used to clean metals, while softer brushes can clean a variety of surfaces. The pricing and costs of brushes will depend on the number of brushes you need but also on other factors, such as:

1. The strength and durability of the brush.

2. The type of cleaning brushes you purchase.

3. Whether you need custom brushes for specialized jobs.

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Purchase janitorial brushes for a variety of uses

Janitorial brushes are often the most thought of when it comes to industrial brushes. These brushes are usually hand-held and made with plastic bristles. These are needed in many industries for cleaning laboratories, restrooms, kitchen areas and more. Janitorial brushes are relatively inexpensive, costing only about $3 to $10 per unit.

I recommend: A Plus Warehouse provides many types of janitorial brushes for all types of applications. The WEBstaurant Store also provides many options for the food industry.

Choose a copper wire brush for heavy duty cleaning

A copper wire brush is perfect for those times when abrasive cleaning is necessary. These can be used on metal and other strong materials without problems. A copper wire brush will cost anywhere from $4 to $20, depending on the size of the brush and also the specific application it is made for.

I recommend: Malin is a company that specializes in all types of wire brushes and products, including copper wire brushes. National Supply Source offers wire brushes in many different shapes and sizes.

Choose custom brushes for jobs that require special cleaning and treatment

Custom brushes are made specifically for any application your business should need, from tiny hand-held brushes all the way up to large industrial brushes. The price of a custom brush is usually about 10 percent higher than its standard equivalent, or around $20 to $30 for a hand-held model.

I recommend: Power Brushes provides your business the opportunity to customize a brush, from the type of bristles down to how it mounts to a power source, if applicable. The Justman Brush Company is another place to look when considering custom brushes of all shapes and sizes.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To save time and money, brush suppliers often prefer that companies make bulk brush orders, so take this into consideration when you decide to purchase a specific number of cleaning brushes from any company.

Industrial brushes are used in various capacities for cleaning and maintaining equipment. Quality cleaning brushes made with the best materials last longer and perform better during harsh industrial applications.

Whether you need a floor brush, scratch brush or wire brushes for your business, experienced brush suppliers can accommodate your needs based on your specifications. Brush manufacturers can offer your business the best prices for wholesale brushes for cleaning dependent on the quantity of brushes you purchase. When you consider buying scrub brushes or other types of cleaning brushes for your business, you should:

1. Choose brush suppliers who offer a variety of quality brushes for cleaning.

2. Buy industrial brushes wholesale for the best prices.

3. Compare brushes by price and performance before you commit to purchase to ensure you receive the best product at the most cost-effective price.

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Choose from a large stock of cleaning brushes

Whether you need janitorial brushes, scrub brushes or custom brushes for your business, choose distributors who offer a wide selection of brushes to fit your needs.

I recommend: Use Precision Brush Company, Inc. as your supplier of quality cleaning brushes. They offer industrial brushes, custom brushes and quick, free quotes. The Cocker-Weber Brush Company has a wide selection of janitorial and specialty brushes in stock. They offer quick delivery and can also refurbish your old cleaning brushes.

Buy janitorial brushes wholesale

Bulk brushes for cleaning offer the cost-effective answer to your brush needs. Wholesale brush manufacturers often give volume discount prices for bulk brush purchases.

I recommend: Use Solo Horton Brushes for your bulk brush needs. Solo Horton offers a variety of industrial brushes at volume discount prices. BrushesWholesale.com offer quality brushes at affordable bulk prices. Whether you need a tube brush, floor brush or copper wire brush, the professionals at BrushesWholesale.com can help you to purchase the supply of cleaning brushes you need for your business.

Design custom brushes for cleaning to meet your needs

Create the brushes you need that fit your specifications. Partner with a reputable supplier of brushes who can work with you to meet your needs.

I recommend: Hire Carolina Brush to design the brushes for cleaning that can get the job done for your business. The professionals at Carolina Brush work with your to choose the right components for your brush needs. Brushes Corp., a leader in wire brush design, offers custom designed wire brushes in stock or can work with you to create a custom brush to meet your needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Request samples of cleaning brushes to observe the quality of the brushes before you commit to purchase. Test the brushes in ideal situation to see how the cleaning brushes fare.

Brushes, whether they are industrial brushes, brushes for cleaning or wire brushes, require proper use in order to reap the most effective outcomes. The selection of the right types of brushes is also essential to ensure you pick the right brush for the job. Used in both industrial and domestic settings, brushes for cleaning are important tools that also require maintenance.

In any industry that utilizes brushes, education and training on proper brush use is paramount to ensure brushes are most effective. Business owners can get the most out of brushes with the correct use and brush manufacturers and brush suppliers can effectively demonstrate proper brush use to perspective clients. Training on general care of scrub brushes, industrial brushes and floor brush products is also a cost-effective way for business owners to extend the life of brushes for cleaning. When you consider brush education and training, you should:

1. Attend conferences and seminars for hands-on training and education for different types of brushes.

2. Understand the best ways to maintain your tube brush, scratch brush and copper wire brush products to ensure the longevity of the brushes.

3. Certify your cleaning business and take courses on proper techniques for effectively using brushes.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Attend conferences and seminars hosted by brush manufacturers and brush suppliers

Conferences and seminars that focus on proper applications for industrial brushes, domestic cleaning brushes and janitorial brushes offer hands-on demonstrations on proper brush use. Test different types of brushes on display to find the brushes you need for your business.

I recommend: Consider membership in the American Brush Manufacturers Association. The ABMA has yearly conventions with a range of topics on brushes. Members benefit from convention archives and can search for brush-related information that suits the unique needs of their business. Mission Janitorial & Abrasive Supplies offers informational seminars on the products they sell and how to use janitorial brushes and custom brushes effectively. You can customize your seminar topic and a team will come to your business for brush training and education. Take advantage of free brush-related "how to" videos offered by the experts at The Betty Mills Company.

Learn how to choose the right brushes and how to maintain your brushes for longevity

Understand how brushes differ in order to pick the brushes you need and how to care for the brushes you use in your business and the brushes you supply to your clients. Properly maintained brushes not only perform better, but also are cost-effective versus frequent brush replacement.

I recommend: The professionals at Clever Cleaning test the brushes they sell and offer tips on how to effectively use each type of brush. The Cocker-Weber Brush Company offers a tutorial on the different types of brushes they offer. Learn about the construction of the different types of brushes to better choose brush products for your business or to assist your customers with their unique brush needs.

Learn how to effectively use a wide array of cleaning brushes

Take advantage of local and national resources that offer tips and training on how to effectively use industrial brushes and standard cleaning brushes. Certify your cleaning business to further your brush education and training.

I recommend: The International Trade for Cleaning and Business can certify your business to show potential customers that you meet and exceed cleaning standards. They offer free webinars that show cleaning techniques and how to properly maintain your custom brushes and push brush products. The International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association offers online certification courses plus an annual cleaning convention and seminars.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Set up stations in your business to demonstrate the cleaning brushes and industrial brushes you sell.
• •  Display your certification in your business and refer to your certification in advertising for your business to communicate your expertise in brushes to your customers.

Brushes are a varied product, indeed. While they share the general characteristic of having a handle and a surface designed to apply a coating on a surface, that’s where the similarities end. Differences appear in the types of handles and the surface for the transference of the coating; in fact, every possible variation is possible.

Below, you will find information about brushes key terms that should help your company choose the brush that best suits various applications.

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Handles

Handles for brushes can be made from either plastic or wood. Generally speaking, the handle of the brush can be either flat or rounded. For more intricate work, the rounder handles are better.

I recommend: A G Handle Corporation has some interesting information about the manufacture of their brush handles.

Bristles

The bristles of the brush can be made of various materials. One of the oldest materials is sable, which has been the favored bristle material for centuries, and is the most expensive. In fact, for many paint professionals today, sable is the material of choice for their bristles. However, other materials for bristles goat, squirrel, horse hair and other animal hair. Man made materials include polyester, nylon, acrylic and other man made materials.

I recommend: "Know Your Painting Brushes: Hairs and Bristles" provides excellent information on the various brush bristles and which types work best for various applications.

Ferrule

The ferrule is the metal band in which the bristles of the brush are held. This acts also as a visually clean transition from the bristles and their attachment to the handle of the brush.

I recommend: Brushes Manufacturer provides good information about the brush ferrule.

Plug

The plug comes next in the manufacture of the brush. It has a dual role: that of helping to secure the bristles in the ferrule, as well as create a reservoir for paint or any liquid inside the brush's middle. The plug can be made of wood, plastic or even cardboard. A brush may contain more than one small plug. Generally speaking, the larger the plug, the less bristles. The best plugs are made of wood.

I recommend: DuPont has a very informative publication on the brush. Click on "How to Evaluate a Paintbrush", then "Components of the Brush" to read about the plug in that section.

Epoxy

The bristles are epoxied together in two different ways: mass-produced brushes have their glue applied with a pump. Hand-made brushes are glued individually. The mass-produced brushes are places in racks with the metal ferrule facing upwards so that a whole rack received its epoxy within minutes. The hand-made brushes take longer.

I recommend: Wooster Brush Company discusses how brushes receive epoxy. Click on the PDF link to access the information.

Finish

The finish of the bristles is something to consider. For mass-produced brushes, the finish of the bristles is done by cutting the bristles. This is a quick method of finishing the bristles, and helps to keep the cost down. With hand-made brushes, the bristles are hand-selected and arranged.

I recommend: Finishes & finishing techniques includes a selection on the bristles of a brush and how they are finished.