Just noticed my flue tiles got way cleaner after switching brushes

I used to use a standard wire brush for years but switched to a poly brush about 6 months ago. The before and after on soot buildup is night and day with no scratches. Has anyone else seen a difference with poly versus wire on clay flues?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin36518h ago

Man, @angelarivera that's a rough experience you had with poly brushes. I can see why you'd be frustrated after putting in all that elbow grease and still ending up with a smeary mess. My own test with a poly brush on a really caked on flue actually went way better than I expected, but I was only going after light soot, not heavy yearly buildup. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Hate that you had to deal with that residue issue though, that sounds like a nightmare to fix.

angelarivera18h ago

Poly brushes are way too soft for serious flue cleaning. Wire brushes actually grind down the glaze on clay tiles which creates a smooth surface that soot slides right off. Poly brushes just smear everything around and leave a residue that cakes back on over time. I tested both on the same flue last year and the wire side came out visibly cleaner with less elbow grease. Everyone jumps on the poly bandwagon but wire has been the standard for a reason.