Debate: Wire brush vs. poly brush for clay flue cleaning?

I used to swear by my 8-inch wire brush for every clay flue job. Did it for 10 years straight. Then about 2 years ago I got called out to a house where the wire brush kept catching on a loose tile, and the homeowner told me I was "scratching the glaze off." Switched to a poly brush on that job and it worked fine. Now I'm torn - the wire brush feels faster on heavy creosote, but the poly brush seems gentler on old tiles. What's your take on this?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_knight3911d ago

Man, are you really overthinking this? I've been cleaning flues for like 15 years and I've never once had a homeowner complain about scratching the glaze. That sounds like an excuse to get out of paying you. Wire brush is still king for heavy stuff, poly brush is fine for maintenance cleans. People get way too caught up in which tool is "gentler" when half the time the clay is already cracked from years of heat anyway. Just use what works and don't overanalyze it.

robert_roberts11d ago

@gavin_knight39, wait, you've never had a homeowner complain about scratching the glaze in 15 years? That's honestly wild to me.

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