Tag Archives: brush

The Science of Sweep

UST2It is quite easy to go through the day without taking a second look or give a second thought to the brushes we may use in our food industry operations or in our homes. Considering the vigorous workouts that we give our brushes, and the harsh conditions we expose them to, these workhorses are probably, at best, considered a basic tool with a basic function. Yet, the brushes we utilize today in industrial and domestic realms are the result of continuously morphing science and engineering standards.

For instance, filaments, the frontline soldiers in scouring, are put under a great deal of constant duress. In order to ensure that filaments (which can be made of several different materials, including polyester and polypropylene) don’t shed like needles from a dry Christmas tree, various settings have been developed to both allow durability and reflect standards of sanitary practice.

For basic cleaning, filaments have been traditionally set in with staples. Filaments are held in place, allowing for a level of durability and the ability to retain the filaments. However useful, staple-set brushes, because of their setting do permit small pieces of debris to get caught within the setting and may allow the growth of potential bacteria that get caught there. Such general-use brushes may work within certain circumstances; yet, they present some issues when contending with ensuring sanitary standards in food industry environments.

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Tech Tip: Brush Sizing

1006199Correctly sizing your brush is critical for optimal cleaning. When selecting the diameter of the brush used to clean the interior of tubing, pipes, drains, valves, etc. keep these tips in mind.

The key to efficiency is maximum tip contact to the surface – the tips of the brush are what provide proper cleaning. Select a brush with an outside diameter exactly the inside diameter of the pipe. A larger diameter brush will bend when entering the pipe providing less effective cleaning as the bristle tips will not contact the surface.

This will cause extra wear and tear on your brush, and may result in the brush getting stuck in the pipe. A smaller diameter brush with require additional passes in order to clean and may result in missed areas.

The handle of your brush should reach the entire length of your pipe or tubing for quick and effective cleaning. If you need help in finding the correct brush for your application, please do not hesitate to contact us at 800-826-8302 or see our collection of brushes online here

 

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Tech Tip: Brush Maintenance Tips

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In the food industry, proper cleaning is important for assuring a sanitary food processing environment. Taking care of the tools that do the cleaning is also a vital part of the process. Here are some tips for keeping your brushes in good working order.

Do

  • Clean your cleaning tools regularly.
  • Provide adequate storage space and hangers for all tools, at all times.
  • Determine characteristics that employees can look for to identify when it is time to replace tools so they are not the source of additional hazards in a facility.
  • Bend stray bristles back into shape when appropriate, so all bristles may be effective.
  • Replace tools that are badly worn or have significant abrasions which make them difficult to clean and keep clean.

Don’t

  • Use cleaning tools that are heavily soiled.
  • Use tools that have severe wear or have extremely tangled or bent/flared bristles.
  • Leave tools in caustic chemicals or sanitizers for time periods longer than recommended (using appropriate chemical manufacturer recommended time, temperature and concentrations should not be harmful to tools if selected and used appropriately).
  • Expose tools to temperatures outside of their minimum and maximum – this will extend tool life.
  • Store on the floor; bristles become deformed and will be less effective.

For more information on our brush selection, click here or call 800-826-8302 to speak with a customer service representative.

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