Tried polypropylene brushes vs steel bristles and the winner was clear

I did a big job last Tuesday on an old masonry flue that was caked with creosote. Had my regular steel brush with me but decided to try a polypropylene one a buddy recommended. The poly brush got through the buildup in half the time and barely left any scratches on the liner. Has anyone else switched between brush materials and noticed a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

sage_ramirez421mo ago

My buddy over at Chimney Sweep Supply told me polypropylene is getting popular because it actually flexes better around offsets in the liner. I remember him saying the bristles are softer but still stiff enough to break up that stubborn glaze layer. The fact that it didn't scratch your liner sounds like a big plus since steel can really chew up a stainless liner over time.

adamgreen1mo ago

Man, I gotta say I felt that comment in my bones. I've scratched up a brand new stainless liner before with steel brushes and wanted to kick myself. Polypropylene sounds like a no brainer to me now. @sage_ramirez42 your buddy knows his stuff - I'm switching over for sure. The fact it doesn't gouge the liner is huge when you're wrestling with tight bends. Plus softer bristles mean I can actually blame the chimney instead of my own dumb mistakes. Guess I'll be the guy at the supply shop asking for the "not shiny" brushes from now on.