• Bristles: These may be of animal, vegetable or manmade origin. Horsehair, nylon and polypropylene are commonly used to make bristles for cleaning brushes. In general, the finer, softer bristles are best for smooth and hard surfaces. The harder the bristles, the softer the surface on which the brush should be used, exception being toilet brushes and brushes found on all-purpose flour machines. Bristles, if not maintained properly, have a tendency to bend, splay or fall out of the stock. Bristles should be closely set in tufts and the stock well covered with tufts.
• Head stock: This is the part of the brush into which the bristles are inserted. The stock may be of wood, metal, or plastic. A good brush is one that has a sturdy stock.
• Handle: Brush handles may be detachable or non-detachable. Detachable handles must be fixed firmly in place on the stock when the brush is in use.
Types of brushes: Three main types of brushes are used for cleaning surfaces.
• Hard brushes: Hard brushes have bristles that are fairly stiff and well spaced out. They are most suitable for the removal of heavy soil and litter from carpets and for cleaning rough surfaces.
• Soft brushes: Soft brushes have bristles that are fairly flexible and set close together. These help to remove loose soil and litter on hard, smooth surfaces. Such brushes may be designed to dust carpets and furniture, too, especially those made of cane, wicker and bamboo.
• Scrubbing brushes: Scrubbing brushes have short, coarse bristles designed for use on surfaces that have become stained and heavily ingrained with dirt. These brushes should only be used to remove stubborn, heavy soiling from small areas that are difficult for a scrubbing machine to access. Long handled scrubbing brushes, called deck scrubbers or T-scrubbers, are useful for cleaning larger areas as well as corners.
Brushes are also classified on basis of their function:
• Toilet brushes: These are WC brushes, radiator brushes and Johnny mops.
• Bottle brushes: These are used for cleaning overflow vents in wash basins and tubs.
• Cloth scrubbers: These are used for scrubbing clothes.
• Deck scrubbers: These are used for cleaning large areas.
• Carpet brushes: These are used for brushing carpets.
• Upholstery brushes: These are used to loosen out dust embedded between the fabric fibres in upholstered chairs and sofas
• Feather brushes: These are brushes with feathers, for light dusting.
• Hearth brush: These are used for cleaning heavy soiling and removing ash out of fireplaces.
• Flue brush: These are used for cleaning chimneys.
Care and cleaning of brushes:
Brushes should be gently tapped on a hard surface to loosen dust and debris after the cleaning process. Frequent wash with water is avoidable since the brushes may lose some of their stiffness in this way. If they must be washed frequently, the final rinse should be in cold saline water to help the bristles regain their stiffness. Brushes should be cleaned of all fluff and threads before washing. They may then be rinsed in warm, mild soapy water. A disinfectant should be added to the water used for rinsing toilet brushes. If brushes with natural bristles (vegetable or animal origin) have been used for wax polishing, add washing soda (1 tbsp to 2 litres of water) to remove grease thoroughly. Brushes should be washed by beating the head up and down, with the bristles facing downwards, so that the water splashes up between the tufts. They should be rinsed well in the same way in cold water. After shaking off excess water, the brushes should be left to dry in such a way that the remaining water may drip off the side of the brush or the top of the head stock. Never leave brushes resting on their bristles, else they will splay out; if left resting on their stock, water will rot the stock in time. The best way would be to hang the brushes bristles downward. When possible, dry brushes in the sun or open air. To extend the life of the brush, apply lacquer to the stock and handle with an oil-can and allow hardening.
MANWAL