Radiator Brushes

moneypitfeeder

Wondering if anyone has tried some of these radiator brushes and can give a recommendation. I have convector-style rads (pic is of one of my rads that is in the worst condition, located in a bathroom) that need some serious cleaning (and if I find a pot of gold, sandblasted and powder coated) and the brush I bought (https://www.target.com/p/casabella-vent-brush/-/A-14903458?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000054481477&CPNG=PLA_Household+Essentials_Brand|Household+Essentials_Ecomm_Essentials&adgroup=SC_Household+Essentials&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=c&location=1024922&targetid=pla-323070239424&ds_rl=1246978&gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0YoMRCwv1eujIZv1knCy1NAAZ3JoJ_N0e_J9tuBO5lv18y36ijpCmxoC4NUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) is too rigid to make the bends for cleaning, but it would probably work well for standard column-style rads. I resorted to making a pull-through cleaner tying strips of scotch-brite to a long shoestring and a small weight on the other end. Dropped the weight into the top air chute and pulled the weight at the bottom to pull the scrubby pads through. But it was a pain to get them to drop and I couldn't get the top 2 rows, the topmost goes up before descending and the one beneath it I couldn't get the weight to drop out the bottom, it got hung up. If non of these brushes are a good fit, does anyone have a good method for cleaning these beasts? TIA!

Other options
1. https://www.grainger.com/product/1VAK6?ef_id=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0cnqsZzQCV2FXlQtN14h9jr8f-QPjCpT4FaIUvPYhCgxFSXHcduB6RoCFZ8QAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!264955915817!!!g!437993990869!&gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2295:4P7A1P:20501231&gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0cnqsZzQCV2FXlQtN14h9jr8f-QPjCpT4FaIUvPYhCgxFSXHcduB6RoCFZ8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
2. https://www.amazon.com/Redecker-Natural-Radiator-Beechwood-2-Inches/dp/B0050IC7WG/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0Ql_FujYeD9bkxIh3GdRyOKuejxL2VM_19rSRa29AxuCQEuK2_sGuBoCjzsQAvD_BwE&hvadid=410002113506&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1024922&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11168330894884778261&hvtargid=kwd-1169062457&hydadcr=24661_11410856&keywords=radiator+brush&qid=1616623546&sr=8-3
3. https://www.amazon.com/Holikme-Dryer-Cleaner-Flexible-Refrigerator/dp/B07NPKGHFB/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0Ql_FujYeD9bkxIh3GdRyOKuejxL2VM_19rSRa29AxuCQEuK2_sGuBoCjzsQAvD_BwE&hvadid=410002113506&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1024922&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11168330894884778261&hvtargid=kwd-1169062457&hydadcr=24661_11410856&keywords=radiator+brush&qid=1616623573&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A1VWIB06KZ0CFQ&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzOEI2UlpRR1RNODRIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDA4NDg4TTJDQlhPMVlGRlNCJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1MTk1NzZRWDVMNU9MWThJRU8md2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
4. https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Flexible-Medium-Soft-Goathair-Radiator/dp/B077MXG7Z5/ref=asc_df_B077MXG7Z5/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216576399527&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14723794709431220963&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1024922&hvtargid=pla-392258076189&psc=1

Hap_Hazzard

How's this? https://www.amazon.com/Holikme-Clothes-Dryer-Cleaner-Brush/dp/B07M97YZNV/
Or this? https://www.amazon.com/Vanitek-26-Inch-Flexible-Refrigerator-Condenser/dp/B0778RFGQ2/

KC_Jones

I have the #1 in your list and it works great. They will wear out after a while as the bristles get bent over. I also have something similar to the vent brush you showed, but haven't found much use for it on the radiators.

I think it mostly depends on what style radiator you have. I have column type which have more generous openings so the bigger brush works well on them.

moneypitfeeder

Hap, I may try the first one you linked, the second looks as stiff as the one I've got. KC, how flexible is the Tough Guy brush? I need them to basically do an instant 90 degree bend.

mattmia2

You might try holding a shop vac to the lower opening and using a tube brush to knock the dust loose. Mcmaster-Carr sells all sorts of shapes and lengths of tube brushes, maybe one with a mid size head and a long shaft that you can kind of bend and angle in or come up from the bottom.

https://www.mcmaster.com/tube-brushes/bristle-material~plastic/

KC_Jones

moneypitfeeder said:

Hap, I may try the first one you linked, the second looks as stiff as the one I've got. KC, how flexible is the Tough Guy brush? I need them to basically do an instant 90 degree bend.

If that is your requirement then it won't work well for you. It is fairly stiff, like I said a lot can depend on what radiators you have. I'm curious what type you have that you need a 90° bend right away?

EdTheHeaterMan

Whatever happened to the Fuller Brush Man?
https://fuller.com/pages/fuller-brush-history

Kickstand55

Maybe a Weil-McLain soft bristle flue brush would work. Mill Rose #84201
If that doesn't work, compressed air, but it creates a dust cloud. POOF!

moneypitfeeder

MattMia2, some of those brushes look like they might be flexible enough, thanks! Thanks for the head-up KC, and if you look at the pic you can see an example of my rads, most of the openings go inside for about an inch and then make an immediate 90 degree downturn. The top-most row of openings goes in about an inch and then up before descending. I'm not sure of the manufacturer, but they are roughly 1920-30 model convection-style rads.

Hap_Hazzard

moneypitfeeder said:

I'm not sure of the manufacturer, but they are roughly 1920-30 model convection-style rads.

I'm pretty sure that's an American Radiator Sunrad radiator.

moneypitfeeder

I've found (for anyone else with convector rads) that a flexible drain brush does the trick for most of the channels. You still can't get the topmost one, and there was one where the connecting rod was that I couldn't feed to the bottom, but I can clean most of the channels. Here's a pic of the type I got, I can't speak to durability, but it will make most of the bends. I used the wider end, the tapered was a little too small. The bristles are softer than I wanted, but they knocked out a ton of dust/debris.