Guide to choosing the best food-grade brushes, covering bristle materials, stiffness, construction methods, brush types, and maintenance tips for optimal food safety and efficiency.
When choosing a brush for your food manufacturing application, there are many variables to consider.
Selecting the right bristle material for food-grade brushes.
In food processing, you generally want to stick with plastic bristles such as grades of nylon (grade 6.12 is best), polyester, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, and PEEK.
When dealing with heat, a significant factor, especially in high-temperature applications like commercial baking and confectionery, the choice of bristle is critical. Opt for bristles that offer temperature resistance, chemical stability, high tensile strength, and abrasion resistance.
Wire bristles and stainless steel or PEEK (Polyether ether ketone) bristles will stand up to high heat.
If you are choosing a brush for cleaning in food manufacturing, polyester stands out as a superior material. It offers:
Excellent chemical resistance
Ultraviolet light resistance
Superior bristle bend recovery
Good abrasion resistance
High tear/break strength
Choosing the Right Bristle Stiffness: Soft, Medium & Stiff Brushes for Food Applications
Soft-bristled brushes are designed for delicate surfaces, such as easily scratched materials or light cleaning. Soft bristles are best used in bakeries or environments where you are dealing with powders like flour, salt, and other small particles. Soft bristles can be used with water or cleaning chemicals for countertops or benches.
Medium bristles are ideal for larger applications. Cleaning bigger areas of debris or food in wet or dry environments.
Stiff-bristled brushes are best for heavy-duty cleaning. Designed for Durability, these brushes are perfect for scrubbing stuck-on grime, dirt, and grease and are often used in industries such as manufacturing, confectionery.
When choosing between soft and stiff bristles, keep these factors in mind:
- Surface: Opt for soft bristles on scratch-prone surfaces and stiff bristles on rugged materials.
- Dirt/Stain Type: Soft bristles are suitable for light dust, while stiff bristles are needed for embedded grime.
- Cleaning Agents: Consider compatibility; for example, stiff bristles work well with industrial degreasers for grease removal.
Stapled vs. Resin Set Bristles: Ensuring Secure and Hygienic Brush Construction
Staples
Produced with the traditional method of folding filaments and stapling them into the brush block with a stainless-steel cramp. This creates a tight fit that holds filaments in place. When a tool is well designed, there are minimal places for contaminants to hide and multiply.
The resin set range is a collection of tools with bristles set in flexible resin compound, made with a unique technique in custom-made bodies. Filaments are secured with both stainless steel staples + resin that is floated into and around each filament bundle for extra bristle retention. The recommended usage temperatures range from 14° to 248°.
Choosing the Right Brush Type: Floors, Machines, Pipes & More
Floor cleaning
Abrasive cleans
Drain, pipes, tanks & vats
Machine surfaces
Small or hard-to-reach ceilings
Water fed
Detectable
Choose the right types of brushes for your needs:
These narrow brushes are used for sweeping and cleaning counter and bench tops. The brush head is great at reaching tight spaces, such as the sides of a conveyor belt and the rubber seals of refrigerators.
Scrub brushes require pressure to be applied directly to the brush block, making them suitable for areas where the cleaning surface is within arm’s reach. These brushes are often used to scrub tables, conveyor belts, chopping boards, and buckets.
Ergonomic grips prevent hand fatigue while the brush head promotes scrubbing and washing motions. Can be used with the short handle or by gripping the brush head.
Ergonomic long handle allows for easy access into machines, deep buckets, containers, and longer hard-to-reach areas.
These brushes allow for specialized cleaning. Bottle/tube brushes reach into tubes, valves, and bottles. They’re often used as a multipurpose scrub brush.
Using metal detectable cleaning brushes and tools for food processing helps to ensure extra protection from foreign material contamination.
It is important to discuss your specific brush needs with your Amerisan Quality Assurance Consultant to be sure you get the best brush for your application.
Tips and Best Practices for Cleaning and Storing Food-Grade Tools
- Remove debris and cleaning agents immediately after use.
- Rinse after each use
- Store properly: 5S shadow boards are an excellent way to organize and store your color-coded tools. They keep everything in one place, saving time, promoting efficiency, and reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
- Inspect tools regularly. Regular replacement of tools like brushes keeps your bristles functioning at their best, ensuring consistent cleaning performance and reducing risk of foregin material contamination.