Car wash brushes may seem a little old-hat in today’s car detailing world. Like most other sectors, the world of car cleaning technology is advancing rapidly. Ceramic coating is taking on traditional car wax; microfibre is replacing chamois. But humble brushes still have their rightful place.
The tricky thing with car brushes is knowing which ones are any good. More specifically, which ones have soft bristles; a handle and head that won’t get banged against the bodywork; and are made to last. They’re a sturdier alternative to microfibre cloths, but pick the right one, and your car may possibly thank you.
How we tested the car wash brushes
For those car wash brushes we tested, Parkers was on a visit to Karcher’s HQ to test out its comprehensive range of pressure washers. During the demonstrations, Product Training Manager, Martin Coles introduced a couple of its cleaning brushes to clean the family Volvo. He them armed them onto a Karcher pressure washer and let the rest do the talking.
The best car wash brushes at a glance:
Car wash brushes, like clay bars, are a bit of a niche in the detailing world. Some people don’t like them, whereas others use them to save time when washing their vehicle. In our view, as long as the bristles are soft, clean, and designed for car bodywork, there is some good merit in using them to agitate the cleaning product applied to your vehicle.
Primarily, we’re looking for cleaning performance. It’s the point of the things at the end of the day, although versatility is a neat bonus. Some brushes have integrated features, such as detergent guns. These are useful if you’re after a product that quickens up the long process of washing your car. Value for money matters, too, which then ties into our overall score.
Types of wash brushes
Soft-bristle brushes
Soft-bristle car wash brushes are always going to be your best bet when it comes to car cleaning. They’re the most gentle on paintwork and are brilliant at lifting up bits of dirt and algae on little details throughout the exterior of your vehicle.
Mop style brushes
Mop style brushes are typically of their namesake. They’re a brush that sits at the end of a (sometimes) telescopic handle. They can be used for taller vehicles or if you simply want to reach to further areas of your vehicle, such as the roof. They won’t tackle little details like water spot removers, but for a general wash, they’re grand.
Some have additional features as well. This includes squeegees for glass as well as detergent reservoirs, which can be used to apply things like shampoo to the bodywork while cleaning. We recommend you opt for those with a microfibre brush at the end of the mop, as these are safer for your paintwork.
Water-fed and flow-through brushes
These fall into the category of brushes that can attach to pressure washers. Karcher make a few of these, which we’ve tried for ourselves. They’re excellent and work very nicely if you want to save a bit of time car cleaning. The water – or even a bit of snow foam – sprays through the brush to make cleaning more time-efficient.
Do we recommend it over the standard process involving a wash mitt? That comes down to personal preference, so if you don’t mind using a brush to clean your paintwork, then go right ahead. But ensure that it’s a soft-bristle affair designed for car bodywork – otherwise, the wrong types of brushes will end up damaging the vehicle.
How to choose the right car wash brush
Find a brush that is designed specifically for cars and the surfaces. These will tend to have soft bristles which are more sympathetic to paintwork and wheels than those with harder bristles. You can opt for brushes that are designed to tackle certain areas, too. These include things like wheels, windscreen edges, badges and so on. These are either detailing brushes or barrel brushes, and each type can help make your vehicle immaculate.
The best car wash brushes
The best wash brush
I was surprised at how capable it is as a snow foam lance. Connected to the Karcher K4 Power Control pressure washer, our test car was generously lathered in the brand's own foaming detergent, and I felt it worked better than a lot of other snow foams I've tried in the past.
Nevertheless, the spray function worked very consistently with the brush. The cleaning performance wasn't as effective as myself using a wash mitt, but for time-saving sake, it works brilliantly. You can simply switch the modes and revert back to a spray nozzle once it's time to rinse.
What's more, you can use it on any domestic Karcher machine from the K2 to the K7. This makes it versatile, no matter what pressure washer you have from the brand.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Very useful 3-in-1 tool which can speed up car cleaning
- Works amazingly as a snow foam lance - better than others I've tried
- Easy to refill, attach, and use, and can be fitted to any Karcher machine from the K2 to K7
Cons
- Brushes aren't everyone's cup of tea
| Extras | Spray nozzle, foam sprayer |
| Weight | 0.78kg |
| Dimensions | 37.7 x 26.4 x 22.3cm |
Editor's pick
It doesn't project snow foam like the WB7, but don't let that put you off from how good it is at car cleaning. We tried it alongside the doors of our test vehicle and found that it puts up a really good fight against dirt and grime. The motion is nice and consistent and it works pretty much like a car polishing head.
I'm not sure it's my go-to as far as brushes are concerned; the WB7 is the more comprehensive unit for roughly the same money, and I would've preferred the WB 130 if it was a full noodle mitt attachment. With that being said, if you're looking for a time saver when cleaning your vehicle, this is a nice little attachment to go for with your Karcher pressure washer.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Noodle mitt design in the middle makes for a great cleaner on the bodywork
- Quickens car cleaning process by combining the rinse and wash process
- Fits onto any Karcher pressure washer from the K2 to K7 models
Cons
- Doesn't represent as great value as the WB 7 brush
| Extras | Noodle mitt |
| Weight | 0.38kg |
| Dimensions | 30.5 x 15.6 x 13.7cm |
The best handheld brush
Pros
- Useful for close-up, handheld cleaning of parts of your vehicle
- It represents great value for money at a hair under £15
- Really, really good for radiator grilles, wheels and wing mirrors
Cons
- We wouldn't recommend it for use throughout the bodywork - just in specific areas
| Extras | N/A |
| Weight | 45g |
| Dimensions | 32 x 11.5 x 13cm |
The best telescopic brush
Pros
- Comes with a squeegee, which can be useful for cleaning the windows
- Extendable handle which stretches between 50-75cm - great for taller vehicles like vans
- Represents pretty good value for money at under £18
Cons
- Isn't really a definitive car cleaning device - more of an aid to help you out in certain areas
| Extras | Rubber squeegee |
| Weight | 0.3kg |
| Dimensions | 55 x 30 x 25cm |
The best brush for wheels
Pros
- Perfect tool for wheel face cleaning and little details throughout the vehicle
- Soft bristles designed to not scratch wheels, even if painted or coated
- Very flexible and able to reach certain crevices and angles
Cons
- Can't be used for the whole bodywork, despite the steep asking price
| Extras | N/A |
| Weight | 0.46kg |
| Dimensions | 13.9 x 15.8 x 40.6cm |
Car wash technique tips
When you need to use pre-wash
Our tips when using a brush to agitate pre-wash is to settle for a soft detailing brush. We’ve used one before in our pre-wash group test, which managed to remove years of algae from a non-running Audi 80.
They’re effective on dirt and grime, yet gentle on your paintwork. So, in certain areas including the trim, badges, and perhaps some panels, using a small brush to agitate pre-wash can be a great idea. The contactless alternative is to use snow foam, as that’s a pre-wash agitator in itself.
Post-wash rinse and care
Using a wash brush – or cleaning your car in general – will make it look gleaming and tidy. But how do you maintain that shine?
Truthfully, you can never keep dirt away from your vehicle. But you can take steps to make it easier to clean next time round. Protecting the paint with car wax is one of them; it repels off dirt and makes the surface very slick. This inevitably makes it easier to clean and rinse once you next get round to it.
Other solutions include a ceramic coating (although a professional job is quite expensive), or washing your car with a ceramic-based shampoo – which does a similar job to ceramic coating, only cheaper.
When should you replace the brush head or handles?
Quite simply, when they’ve worn out. Split bristles and broken handles mean that brush is done for, and it’s time to replace it. Worn-out brushes won’t do your car many favours and could risk scratches or ineffective cleaning.
Maintaining your brush is a simple matter of keeping it clean and being gentle when using it. Remember not to press it too hard against your vehicle, give it a wash after each use, and keep it somewhere clean. The same goes for drying towels; it’s only when they’re clean and dry when they’re at their most effective, and the same goes to many car cleaning products.
FAQs
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Can a brush scratch paint?
The simple answer is yes, but not every brush scratches paint. You do have to tread very carefully in this sector because brushes can very easily cause light marks in your paintwork.
While paint and subsequent coatings are very strong, we recommend you shop around for brushes designed to tackle certain areas - i.e. wheels, or those soft enough to tackle the bodywork. Usually, there will be specified instructions from specialist brands in the car detailing sector.
Brands like Meguiar's, Karcher, Autoglym, and other similar firms will make the best types of brushes for particular areas - and a few of those will make brushes designed for bodywork. So, our best advice is to read the small print and guidelines carefully before making your purchase. -
Are wash brushes safe on all paint types?
Paint types don't matter so much, whether it's a single stage or water-based affair. It's the condition and delicacy that does. If you agitate a brush on paintwork that's quite weak and beginning to flake apart, then it's not a good idea to keep going.
It takes a bit of judgement towards your own car's paintwork and the brush you're using. If you're gentle with a very soft brush, there shouldn't be an issue. When we tried the Karcher WB 7 on the Volvo test car, the Autoglym UHD wax was still holding on afterwards. There were no scratches to report - so we know that one works nicely. -
How long will a brush last with regular use?
How long a brush will last is a similar question to how long is a piece of string? It depends what you have and how you're using it.
A cheap brush used roughly won't last too long with regular use. However, if you use a brush strategically - i.e. by only cleaning the wheels and some bits of trim - then it'll last a lot longer. You also need to be careful about how much pressure you apply to the vehicle with a brush; too much, and you may end up creating marks.
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