Industrial Scrub Brushes: Nylon, Poly & Steel

When selecting an appropriate floor scrubber replacement brush, the two main considerations are:

1. Brush Size – You'll need to select a brush that's the correct size to fit your machine. Generally speaking, appropriate brush sizes will be two inches smaller than the size of the machine because of the brush flare. Therefore, if your machine is an 18” model, you would need to buy a 20” brush.
2. Material composition of the brush – you have a wide selection of brush types from which to choose, falling into the three general categories: nylon, poly (polypropylene) and steel. There are also brushes made from natural-fiber materials including Bassine, White Tampico and Union Mix (a combination of White Tampico and Palmyra Palm). The major determining factor for which brush is most appropriate for your specific application is the type of surface you'll be working on.

Which is Best for What?

Floor surface composition is the most important consideration when deciding what type of brush you'll want to use. You'll also want to consider the severity of the dirt and grime you'll be facing. Other factors to take into account include the size of the area you'll be cleaning and the price difference in using a brush type that will wear out more quickly than one made to be especially durable to provide extra-long life.

Certain types of rotary floor scrubber brushes will harm certain floor surfaces, so it's important to choose a brush made specifically for your floor type, especially if your floor is made from something easily scratched like linoleum or vinyl. Steel wire brushes, for example, are called for when cleaning unfinished concrete, but using a steel brush for anything else is asking for trouble.

Poly or Nylon?

Poly and nylon brushes are both good choices for general maintenance and work especially well on hard floors. Both synthetic plastics, nylon is more expensive than poly but will likely last longer due to its high abrasion resistance. It's also resistant to most commonly used chemicals and has a high bend recovery rate.

Polypropylene is a good choice from an initial economic standpoint, because it's less expensive than nylon but it also doesn't have the same high degree of durability, bend recovery or abrasion resistance. It is, however, resistant to most chemicals and fungus. It absorbs very little water and is effective for use in both wet and dry applications.

Natural Fibers

Bassine, which is manufactured from the leaf of the palmyra palm tree, is good for general purpose scrubbing and an affordable alternative to the use of brushes with synthetic filaments. White Tampico, produced from the Agave cactus in Mexico, is good for scrubbing, washing and polishing and can be used either wet or dry. It's naturally resistant to heat, acid and alkali. Union Mix, a combination of Palmyra and Tampico, is often used for floor polishing.

Check out this page for a complete breakdown of which commercial floor scrubber brushes are best for particular applications.