Don’t underestimate the importance of your self-serve car wash brushes. It is what the customer sees and touches when they come to your wash. If the quality of the brush is good, the customer is likely to have a better opinion of your business.

Car Wash Brush Materials

Brush materials include nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and hog’s hair. It turns out that the soft, natural hog’s hair is the best choice for car wash brushes. It is gentle on your car’s paint and the bristles recover their natural shape when bent. Some people might turn away from hog’s hair since it is the most expensive material. But, one hog’s hair brush can outlive several other types of brushes, saving you money long term.

Nylon, polyester, and polypropylene brushes save some initial costs. But, you run the risk of the brush scratching the vehicle’s paint. Over time, the filaments on the brush head may wear out or bend out of shape. You’ll have to keep a closer eye on the brush and replace if necessary. If the brush is too worn out, the customer may say negative things about your wash. While hog’s hair brushes may cost more up front, they can help your wash earn a better reputation. Plus, they offer less frequent replacement when used correctly!

To help you decide which brush is best for your wash, we’ve done the work for you and made a pro / con list.

Hog’s Hair Brush:

Pros:

• Safe, scratch-free washing
• More reliable
• Lasts longer and cheaper to use on a per car basis
• Likely to lead to more satisfied customers and a better car wash reputation

Cons:

• More expensive up front than synthetic bristles.

Synthetic Brush:

Pros:

• Less expensive up front
• Popular economical option
• Offers reliable cleaning until the bristles are worn

Cons:

• Fewer filaments on brush head
• Filaments may wear out or bend out of shape
• Worn brush head likely to lead to unsatisfied customers
• Requires more frequent replacement

Looking for some sort of compromise or middle-of-the-road option? Check out our Noghair wash brush made with Noghair bristles. It utilizes a special synthetic fiber with the consistency of natural hog’s hair at the same cost of synthetic fibers. It boasts great surface coverage and excellent soap distribution and retention. Plus, you can save some money too!