Cleaning Fender Brush

[dconsmack]

I've been using my Fender Brush on my tires and wheel wells for a year now. I only use it with All Purpose Cleaner. Tires have Super VRT; wheel wells have Invisible Undercarriage Spray so those are the products I'm cleaning off. The bristles on the brush are filthy and can't get it clean using APC. I don't care if they're stained, but I wanna get the residue off. What works?

[DieselDude]

I have always cleaned mine with APC.  Mine still looks like it is new. Have you let the brush soak?

[Chris@Adams]

I agree let it soak in APC.

[Kingsford]

APC. My Fender Brush from Adam's (the old one) was a light gray color when I got it. Not it stained dark gray, brown, black but it's clean and still works after 5-6 years.

[Team Adam's]

All Purpose Cleaner soak is the best place to start. Sometimes, if they're really nasty you may need to go grab a tar remover from the local store and try that. The stuff is terrible for your paint, but good for melting off tar and gunk off of something like a fender brush.

[red94chev]

I just threw mine away last week. It was 3 years old and extremely gunked up from never cleaning it at all. I tried some brake cleaner and pretty much destroyed it.  Ordered a new one this weekend, 15 bucks is a great deal to get 3 years out of one with zero maintenance.

[DaveVY]

My brush is around 3 years old... Slightly darker than it was when new. I clean it every use with APC by liberally spraying it, letting it sit a couple minutes and then brushing a section of rough clean concrete. That roughness from the concrete seems to provide the agitation needed to clean some of the gunk from the bristles. Then a thorough flushing from the hose nozzle and it is ready to drip dry.

 

For me the gunk has seemed to accumulate mostly when cleaning other's cars where they had heavy thick tire dressing.

Edited May 26, 2015 by DaveVY

[Ricky Bobby]

I'm about at 2 years myself, I'll replace it soon but if I get a year or two from a 15 dollar brush designed for grimy areas I'm happy

[Guest washemup]

I used Goo Gone Pro Power to remove the gunk, worked very well. I don't think the wheel wells were every cleaned on my 2012 Camaro, and the brush got very gunked up after removing 3 years of neglect. Now all that's needed is APC to remove whatever transfer gets on it.

 

Here is the thread on it with before and after pics.

 

http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/28266-cleaning-your-adams-fender-and-wheel-brush/

[Kingsford]

All Purpose Cleaner soak is the best place to start. Sometimes, if they're really nasty you may need to go grab a tar remover from the local store and try that. The stuff is terrible for your paint, but good for melting off tar and gunk off of something like a fender brush.

 

I had to clean mine with Stoners Tarminator a while back because I had a big glob of grease on the underside of a nerf bar mount.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Kingsford

[dconsmack]

How long to soak? An hour? Overnight?

[Guest washemup]

Goo gone will take 5 - 10 minutes if APC doesn't work.

 

If you have very thick build up use an old cloth, one that you wont mind throwing away. Preferably a clean one. No need to introduce additional dirt and grit into your brush.

 

After the Goo Gone has soaked for 3-4 minutes, use the cloth to scrub the heavy build up off. If needed re-apply, wait few minutes and rinse heavily.

 

I actually like how this brush holds the gunk so well. It's not flinging around everywhere and getting on my paint!

 

Once you get all the heavy gunk off your wheel wells and tires, the APC will clean any light or medium gunk with just a spray or two on it in between cleaning tires.

[Kingsford]

Wouldn't soaking in pure Goo Gone just create a oily mess?

[Gen9Rolla]

I spray APC then rub it against a grit guard about once a month. Works well for me

[Guest washemup]

Wouldn't soaking in pure Goo Gone just create a oily mess?

I suppose if you used a lot, or rinsed it in a sink or bucket this could happen. I just misted enough to saturate the tips of the brush, and rinsed it outside next to a drain. No problems.

[DieselDude]

How often do you clean your Fender Brush?

 

I let mine soak 10-15 min after every use. 

[TheBurninator]

How often do you clean your Fender Brush?

 

I let mine soak 10-15 min after every use. 

 

After every wheel well or tire. It's easier to work clean around the car than have more and more build up as you move around the car.

 

Mine also soaks in my wheel bucket while I wash.