How do you know when you should be thinking about car wheel barrel brushes as part of your car cleaning kit? Look behind the alloy spokes of an older car and you’ll quickly see there’s a build-up of something grimy and hard to shift. This area is known as the inner barrels of an alloy wheel and will darken over time as it collects brake dust, road salt and other contaminants. For the most part, these contaminants won’t cause issues, but if left, over time it can lead to pitting (corrosion of the alloy) and require an expensive alloy refurbishment.
A simple scrub with a good alloy wheel cleaner every time you clean your car should be enough to prevent pitting, but the question remains of how to access the inner barrels easily.
One option is to remove the wheel and spend many hours using a detailing brush, but that’s a lot of effort each time you wash your car. Instead, we recommend buying a good barrel brush for effectively tackling those inner barrels and keeping corrosion at bay.
The best barrel brushes at a glance:
Editor’s pick: EZ Detail Alloy Wheel and Motorbike Cleaning Brush – buy from Amazon.
The best angled barrel brush: Meguiar’s Supreme Microfibre Angled Brush – buy from Amazon.
The best on a budget: Silverline Wheel Brush – buy from Amazon.
The best barrel brushes
Editor's pick
The bristles are also incredibly flexible (especially when used with hot water), allowing them to fit into the nooks and crannies of modern alloy wheel design. Best of all, these bristles are designed with a memory, so they won’t deform over time.
The central stem also features a malleability to it for reaching awkward locations and is vinyl wrapped to prevent any chance of scratches occurring. The rubber knuckle guard and ergonomic handle also mean that this brush is easy to use. It’s our top choice for wheel barrel cleaning and the only time we wouldn’t recommend using this brush is if you have painted alloy wheels as those bristles could be a touch too harsh and leave tiny scratches in the finish.
Pros
- Effective brush for deep cleaning
- Can fit into awkward areas
Cons
- Not recommended for use on painted alloys
The best barrel brush for delicate alloy wheels
We like the overall quality of this brush. The lambswool is rich and soft while the wooden handle and rubber grip make this a lightweight and ergonomic brush to use. The Wonder Wool is also available in large and small sizes for tackling different alloy designs.
It's not malleable like the EZ Detail example and it won't be as good on really baked-in contamination which means it misses out on the top spot. Still, for delicate wheels and lighter scrubbing, it's worth having in your car cleaning kit.
Pros
- Lambswool is soft on surfaces
- Has a good grip
Cons
- Not as malleable as others
The best angled barrel brush
While the handle isn't adjustable, it is metal-free and has a solid construction which makes it a robust choice. The rather large brush head size harms its versatility slightly and isn't very malleable, but it's still a solid choice for alloy cleaning.
Pros
- Soft texture is gentle on wheel surfaces
- Great for angle cleaning
Cons
- Large brush head may be an issue with some wheels
Best barrel brush cleaning set
The barrel brushes themselves are made of microfibre and are able to bend, which is handy for reaching awkward areas. The foam handles are a slight downside as rubber handles tend to be easier to grip
Pros
- Two different sizes at hand
- Comes with useful extras
Cons
- Foam isn't the best material for a handle.
The best barrel brush on a budget
Being a value-based product, the bristles are not made from lambswool or microfibre. Instead, it deals with nylon, which while useful and abrasive against surfaces. But it doesn't have the delicacy of the other materials.
Pros
- Good value
- Useful, effective brush
Cons
- Not the largest available.
The best barrel brush for tough jobs
Pros
- Very affordable
- Robustly made
Cons
- Be careful with it
What should I look for in a barrel brush?
Because barrel brushes are so simple, there are really only three things worth considering when buying:
Materials – The bristles of a good barrel brush will either use soft nylon bristles for standard alloy wheels, or microfibre or lambswool for more delicate alloys. Look for quality bristles that won’t deteriorate over time and lose shape. Nylon will clean the best, but is the most abrasive, while lambswool and microfibre are a lot kinder to surfaces. Another potential option is to use snow foam for no-contact cleaning, but brushes will scrub off the stubborn marks more effectively.
Versatility – Make sure the barrel brush will easily fit between the nooks and crannies of your alloy wheel with ease. Most barrel brushes will be able to squeeze through these spots with ease but consider a smaller example if your alloys are particularly intricate. Don’t forget to factor in the size of your brakes when deciding on a barrel brush.
Extras – Extras like knuckle guards, rubber coatings and ergonomic handles are all worth prioritising when deciding on a barrel brush. Anyone who’s ever smacked their knuckles into an alloy wheel or scratched their alloys by accident will tell you that rubber should cover as much of the brush as possible. Thrown-in products such as car shampoo or microfibre towels are also possible bonuses to consider when barrel brushes come with some product extras.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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