20 Key Carlisle Cleaning Brushes
Carlisle, which began as Continental Plastics in 1955, is a leading provider of catering, storage, and dinnerware supplies. The company's catalog of cleaning tools gives foodservice operations reliable and efficient solutions to their sanitation needs. To help operators keep their kitchens, equipment, and other vital components clean, here are 20 key brushes that every business should own. Keeping these Carlisle cleaning brushes on hand can improve the safety and sanitation of your foodservice operation.
Pastry and Basting
1. Hot Use Brush. Able to withstand temperatures as hot as 500 degrees Fahrenheit, hot-use basting brushes can be used to baste meat and poultry. Carlisle's Chef Series basting brushes are made with hardwood handles and bleached boar's hair bristles that have been sterilized and double boiled. Although they are heat resistant, they should not be cleaned in a dishwasher. Instead, Carlisle recommends they be dipped in a commercial cleaning solution and then rinsed off.
2. Cold Use Brush. A cold-use brush is perfect for pastry applications, such as when butter needs to be brushed onto a baked good. These have boar's hair bristles or nylon bristles, which have a lower heat distortion point of only 350 degrees Fahrenheit and are designed with hooks molded into their synthetic handles. Those allow these brushes to hang off of containers and to be angled off of the countertop when they are set down, preventing messes and keeping the bristles clean and sanitary.
3. Silicone Basting Brush. Like basting brushes with boar's hair bristles, silicone basting brushes are able to withstand temperatures as hot as 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike boar's hair bristles, these are resistant to stains and odors, and can be easily cleaned and sanitized in a dishwasher. The silicone bristles on these basting brushes are color-coded red, so employees will know at a glance that they are suitable for high-temperature applications.
General Cleanup
4. 8-inch Utility Scrub Brush. An 8-inch utility brush can be used to clean pots, pans, and other surfaces that require a medium level of scrubbing. The nylon bristles are trimmed at varied angles, which means multiple points of contact with the surface being scrubbed. The handle is designed for user comfort and the brush will not absorb residue from food.
5. Sparta® Multi-Purpose Brush. This multi-purpose brush has polyester bristles placed at different angles to clean hard-to-reach areas. It's bristles help absorb cleaning products, oil, and moisture. This line of brushes comes in a variety of colors, which is ideal for color-coded applications.
6. Scratch Brush with Scraper. Equip your staff for tough cleaning jobs with an 111⁄2-inch scratch brush with a scraper tool attached. This Carlisle brush has carbon steel, stainless steel, or nylon bristles, so it can remove tough deposits of grease and other residues. It is also designed with a long, thin shape, so it can be used to clean narrow spaces.
Food Preparation
7. Vegetable Brush. Carlisle recommends having a round vegetable brush on hand so staff can thoroughly clean vegetables like cucumbers and zucchini. The bristles on this type of brush are looped, so produce can be placed in the middle of the circle, allowing the brush to clean each side of the vegetable at once.
8. 6-inch Cutting Board Brush. Designed with an ergonomic shape and crimped polyester bristles, these can be color-coded to the cutting boards they're used to clean, reducing the chances of cross-contamination. These can be cleaned and sanitized in a dishwasher and will not absorb moisture or oils from food.
Floor Cleaning
9. 24-inch Double Foam Rubber Squeegee. Carlisle recommends a double foam squeegee with a metal frame, which has a medium amount of flexibility. This design provides a heavy-duty tool for removing liquids from floors, including uneven tiled surfaces. The squeegee will also pick up dirt and other debris from the floor.
10. 10-inch Floor Scrub Brush. This moisture-resistant scrub brush has polyester crimped bristles designed to withstand high-volume use and prevent mold and mildew growth. It's split shape helps users effortlessly clean around equipment, under counters, along baseboards and flat surfaces.
11. Duo-sweep Lobby Broom. The Duo-Sweep has unflagged, angled bristles, which are great for wet or heavy-duty messes. The 48-inch handle helps employees reach any area that needs sweeping.
12. 24-inch Omni Floor Sweep. Angled bristles can clean floors more thoroughly than straight bristles, which is why Omni Sweep brooms are designed with two different types of bristles. The front bristles are short and heavy, which allows them to collect heavier debris, while the rear bristles are longer and meant to collect finer particles.
The handles for Carlisle brushes that require them, such as brooms and mops, are sold separately, and are available between 36 and 72 inches so you can purchase the handle length that best suits your needs.
Kitchen Equipment
13. Broiler Master Brush. The Broiler Master cleaning tool will help employees rid broilers and grills of burned-on food, grease, and other residue. This brush has a stainless steel scraper with stiff bristles on one side of the brush head and semi-stiff bristles on the other side to provide thorough and versatile cleaning options. It is designed to withstand temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
14. L-tipped Teflon Fryer Brush. The L-tipped high-heat fryer brush is an essential tool for any operation with a fryer. Because it can withstand temperatures as hot as 500 degrees Fahrenheit, this Carlisle brush allows employees to clean frypots and coils while the fryer is still hot. This will prevent workflow delays and encourage employees to clean the fryer more frequently. The handle is plastic, rather than metal, so it does not heat up when used on a warm fryer.
Beverage Service
15. Pint Bottle Brush. This Sparta® brush is designed to clean narrow glasses and bottles. Its soft bristles can withstand harsh chemicals and the plastic handle lets users clean glasses without directly contacting cleaning products. The brush is 12 inches overall and the brush head is 41⁄2 inches in length.
16. Coffee Decanter Brush. Much like a bottle brush, a decanter brush has a long handle so the bristles can reach the bottoms and sides of deep containers without the risk of a hand getting stuck in the opening. Decanter brushes have wider bristles that conform to the shape of a decanter rather than the narrower shape of a bottle.
Floor Drain Cleaning
17. Floor Drain Brush. This Carlisle brush has polypropylene bristles that can stand up to commercial use and are shaped perfectly to fit into a floor drain, ensuring a thorough cleaning. It should be paired with Carlisle's special drain brush handle to prevent cross-contamination.
18. 36-inch Plastic Drain Brush Handle. Meant to be paired with the floor drain brush, this Carlisle cleaning tool is clearly marked in English and Spanish with the words, "Use for Floor Drain Only." However, the handle is also designed to only connect to floor drain brushes, further reducing the chance of cross-contamination.
Washroom and Personal Hygiene
19. Toliet Bowl Brush. This Carlisle toilet bowl brush has polypropylene bristles that can withstand heavy use without causing damage to the bowl. It can clean dirt and grime out of small spaces and is resistant to chemicals. This brush is capable of tolerating temperatures ranging from -40 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
20. Boot 'N Shoe Brush. The Boot 'N Shoe Brush lets staff clean contaminants off their shoes as they enter your business. This device helps keep your facility free of dirt, dust, and debris that are brought in by employees' shoes. Its chrome steel frame can be bolted to the floor for security and its non-absorbent block construction with polypropylene bristles are non-absorbent and easy to clean.
