It seems like buying cleaning tools and supplies costs more than having your car professionally cleaned. I bet someone told you that you need five different cleaning brushes just to clean your seats. Well, I’m here to prove them wrong and show you the 6 best upholstery brushes for you to choose from to replace all of your expensive cleaning tools.
All of the brushes I’m going to mention are versatile and you can use them for your car seats, carpets or furniture. Let’s take a look at what makes these brushes so good and why you need them in your life now.
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Different Types of Car Upholstery Brushes
If you don’t want to waste your money or time buying useless, expensive brushes, there are a few things you should know before you walk into a store. First, think about what you’re going to use the brush for. Do you want one for your carpet, car, furniture, or all of the above?
Brushes for Car Carpets
Typically, brushes that are used for carpet cleaning tend to be harsher. They have nylon bristles that can penetrate deep into the carpet and clean all of the grime.
Since they have harsher bristles, they might not work great for leather seats or furniture. However, they are usually the most durable and you can use them with any cleaning solution.
Brushes for Car Seats
Most brushes for car seats have softer bristles compared to ones used for carpets. The softness also depends on whether they are meant for cloth or leather seats. They usually have silicone bristles or rubber handles. Some of them might even come with a smaller detail brush.
Other Brushes
Brushes for furniture usually have the softest bristles. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Not only can you use them on furniture but also clothes, shoes, and car upholstery.
6 Best Brushes for Cleaning Car Carpets and Seats
Now, I wanted to put together this list to show you what are the best upholstery brushes I’ve used. I’ll start off the list with some of my personal favorites which I think are the most versatile and you can get the most use out of.
1. Colourlock Leather & Textile Cleaning Brush
First, let’s take a look at a brush from Colourlock, a company that specializes in making products for cleaning leather. They make everything from brushes and cleaners, sponges, cloths, and more.
The brush is made in Germany and it was designed to be used only on leather and textile fabrics. You can not only use it for your leather car seats but also for clothes, shoes, and furniture. Moreover, the brush has a wooden handle and high-quality microfiber bristles.
You can use it on artificial, pigmented, and PU leather. Furthermore, it works great on suede, semi-aniline, and nubuck leather. However, I wouldn’t recommend using it on aniline or refined leather. Both of these are extremely delicate, and the harsh bristles might damage them.
How to Use It
First, apply a generous amount of a mild or strong leather cleaner on your seats. Then, take the brush and gently clean all of the parts where the cleaner is. Also, I recommend testing the brush on a small area of your seats first. By doing so, you can ensure your seats won’t get damaged in the cleaning process.
Keep in mind that this is quite a small brush. Consider using it for detailing rather than cleaning your entire car seat. Also, because of its size, the brush might slip from your hands on occasion. You can find the Colourlock cleaning brush below.
Main Features:
- Wooden handle
- Microfiber bristles
- Works on artificial, PU, and semi-aniline leather
- Great for detailing your seats
- Not suited for aniline or refined aniline leather
2. Adams Cockpit Brush
Next, we have the Cockpit Brush from Adam’s Polishes. The brush is easy to use and extremely durable. You can get it in two sizes — the bigger one is 6.5 inches long, and the mini is 3.5 inches long. However, you can also get the bundle and buy both sizes at a reduced price.
Now you might be wondering “Why on Earth would I need two brushes to clean my seats?” Well, if you want to be efficient and thorough, two brushes are the way to go. Also, with the bigger brush, you’ll be able to clean larger surface areas, while the smaller one will allow you to clean all of the nooks and crannies in your car.
The brush features a hardwood handle and soft, nylon bristles. You can use it on molded and vinyl plastic door panels, cloth headliners, and of course, leather upholstery.
However, don’t use the brush if you have any embroidery on your seats. For embroidery, I would recommend using a much softer brush or cloth.
How to Use It
Take your cleaning product for leather and put the recommended amount on your seats. Next, take your brush and gently scrub all of the areas where you’ve put the cleaning product. Make sure you’re using cleaning products that were made specifically for leather. Once you’re done, take a clean cloth and wipe the area down.
Also, consider that the brush has extremely soft bristles. While it’s a great brush if you detail your car often, I wouldn’t recommend it for leather seats that haven’t been cleaned in years.
Main Features:
- Soft, nylon bristles
- Hardwood handle
- Comes in two sizes
- Great for cloth headliners and leather upholstery
3. Chemical Guys Professional Rubber Pet Hair Removal Brush
As the name implies, the brush from Chemical Guy works great for removing pet hair from furniture, upholstery, and carpets. You can also use it on your clothes and shoes.
The brush has thick rubber bristles which are supposed to clean pet hair like nobody’s business. Now you might be wondering how it works. Well, the rubber bristles create static energy which picks up hair from the upholstery. You won’t have to use harsh chemicals to clean your seats anymore.
What’s more, if you flip the brush over to the squeegee side, you can use it on glass, low-pile fabrics, and even countertops. Chemical Guys guarantee their brush won’t scratch or cause any damage to these surfaces.
Another thing I loved about the brush is that it’s reusable and recyclable. It’s also washable, which means you don’t have to buy extra products just to clean your brush.
How to Use It
If you want the best results, you should first vacuum any dirt or loose debris from your upholstery. Next, you can brush off any hair or dirt using the brush from Chemical Guys. You should move the brush in multiple directions to try and create that static charge. Once you’ve created the static charge, use it to pick up any loose hair or debris from your seats.
One thing to note about this brush is that, since the handle is also made out of rubber, it can feel a bit flimsy in your hands. On the other hand, unlike wooden brushes, you won’t ever have to worry about breaking it.
Main Features:
- Rubber bristles and handle
- Two-sided
- Works on upholstery, furniture, and glass
- Washable and recyclable
4. TAKAVU Leather Brush
Next, we have a brush from Takavu Auto Care. The company specializes in making cleaning brushes and accessories for cars.
The brush has a solid wood handle made out of raw beech wood. Moreover, it has synthetic nylon bristles for the optimal cleaning experience.
You can use it on leather upholstery, furniture, clothes, and carpets. What’s more, you can use it to clean your gloves, sheets, and beds. The company also says that you can use the brush to clean textile fabrics and Alcantara seats.
The brush from Takavu has a concave design, which makes it ideal for different areas of your car. In addition to that, the brush has double grooves to ensure that it never slips from your hands when you’re cleaning.
A detailing brush comes in a bundle with the leather brush. The detailing brush is small enough to clean those hard-to-reach areas in your car. Another great thing about Takavu’s leather brush is that the company has a money-back guarantee if you’re not happy with it.
How to Use It
First, apply some leather cleaning product on your seats. You can use a foam cleaner or make one yourself. Then, take your brush and work the product in.
Also, you can use the smaller brush to clean the air vents. Once you’re done, take a clean, damp cloth, and wipe the cleaning solution.
Keep in mind that, since the brush has nylon bristles, it might feel a bit stiff in the beginning. That’s nothing to worry about because the brush will soften over time.
Main Features:
- Solid wood handle
- Nylon bristles
- Comes with a smaller, detailing brush
- Works on leather upholstery, gloves, Alcantara seats
5. Mothers Carpet & Upholstery Brush
Mothers is one of the biggest names in the auto detailing industry. They have cleaners for tires, steering wheels, leather seats, and even headlights. With a unique hourglass design and non-slip grip, this brush from Mothers could be a great choice for carpets or upholstery.
The brush has microfiber bristles designed to clean even the grimiest of surfaces. Its ergonomic design ensures that the brush never slips from your hands while you’re cleaning. Now, keep in mind that this brush works better on a harder surface.
I wouldn’t recommend using it for leather seats or microfiber furniture. The harsh bristles might cause some damage or fraying. Still, since it’s so durable, it could be a great brush if you have a carpet cleaning business, for example.
How to Use It
If you’re using it on your carpet, take some cleaning solution or shampoo and put the recommended amount. Before the solution settles into the carpet, start rubbing it with a brush to get all of the dirt out. For the best results, vacuum your carpet before you apply the cleaning solution.
Before you start cleaning, make sure you’ve tested the brush first. Since the bristles are harder compared to some other brushes I mentioned, it might not work on all surfaces.
However, that’s nothing to worry about. In fact, the longer you use it, the softer the bristles will become.
Main Features:
- Ergonomic hourglass design
- Microfiber bristles
- Extremely durable
- Not suited for leather seats
6. Chemical Guys Professional Interior Induro Brush
Last but not least, we have another brush from Chemical Guys. Now, unlike the previous one I mentioned, this one wasn’t designed just for cleaning pet hair. The Induro brush works great on all interior surfaces of your car.
Chemical Guys advertize the brush as the perfect tool for cleaning any dirt that is tangled inside the fibers. Also, they say you can clean intense stains or grime inside your car and in your house.
The brush has a rubberized handle, a PVC body, and nylon scrub bristles. Moreover, because of its tough scrub bristles, you can use it to clean carpets, fabrics, floor mats or the space between car seats. Not only that but you can also use the brush to clean upholstery, vinyl, and leather.
What’s more, you don’t have to worry about destroying the brush if you use it with some strong chemicals. The synthetic bristles will maintain their shape even after extensive use.
How to Use It
Depending on where you want to use the brush, take some cleaner and start rubbing it in using the brush. Keep in mind that you have to apply light pressure if you want to clean leather or vinyl. Once you’re done cleaning, you can just take any microfiber cloth and wipe everything down.
Again, just as with any other brush, I recommend trying it on a smaller surface area first. Testing it like that will give you a better sense of the kind of pressure you need to apply.
Main Features:
- Rubberized handle
- PVC brush body
- Nylon scrub bristles
- Works on leather, vinyl, and upholstery
Final Tips for Brushing Car Upholstery
There you have it — my top favorite upholstery brushes currently on the market. If you want to make sure your carpets and seats are thoroughly cleaned, you should definitely go for one of these brushes. Of course, you could use any old brush you have lying around your house, but a bad brush might end up costing you more than either one of these ever could.
Remember, always do a test on a small part of your carpets or seats before you start cleaning. Also, make sure you’re using the brush for what it was intended. Not every brush will give you the results you want.
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