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Aidan is a Motor1.com product tester who has written reviews spanning from car insurance to rooftop cargo boxes. Fruit Picker Pole With Basket
A high-quality car wash brush with a self-propelling brush head.
A great car wash brush with the ability to connect directly to a hose.
A top-quality car wash brush set that’s designed for wheel cleaning.
A car wash brush that stands out over industry standard brushes.
A quality car wash brush with an incredibly long reach.
The best car wash brushes not only perform a superior cleaning job to other products, but they also make the process of cleaning your car that much easier. Whether by way of a rotating brush head or a telescoping pole, the top-rated car wash brushes will cut down your time cleaning and perform such a stellar job of cleaning your car that you don’t have to worry about when your next DIY car wash will be.
Our product testing team prides itself on, first and foremost, an unbiased formulation of our top five recommendations. Following closely behind in our list of priorities is a rigorous review and research process. While a car wash brush may effectively clean your car, you won’t want to leave your car to air dry. If you don’t want to settle when it comes to car cleaning, we recommend checking out our review of the best car drying towels .
For this review, our team thoroughly tested and evaluated each [product] based on each item’s ease of use, non-detectability, and cleaning power. The scores in each category are compiled into a single overall rating that ranges from 1.0 to 5.0 stars.
Each car wash brush’s ratings, including their scores in each review category, are highlighted below:
The car wash brushes in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching Amazon for top products, looking at factors like Prime shipping eligibility, customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and prices. The five car wash brushes that best met these standards were ordered by our team for testing.
A team member tested each product on a car, taking note of how well the car wash brush did at not leaving behind any swirl marks, how easy it was to clean a car with, and how effective it was at washing a car. Each car wash brush was given a rating out of 5 stars based on this criteria.
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here .
Amazon Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0 after over 40 ratings
Without the need for batteries or electrical power, the Toolly Car Wash Brush is able to pivot 360.0 degrees due to the driving force of water flow. The pole of this car wash brush is easy to attach and disassemble, with the extension pieces allowing the brush to be up to 47.0 inches in length.
The brush head is made from a soft and high-density chenille microfiber inside and durable polypropylene bristles on the outside. The makeup of the car wash brush head means it’s heavy-duty enough to pick up the toughest bits of grime but soft enough to not scratch your car’s paint. It should be noted that upon removing the brush head, the brush itself can convert into a pressure washer.
The Toolly Car Wash Brush was incredibly effective at cleaning a car, but we struggled to assemble this product. While this type of product should be easy to assemble, we’d like to note that the included instruction manual isn’t written in English and the brush comes with a variety of not-so-standard parts.
Ease of Use: This car wash brush was incredibly easy to use once it was fully assembled. It’s a bit confusing to determine which part connects the spout to the hose and which part connects the hose to the brush itself. But overall, this car wash brush was easy to use and wield.
Markings/imprints: Due to the constant flow of water running through the brush head, there were no swirl marks, scratches, or smudges left on our testing vehicle’s paint job. Additionally, with the water spinning the brush head in a 360.0-degree motion, the brush felt smooth pushed against the exterior of a car.
Cleaning: In terms of cleaning, there was no better car wash brush than the Toolly Car Wash Brush. The brush head constantly moving in a 360.0-degree motion meant this car wash brush made lots of suds and didn’t push all of the dirt and grime to one side of the car.
Only a few dozen customers have left reviews on Amazon for the Toolly Car Wash Brush. Many reviewers mention how the cleaning tool made their life much easier when cleaning a car, while a few others note that the short handle leaks water and question the quality of the brush’s materials.
Amazon Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 after over 100 ratings
The AmazonCommercial Flow-Through is incredibly easy to connect to a hose for consistent water flow while cleaning. The aluminum telescoping handle can range in extension between 38.0 to 65.0 inches, which makes cleaning hard-to-reach areas that much easier. The microfiber head is incredibly soft and most importantly, non-damaging, as it will move easily across a number of different surfaces.
The car wash brush head is detachable and machine-washable, meaning the brush can be used repeatedly regardless of how much dirt and grime you pick up. This car wash brush has dual functionality. When wet, it can be used for large cleaning jobs such as car detailing, and when dry, it can be used as a duster or for light polishing.
The AmazonCommercial Flow-Through was a great brush to clean a car with. Between its well-thought-out design and quality build, this car wash brush set itself apart from the competition.
Ease of Use: This car wash brush was simple and straightforward to use. Simply unscrew the part on the end of the pole and screw in the hose to connect to the pole of the brush and you’re ready to go. The telescoping pole also extended and retracted with ease, not coming loose during the cleaning process.
Markings/imprints: This car wash brush was nearly undetectable after finishing the cleaning process. Apart from a few watermarks, there were no scratches, smears, or smudge marks on our testing vehicle’s paint job.
Cleaning: This car wash brush was incredibly effective at cleaning thanks to the consistent flow of water through the brush itself. Our team did wish that we could control the flow of water, however. At some points, it felt that the water flowing through the brush head was just washing away the car wash soap rather than actually cleaning the car.
While this car wash mop may not have a wealth of reviews, it is absolutely a high-quality product, which is backed by the fact that 73 percent of reviewers rate it 4 stars or higher. Many reviewers laud the long handle of this brush which makes car care that much easier. A few reviewers mention that they wish the brush head had microfiber around the edges.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 after over 800 ratings
The 18-piece TTRCB Car Wheel Brush Set includes everything you need for cleaning wheels, including five detailing brushes, three wire brushes, three car detailing drill brushes, a 17.0-inch long handle wheel rim brush, a tire brush, a car wash mitt, a microfiber wax applicator, two air outlet brushes, and a microfiber cleaning towel.
The drill brush attachments are compatible with most cordless screwdrivers or drills, while also being wear- and heat-resistant. The three wire brushes consist of stainless steel, brass, and nylon brushes. The wheel and tire brushes are specially designed to extend into the inner wheel and grooves around the wheel. All of the different types of brushes included in this kit are multi-purpose and made from high-quality materials.
The TTRCB Car Wheel Brush Set was incredibly effective at cleaning our test vehicle’s wheels. We used this brush set in tandem with Sonax Wheel Cleaner to perform a professional-grade clean of our car’s wheels.
Ease of Use: This wheel brush kit was relatively easy to use, and we had little to no problem with any of the brushes featured in the set. The only thing stopping this car wash brush from having a higher ease of use score was the fact that you need to separately purchase a cordless drill to be able to use the drill attachments, as a drill is not included in the box.
Markings/imprints: For the most part, all of the brushes featured in this kit were undetectable after use. However, the stainless steel brush left a few scratches on our test vehicle’s wheel. Our team would like to note that the scratches were so small they were nearly undetectable and may have been caused by overzealous scrubbing.
Cleaning: This wheel brush set was incredibly effective at cleaning the dirt, grime, and brake dust off of our test vehicle’s wheels. For wheels that had only been washed twice before in nearly 20 years, the wheels came out looking nearly brand new.
The vast majority of customer reviews left positive feedback, as over 80 percent rate this car wash kit 4 stars or higher. A large number of reviewers speak to the multi-purpose functionality of the many wheel and tire brushes, while a negative review questions the quality of the soft bristle brush.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 after over 7,900 ratings
Although the Anngrowy 62” Car Wash Brush doesn’t have water flow-through functionality like some of the other brushes featured in this article, it’s still a very high-quality and effective car wash brush. This car wash brush has two-in-one functionality as it can be used as a brush and a car wash mitt.
The pole of this car wash brush is made from aluminum alloy and features a stuck fixing method, which ultimately means you won’t have to worry about the telescoping pole retracting in the middle of cleaning. Additionally, non-slip grips and a mop head that swivels at 180.0 degrees mean you’ll always have a good grip and the ability to reach all of the nooks and crannies. It should also be noted that this product comes with a one-year warranty.
The Anngrowy 62” Car Wash Brush looks more like what you’d imagine when you think of a car wash brush than some of the other products featured in this review. Regardless of how simple the design of this brush looks, it is highly recommended by our team.
Ease of Use: Simplicity of design is one of this car wash brush’s standout features. The only reason this car wash brush doesn’t have a perfect ease of use score is because the brush head rotates 180.0 degrees rather than a full 360.0 degrees.
Markings/imprints: This car wash brush was nearly undetectable after use. Apart from a few small swirl marks, there was no sign of a brush being wiped across our testing vehicle’s exterior.
Cleaning: This car wash brush worked really well at cleaning and was hands down the best standard brush without a hose attachment for washing a car. Even compared to brushes with water flow-through features, this car wash brush can hold its own with the best of the best.
The majority of reviewers were happy with this car wash brush, as shown by the 88 percent of reviewers who rate this product 4 or more stars. Quite a few reviewers mention loving the aluminum extension pole, while one negative reviewer notes the mop head continually falls off.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 after over 12,000 ratings
While telescoping poles can be useful, they’re not all of the same build quality. Many telescoping poles click in and out of place which makes using the brush exponentially more difficult to use, whereas the Carrand 93062 Car Wash Brush extends and retracts with ease and stays locked in position while cleaning.
This dip brush has a reach of 65.0 inches thanks to its telescoping pole, while a soft brush head further extends your reach as it is 10.0 inches in length. For extra control, the brush’s pole features foam grips while the brush head features rubber bumpers to avoid scratching your car’s paint. As this car wash brush has such a long reach and wide brush head, it’s suitable for not only cleaning your car, but also trucks, SUVs, and RVs.
The Carrand 93062 Car Wash Brush looks more like a brush for sweeping than it does a brush for washing cars, but this car wash brush works really well.
Ease of Use: There’s not much that can complicate the process of using this car wash brush, as it is simple by design. However, the fact that the brush head is locked into place and doesn’t rotate at all leaves a little bit to be desired in terms of ease of use.
Markings/imprints: Unfortunately, this car wash brush was not completely undetectable, as it shed bristles across the exterior of our testing vehicle. Additionally, this car wash brush left a few smear marks from where we scrubbed the car to remove built-up dirt and grime.
Cleaning: The dip brush works well at cleaning a car, but not incredibly well. While you won’t have many problems washing a car with this brush, it won’t provide much in the way of added features.
The product is clearly well-liked by the car cleaning enthusiasts of the world, as over 80 percent of reviewers rate this car wash brush 4 stars or higher. Many reviewers mention that this is the best truck wash brush that they’ve ever used, while a small minority of reviewers question the brush’s durability.
We spoke with Rob Harper, Director of Product Development and Tech Support at Ziebart International, who has worked in the car detailing industry for over 20 years. He explained if you plan to detail your vehicle at home, getting the right chemicals is important, but so is having the proper tools.
“It’s important that you have – if you’re going to do it yourself – that you have stuff that is specific to vehicle cleaning for sure. Soft brushes for the interior, harder brushes for wheels and tires, and definitely vehicle-specific or paint-specific wash mitts or washcloths.”
It’s important to not only purchase a vehicle-specific wash brush, but to also use that brush exclusively for your vehicle. The reason is that if your brush accumulates debris, it can scratch the paint.
There are three main types of car wash brushes: wheel and tire brushes, brushes with hose attachments, and microfiber car wash brushes. Two of these types of car wash brushes vary by the brush head material, while the other involves a varied use of the brush head.
According to the research and rigorous testing process that our team conducted on all of the products featured in this review, the best brush to wash a car with is the Toolly Car Wash Brush.
A brush can be very effective to wash your car, but not all car wash brushes are made equal. Some brushes will scratch and mark your car’s paintwork, so it’s imperative that you find a brush with soft bristles.
Yes, some car wash brushes can scratch paint. This is why we strongly recommend reading our buying guides and reviews prior to purchasing a product, as we detail all of the pros and cons for different types of automotive products.
Using a brush can auto detailing can wear down protective coatings applied to your vehicle’s finish. Vehicle owners should keep track of when they wax or add a ceramic coating .
A foaming scrub brush can better remove grime by breaking it apart with the sudsy solution. Still, you should prioritize car washing brushes with microfiber tips.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
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