“I tried an electric cleaning brush and now I can’t clean without it”
I’m pretty set in my ways when it comes to cleaning. Like most, I have a routine I like to follow; I start off in the bathrooms, move on to the kitchen, then dust the surfaces and vacuum last. I have a range of microfibre cloths and sponges I use throughout (colour coded to suit different chores), which until now have worked just fine.
So, I was admittedly a little indifferent to the idea of trying out an electric cleaning brush. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? And I was pretty happy with my cleaning routine. The areas that mattered to me the most were cleaned with relative ease – or so I thought.
Once I tried out an electric cleaning brush, I realised just how wrong I was. Here’s what happened.
What is an electric cleaning brush?
The concept behind this cleaning tool is a simple one. It’s a rechargeable electric brush that can scrub all kinds of surfaces when powered on. Just think of it as a large electric toothbrush!
Some feature interchangeable heads to suit different surfaces, as well as alternate brush sizes to reach into different areas. Others have dishwasher-safe attachments too, although this depends on the brush model.
I tried the Bosch UniversalBrush; the winner from our tests to find the best electric cleaning brush. It comes with two brush head sizes (one for scrubbing large areas and one for reaching into crevices) and four pads for scrubbing and buffing different surfaces (microfibre, kitchen, heavy-duty and eraser melamin).
Bosch UniversalBrush
How I found using an electric cleaning brush
Bathroom
As a creature of habit, I began in the bathroom. I sprayed my bathroom cleaner into the sink as usual, and then started scrubbing with the main brush head attachment. I say scrubbing, but there’s actually very little work required when using one of these tools. I switched it on and let the brush do the work; the only effort involved was in gliding it around the sink. I worked in circular motions as recommended by the manual and quickly saw results.
My sink was ingrained with a faint limescale film which had become a permanent feature. It’s not unsightly; in fact, I only knew it was there by running my fingers over the surface. But within a couple of passes, I realised this film was gradually being removed. So I focused my efforts, and within a minute it was gone. I was shocked at how my sink now gleamed (and how smooth it felt), so I gave the plug the same treatment. Again, sparkling results that looked so good, I had to call my partner in to look.
Flabbergasted by such a change with so little effort, I felt reinvigorated and moved on to the shower. My grout is pretty clean in here, but there are still very faint traces of orange discolouration from the pre-existing limescale, so I wasn’t sure the brush would make too much of a difference. How wrong I was again! By just guiding the brush along the grout (with very little pressure) it was quickly restored to a pristine white. My tiles, too, were scrubbed in a way they hadn’t been before. While it would take time to gradually work my way around the whole shower with the brush, the results were definitely worth it – but what about the shower screen?
I switched over to the microfibre pad (which is suitable for use on glass) – this has more of a buffing action when switched on. Despite wiping my shower out with a manual squeegee and then drying what’s left with a towel every day, watermarks still pop up. This is particularly the case at the top of the shower door, where towels were once hung to dry and left their mark on the glass. I gave the glass screen a buff with some bathroom cleaner and eagerly waited to see the result. There was admittedly some limescale still present, but the difference was there. A reapplication and more time would be needed to remove such embedded limescale.
I tried out the smaller detailed brush head to clean the overflow hole in my sink – a spot that often gets neglected – and it was brilliant for this. It’s also handy for reaching into corners and awkward spots.
Kitchen
Bosch says the microfibre pad is ideal for cleaning sinks, so I gave it a try in my stainless-steel kitchen sink. The results were quick and pristine as before, plus it’s much easier to manoeuvre the brush here versus a sponge. And you can scrub the walls thoroughly, which tends to get forgotten about.
The microfibre pad promises not to leave scratches behind, but it does feel quite coarse against the hand. So, I was naturally a little concerned it might scratch my hob as it cleaned. To play it safe, I tried it out in an inconspicuous spot in the corner first. I soon realised that there was nothing to be afraid of. It picked up fresh stains and spills with ease and left the hob gleaming and smudge-free. Again, much easier than scrubbing by hand, and the results looked professional. Coupled with a window vacuum, cleaning your hob would take no time at all.
The microfibre pad is also recommended for cleaning kitchen appliances. So I gave my stainless steel Dualit toaster a quick scrub too while unplugged (making sure the pad was damp rather than saturated). If you’re cleaning a new toaster, check the manufacturer would recommend using an electric cleaning brush first, so you don’t invalidate the warranty.
What’s usually a frustrating and time-consuming task took seconds to complete. Some greasy splatters from spitting pans admittedly remained, but a drop of washing up liquid should cure this.
There was one other attachment I wanted to try: the heavy-duty pad. This is recommended for cleaning baking trays as well as the oven. My oven has seen better days and I hate the chore of cleaning it, so I tried it here. The base is protected by an oven liner, but even so there are some stains beneath. I sprayed on a degreaser and waited a moment before using the brush.
At first I thought it was making little to no difference, but after about 30 seconds of scrubbing, I realised the light stains were coming away. I focused the pad on the tough marks and these started to fade, too! Before I knew it, a murky puddle had appeared as stains were removed. Using this electric brush was much easier than a traditional sponge. I tried the microfibre pad on the glass door, too, and again it made the process much easier, although it needed some patience.
Verdict
Overall, I think the results speak for themselves. The gleaming finish I achieved in a fraction of the time spent manually scrubbing is reason enough to try an electric cleaning brush. Even if you achieve the same level of cleanliness as you usually would, the reduced workload and elbow grease makes it worthwhile. With the right attachments, it’s a versatile tool with uses all over the home, and it can help you to reach spots you would struggle to otherwise. It can also take the hard work out of some of the most undesirable chores, like cleaning the oven.
Of course, the performance will depend on the model itself, which is why you should check out our list of the best electric cleaning brushes. These have been tried and tested, so you can trust they’ll deliver.
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