Just realized I was over-cleaning my brush after a visit to an old sweep's shop in Boston

Saw his tools caked in 30 years of soot and he said the grime actually helps it grip the flue better, made me rethink my whole routine.

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ryan13h ago

My granddad never washed his cast iron skillet, just kept cooking in it and said the flavor was in the seasoning.

lisa83915h ago

Oh man, that totally flips my thinking too! I was one of those people who scrubbed their brush after every single use, thought I was being super diligent. But hearing that the soot actually helps it grip better makes so much sense now, like it's a tool that needs to break in. I guess sometimes we get caught up in keeping things spotless when they actually work better with a little bit of wear. Definitely going to lay off the deep cleaning from now on.