A plastic-free bottle brush hand-made in Sri Lanka from coconut coir fibre, with a rubberwood handle and a string loop for hanging.
The coir fibre is twisted around a galvanised steel core that will not rust, so the brush holds its shape long after a plastic one would have splayed out. Coir is stiff enough to shift dried-on residue but will not scratch glass or stainless steel.
It is made for jars, bottles and tins, which makes it the right tool for rinsing containers before they go in the recycling. It also handles wide-necked water bottles, tall glasses, teapots, dishwasher filters and juicer blades. Ours gets used most for cleaning refill bottles between fills.
When it eventually wears out, the fibres are biodegradable and the core and handle can be recycled.
Rinse thoroughly before first use, then use in warm water with washing-up liquid. Between uses, rinse, squeeze out the excess water, shake out any food particles and hang it up to dry by the string loop.
Every so often, soak it in hot water with washing-up liquid and air dry to freshen it up. You may notice a few loose fibres in the first week or so, which settles down with use.
Will it scratch my glass or stainless steel bottles?
No.
Coir is firm enough to shift residue but soft enough to be safe on glass, stainless steel and glazed surfaces.
How long does it last?
Months of regular use.
The galvanised core does not rust, so the usual failure point on a cheap brush is not an issue here.
Rinsing and hanging it to dry rather than leaving it sitting in water makes the biggest difference.
What do I do with it when it is worn out?
The coir fibres are biodegradable and can go in your compost.
The rubberwood handle and the galvanised core can be recycled.
