Seven Clever Ways to Use a Grill Brush (That Don't Involve a Grill)

Credit: Elizabeth Yuko

Even if you no longer use a wire brush to clean your grill, you may still want to one—or a few—around for other household and DIY tasks and projects. I've found that these sturdy brushes with stiff bristles can come in handy when removing flaking paint, getting rid of rust, and other similar tasks that require a little elbow grease.

How to decide what type of grill brush to use

Most grill brushes have bristles made from stainless steel, brass, or nylon. Stainless steel is the hardest and most abrasive of the three, followed by brass, and lastly, nylon—each of which is best suited for certain uses and tasks. I typically have one with nylon bristles and another with either stainless steel or brass bristles on hand for various projects.

Like any kind of utility brush, grill brushes don't last forever: Over time, bristles may fall out or break off, so keep an eye on how yours is holding up. Also, keep in mind that a grill brush's bristles—especially those made from stainless steel—can easily scratch surfaces, so avoid using them on softer materials.

How to use a grill brush for household tasks

Always take the proper safety precautions when working with a wire grill brush as you'll be producing debris like dirt, pieces of rust, or paint flakes. If you're concerned about scratches, you may want to start out with a test patch on a less-noticeable area. Generally speaking, brass or nylon grill brushes tend to be the most versatile because they aren't as harsh on surfaces.

I purchased my first grill brush for scraping peeling paint off of a metal window frame, then quickly realized that it wasn't a one-trick pony. It soon became my go-to tool for cleaning and restoring certain pieces of vintage furniture, and removing light rust from some metal surfaces.

Here's how to make use of your grill brush for non-grill-related tasks:

Scraping flaking or peeling paint

Try a grill brush if you need to remove flaking paint from a house, fence, deck, piece of furniture, or, yes, a window frame. Opt for a brush with brass or nylon bristles if you're worried about scratches—and test an inconspicuous area first. It's important to note that grill brushes should only be used if the paint has already started to come off as a result of blistering, bubbling, flaking, or peeling.

In addition to the window frame, I also used a grill brush to remove peeling paint from an old wooden stool I was restoring.

Removing rust from metal furniture and parts

Whether it's a patch of rust on a metal bed frame, or one side of a metal filing cabinet that spent years pushed up against a damp wall, a brass or nylon grill brush can help. For instance, I used a grill brush to remove some light rust from the legs of a vintage metal step stool. While most of it came off right away, I sprayed some WD-40 on a particularly stubborn spot, let it sit for a few minutes, then brushed it off easily.

Along the same lines, I also used a grill brush to take the rust off of my ancient shower curtain rod holder. Here's a shot of it before and after giving it a quick—as in, less than one minute—scrub with my grill brush:

It's not perfect, but it's better than it had been.

Curious about what else I could do with my grill brush, I found a few more uses for the tool, courtesy of Merry Maids:

Cleaning fireplace screens and tools

Grill brushes can be used to remove layers of soot and ash from steel or wrought iron fireplace tools, as well as metal or wire mesh fireplace screens. Always start with a test patch to make sure the grill brush doesn't cause any damage.

Deep-cleaning floor mats and door mats

Sure, you can take the dirty floor mats out of your car and hose them off, but that doesn't always take care of embedded debris. Use a brass or nylon grill brush to give them a scrub, then rinse them off and allow them to air dry. This also works for rubber and synthetic door mats. Be a bit more cautious with those made of natural fibers like coir and jute: If they're woven, it's best not to attack them with a grill brush.

Cleaning paintbrushes

Use a grill brush to clean dried paint off of paintbrush bristles. Soak the paintbrushes in warm water and/or a cleaning solution first, then comb through the bristles using the stiffer bristles of the wire brush.

Scrubbing grout

While there are plenty of foaming cleaners out there that claim to clean grout, some stains need a bit more muscle. That's when a brass or nylon grill brush can come in handy. If you happen to have a narrow wire grill brush that looks like an oversized toothbrush, that's even better.

Before getting started, make sure that the brush isn't going to scratch your tile or remove any glaze or paint. Use a light touch: A few swipes of the brush is often enough to get rid of the stain without removing the grout. I have standard white subway tiles in my bathroom, and my grill brush made light work of grout stains that didn't come off with bathroom cleaner alone.

Cleaning gardening tools and hand tools

Shovels, rakes, hoes, and spades can end up getting pretty crusty over the course of the season thanks to caked on dirt and debris. Or, if you haven't used your tools in a while, you may notice that some rust has started to form. Either way, a grill brush can help you get your garden tools back into tip-top shape.

Similarly, a grill brush can help get rid of dirt and rust on hand tools like hammers, saws, and screwdrivers.