In Stock
Brush, Tubes/Vials
Flexible High-Tensile Twisted Wire Spine: Constructed from corrosion-resistant galvanized steel, the handle provides superior reach and durability while allowing for easy maneuvering within restricted apertures and curved bottom surfaces.
Non-Abrasive Density-Calibrated Bristles: Features high-quality nylon filaments arranged in a radial pattern at the tip to ensure 360-degree mechanical scrubbing without scratching delicate borosilicate glass or high-clarity plastic vials.
$2.43
Quick Answer: The Brush, Tubes/Vials is a slim twisted-wire brush for tubes and vials with narrow openings, such as culture tubes, screw-cap sample vials and small-necked bottles, whose necks are too small for an ordinary test tube brush.
Cleaning Narrow Containers
Vials and narrow tubes are awkward to clean. The neck restricts what can go in, the walls are often thick, and residue sits in the shoulder beneath a screw thread where rinsing alone does not reach. A slim brush solves this with a small-diameter head of bristles on a thin wire stem, so it passes through the neck yet still reaches the base and the underside of the shoulder.
Because vials are often reused for samples, stock solutions or specimens, any film left behind can contaminate the next contents. Brushing with detergent, several rinses with tap water and a final rinse with distilled water is the usual routine before vials are dried or sterilised. For screw cap vials, scrub the outer thread as well, and wash the caps and liners separately.
Where the Brush, Test Tube is sized for the wider bore of standard test tubes and boiling tubes, this brush gives up width for reach into narrow openings. Many labs keep both at the sink, so each piece of glassware gets a brush that fits it.
Care & Handling
- Choose a head that passes the neck with light resistance; forcing a larger head through can bend the stem or chip the rim.
- Turn the brush as you withdraw it, so the bristles do not catch on the thread or lip.
- Shake out and rinse the brush after use and let it dry fully before it goes into a drawer.
- Decontaminate brushes used on culture tubes as your lab’s biosafety procedure requires before using them on other glassware.
Specifications
| Type | Slim twisted-wire cleaning brush |
| Intended for | Culture tubes, sample vials and small-necked bottles |
| Construction | Bristles locked in a twisted wire core; wire stem as handle |
| Tip | Some patterns carry an end tuft for the vial base |
| Head diameter and length | Confirm at enquiry |
Typical Cleaning Jobs
- Cleaning glass culture tubes after microbiology practicals, once the contents have been decontaminated.
- Washing screw-cap sample vials before reuse for water or soil samples.
- Cleaning small reagent and dropping bottles through the neck.
- Scrubbing narrow centrifuge tubes where pellets have dried onto the base.
Why Choose LabEquip
Microbiology and biotechnology labs, water-testing labs and schools that reuse sample vials are the main buyers of a brush for tubes and vials, usually ordered together with a larger test tube brush. LabEquip supplies both through General Lab Products; send the vial sizes you use through the contact page so a suitable head can be matched.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which containers is this brush meant for?
It is meant for containers with narrow openings: culture tubes, screw-cap and snap-cap vials, small reagent or dropping bottles and narrow centrifuge tubes. Standard test tubes and boiling tubes are better served by a test tube brush with a wider head.
How do I clean under the shoulder of a vial?
Push the brush to the base, then angle the stem slightly and rotate it so the bristles sweep up under the shoulder. Follow with a rinse, shaking the vial with water inside, because rinsing without agitation leaves detergent trapped there.
Should culture tubes be brushed before or after autoclaving?
After. Cultures should be decontaminated, usually by autoclaving, before tubes are opened for washing. The brush then removes the dead residue and dried medium so the tubes are clean for their next use.
Will the brush fit very small vials?
That depends on the head diameter, which should be matched to the inside of the neck. Measure the neck opening of the smallest vial you use and mention it at enquiry; very small vials may need a micro brush instead.
Can the brush be used with a detergent solution?
Yes. A laboratory detergent in warm water loosens films that plain water leaves behind. Rinse the vial several times afterwards and finish with distilled water, as detergent residue can interfere with sensitive tests.
How long does a vial brush last?
It depends on use, but a brush should be replaced once the bristles are splayed or worn close to the wire. At that point it cleans poorly, and the exposed wire can scratch the inside of glass vials.
Last Updated: September 2026
You must be logged in to post a review.
Bestsellers
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.