The Best Pipe Cleaners

Buying Guide

Even if you’ve never smoked a pipe in your life, you’ve probably had a need to purchase pipe cleaners at some point. Often the first time these chenille stems appear is in elementary school, when they’re required as part of some type of craft project. In fact, if you find yourself with a house full of bored children, there’s an unlimited number of fun items you can build using pipe cleaners.

The long, flexible design of pipe cleaners makes them popular for crafting floral arrangements. But you’ll also find you can buy adornments like sew-on eyes and glitter, then glue them on to create fun little creatures and objects. If you and your kids need a little inspiration, you can go online and research some projects others have created using pipe cleaners, then gather the supplies you need to start creating.

But there are practical uses for pipe cleaners, as well. You can, of course, use them to clean a pipe, although if that’s your end purpose, you may not have a need for the many brightly-colored packs available. Antique restorers and other DIYers also keep them around for getting into the nooks and crannies of items they’re cleaning up. If you’re buying pipe cleaners for that type of purpose, look for chenille stems (ones that hav fuzzy bristles that can scrub as well as a nylon brush would).

Children and pipe smokers aren’t the only ones who can benefit from having a pack of pipe cleaners around, though. They can be put to use as ponytail holders or napkin rings, making them handy to have around for those emergency situations. If you ever have something in your home you need to clean but you can’t get into a small nook or cranny, a good pipe cleaner can get in there and scrub. You can also use them as decorative bows on your cards and gifts.

• Whether you’re using your pipe cleaners for cleaning or crafting, the wire is crucial. It needs to be strong enough to retain its strength if you need to bend it in several different ways while you’re working while also being flexible enough to develop the shape you want.
• If you use your pipe cleaner for cleaning, look for one with strong bristles. They’ll need to be able to scrub the surfaces without you directly pressing on them since you won’t be able to get your finger into the tight spaces the pipe cleaner will be going.
• If you’re buying pipe cleaners for craft projects, keep in mind that the examples you see on the packaging and advertising use accessories that won’t come with your pipe cleaners. So, if you’ve bought a pack of pipe cleaners for something to do on a day home from school, make sure you invest in items like googly eyes, popsicle sticks and plenty of glue sticks. You can buy craft supplies kits that include a wide range of items for all your craft projects.
• One thing that sets most pipe cleaner packs apart is the colors included. You’ll find plenty of multicolor packs but consider that you may occasionally need neutral colors or blacks and whites to create a certain look. If you’re planning on floral projects, make sure you have plenty of greens and yellows in your supplies.
• The quantity of pipe cleaners included in the kit is an important consideration, as well. If you’re a teacher preparing projects for an entire class, you’ll probably benefit from a larger kit, but thousands of pipe cleaners could become a clutter issue if your crafting project only involves one or two kids.
• If you do find yourself with an excess of leftover pipe cleaners, there are plenty of other things you can do with them. They can come in handy as ponytail holders or just for getting into those small spaces while you’re cleaning items like your can opener.