What is a magnetic water pipe scrubber?
A magnetic water pipe scrubber is a two-part hand tool that cleans the inside of a glass piece using a pair of magnets instead of your hand or a long brush. One magnet carries a small scrub pad and sits inside the piece. The second magnet lives in an exterior handle that you slide along the outside of the glass. The two magnets hold to each other through the glass wall, so when you move the handle, the inner pad moves with it and scrubs. That is the whole idea behind a magnetic cleaning brush, and it is what lets you reach curved walls and tight chambers that a stiff brush cannot get into cleanly. These tools live in our Cleaners aisle alongside pour-in solutions and swabs.
How does a two-magnet scrubber actually clean the inside of glass?
It works by magnetic coupling across the glass. The inner magnet holds a replaceable scrub pad against the inside wall, the outer magnet in the handle pulls toward it from the outside, and the glass simply sits between them. Because the magnets want to stay aligned, the inner pad tracks every move you make with the handle. Drag the handle in small circles and the pad scrubs in small circles; run it up the neck and the pad climbs the neck. The BoroBuddy Magnetic Cleaner uses a hook-and-loop (Velcro-style) pad on the inner magnet so you can swap pads as they wear, and the same coupling principle drives the Blazy Susan Resin Blaster Magnetic Scrubber, which is made with SnowTree and uses a mini pad snapped to the wall by the handle magnet.
Do magnetic scrubbers really work on stuck-on resin?
Yes for surface buildup, and best when you pair the pad with a cleaning solution to do the chemical lifting. The pad provides the mechanical scrub the inside of a piece otherwise never gets, but a magnetic scrubber is not a solvent. For stuck-on resin, the practical workflow is to soak first with a cleaning solution so the buildup softens, then use the scrubber to physically work the loosened residue off the walls and corners. The Blazy Susan tool is specifically designed to pair with the Resin Blaster Cleaning Solution, and BoroBuddy is typically used together with a cleaner rather than on a dry piece. Used that way, the magnet reaches the spots a soak alone leaves behind.
How do I use a magnetic scrubber step by step?
Here is the general flow most magnetic scrubbers follow. Always defer to the directions on your specific product.
- Empty the water and rinse the piece so loose residue is gone.
- Attach a fresh scrub pad to the inner magnet.
- Add your cleaning solution to the piece (and the inner magnet piece into the glass) so the pad can work wet.
- Bring the outer handle magnet to the outside of the glass until the two magnets connect through the wall.
- Move the handle to drive the inner pad around the walls, neck, and base, focusing on built-up spots.
- Lift the pad out, rinse the piece thoroughly with warm water, and wash your hands.
- Swap the pad out and replace it once it is worn, and store the handle for next time.
Should I pair it with a cleaning solution?
In most cases yes. The magnet supplies the scrubbing motion, but a cleaning solution is what loosens and lifts the buildup so the pad does not have to fight dried-on residue alone. Brand systems are built around this pairing: the Blazy Susan Resin Blaster system bundles the magnetic scrubber with a Resin Blaster Cleaning Solution and Glass Caps, where you soak the piece for roughly 15 to 30 minutes for stubborn buildup before scrubbing. BoroBuddy is likewise used with a cleaner in the piece. If you want a solution to go with your scrubber, our Cleaners section carries pour-in and soak options.
Which sizes and pads do I need (full vs Mini)?
Choose the body size by your piece, and keep spare pads on hand because they wear out. The full BoroBuddy Magnetic Cleaner kit includes both a bar-shaped and a circular magnetic cleaner with matching bar and cylinder pads (roughly 10 of each, about 20 cleans) and suits standard water pipes and rigs. The BoroBuddy Mini Magnetic Cleaner is the small-piece version, with a handle around 1.5in by 1in and about a 1in inside cleaning face, sized for small pieces, bottles, and vases, and it ships with replacement pads. Replacement pads come in circular shapes for round magnets and rectangular shapes for bar magnets, sold in multipacks such as 20 and 40 counts, and each pad is reusable for several cleans before you swap it.
What surfaces is it safe for (glass, acrylic, silicone)?
Magnetic scrubbers are generally rated for glass, acrylic, and silicone water pipes. Both the BoroBuddy line and the Blazy Susan Resin Blaster Magnetic Scrubber list glass, acrylic, and silicone as compatible surfaces, which makes them more flexible than some pour-in glass-only cleaners. Quartz bangers are usually handled with cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol rather than a magnetic pad, since a banger is small and open enough to wipe directly. As always, match the tool and any solution you pair with it to the material of your piece.
Reusable tool vs pour-in cleaner: which is right for me?
A magnetic scrubber is a reusable tool, while a pour-in cleaner is a per-use or reusable liquid, and many Guests keep both. The scrubber is a one-time purchase where the only ongoing cost is replacement pads, and it shines on stuck-on spots inside glass that a soak alone misses. A pour-in solution is the hands-off route: pour, cap, soak or shake per the label, and rinse. The two are companions rather than competitors. Soak with a solution to loosen buildup, then drive the magnet to finish the corners.
| Option | How it cleans | Rated surfaces | Reusable | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BoroBuddy Magnetic Cleaner (full) | Two magnets scrub inside walls; pad follows handle | Glass, acrylic, silicone | Yes (swap pads, ~20 cleans of pads) | Standard water pipes and rigs |
| BoroBuddy Mini Magnetic Cleaner | Same two-magnet action, smaller ~1in pad face | Glass, acrylic, silicone | Yes (ships with replacement pads) | Small pieces, bottles, vases |
| Blazy Susan Resin Blaster Magnetic Scrubber | Mini pad snapped to wall by handle magnet | Glass, acrylic, silicone | Yes (set of magnets + 10 refill pads) | Pairing with Resin Blaster solution |
| Pour-in soak solution | Liquid loosens and lifts buildup; little or no scrubbing | Varies by formula | Some are reusable, some per-use | Hands-off, full-piece cleaning |
Which magnetic scrubber should I buy?
Pick by the pieces you clean most and whether you want a brand-matched system. For a versatile do-it-all tool, the full BoroBuddy Magnetic Cleaner kit covers standard water pipes and rigs with both bar and round pads. If your pieces are small (one-hitters, small rigs, bottles, vases), the BoroBuddy Mini Magnetic Cleaner and its 1in face fit better. If you already use or want the Blazy Susan soak, the Blazy Susan Resin Blaster Magnetic Scrubber is built to pair with the Resin Blaster Cleaning Solution and ships with magnets plus 10 refill pads. All three are stocked in our Cleaners section. Reserve any of them online and our Hosts will have it ready for same-day in-store pickup at your El Paso shop.
