Walmart Recalls 4.5 Million Grill Brushes Sold For As Little As $1 Because Tiny Wire Bristles Can End Up In Your Food And Could Mean Surgery

Check the drawer next to your grill. If you own a wire-bristle brush from Walmart’s Expert Grill line, there is a real chance it is one of about 4.5 million that were just recalled.

Chicken and vegetable skewers and sausages cooking on an outdoor gas grill

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall on October 1. The worry is simple and a little scary: tiny metal bristles can come loose and end up stuck to the grill or to your food.

The official notice is posted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

A Brush Sold For As Little As $1 Could Mean A Trip To The Surgeon

The brushes were sold at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com from January 2021 through August 2026. Prices ran from $1 to $28.

The commission warns that a swallowed bristle can cause a “risk of serious internal injuries that could require surgery.”

That is a heavy outcome for a gadget most of us toss in a drawer and never think about. The bristles are thin, hard to see and easy to miss on a dark, greasy grate.

Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, imported the brushes, which were made in China.

Five Models Are On The List, From A $1 Scrub Brush To A 10 Piece Tool Set

The recall covers five models. The model number is on the packaging, or on a sticker or tag attached to the brush.

EX5607031616002, a 16 inch steel fiber scrub brush and scraper, sold January 2025 to August 2026
EX5607031616003, a handheld steel fiber scrub brush with an ergonomic handle, sold January 2025 to August 2026
XG1310700206, a 21 inch three head grill brush with stainless steel bristles and a soft grip handle, sold January 2022 to August 2026
XG1136178597003, a 17.7 inch long handle grill brush with scraper, sold January 2021 to August 2026
XG1410700124, a 10 piece stainless steel grill tool set, sold December 2023 to August 2026

Some have black plastic handles, some have stainless steel handles, and some come with a metal scraper attached.

How To Get Your Money Back

Stop using the brush right away. Then contact Walmart for a full refund or a credit that works at any Walmart store or on Walmart.com. Walmart will ask you to return the brush or throw it away.

The customer line is 800-925-6278, open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday. You can also go to walmart.com/help or corporate.walmart.com/recalls.

If a company drags its feet on the refund, the commission’s website has a recall complaint form you can use.

Check Your Grill Before The Next Cookout

Even if your brush is not on this list, the same problem can show up with any wire brush that is worn out. Here is a quick routine that takes five minutes.

Look at the bristles. If they are bent, shedding or missing, retire the brush.
Run a clean, damp cloth or paper towel over the grate after brushing. Wire often hides in the corners.
Look at the grate in bright light before you put food on it. A shiny sliver on the metal is a warning sign.
Never assume a bristle will burn off. Metal does not turn to ash on a grill.

Cleaner Ways To Scrape A Grate

You do not need wire to get a grill clean. A flat metal scraper with a sturdy edge pushes off burned-on bits without shedding anything.

A brush with nylon bristles made for hot grates works on a warm grill, as long as the package says it is heat-rated. A pumice-style grill stone is another option that leaves nothing behind.

Some cooks crumple a ball of aluminum foil, grip it with long tongs and scrub the warm grate. It costs pennies and the foil goes straight in the trash.

How To Hear About Recalls Before They Find You

Most of us only learn about a recall by accident, from a neighbor or a news clip. A few small habits change that.

Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website now and then. New recalls and warnings go up there, with photos and model numbers.
Sign up for the commission’s email alerts if you like to stay ahead of things.
Keep the box or a photo of the label for bigger purchases such as grills, heaters and appliances.
If a product hurts you or nearly does, report it at SaferProducts.gov. Those reports help the commission spot patterns.

Pass the word along, too. A brush bought at Walmart might be sitting in a son’s garage, a church kitchen or a neighbor’s deck box. One text message could spare somebody a very bad day.

Why Winter Grilling Makes This Matter

Plenty of folks keep grilling into the cold months, especially around the holidays when the oven is already full. A turkey breast, a rack of ribs or a pan of sides on the grill frees up the kitchen.

That means a brush that has been sitting in the garage since summer may come back out this month. It is worth a look before it touches your food.

Take a minute today to find the model number, call Walmart if it matches, and swap in a safer tool. A few dollars of credit is a small thing next to the trouble a single stray bristle can cause.

Willow and Hearth