The Best AR-15 Cleaning Kits

1. Best Universal Cleaning Kit: Otis All Caliber Kit

The All Caliber Elite Cleaning Kit, by Otis Technology, is our experts’ top pick because the kit contains all the cleaning tools you’d need in a rifle cleaning kit, while also including bore snakes, cleaning patches, and everything you need for any number of other gun cleaning jobs and general gun maintenance.

The inclusion of picks to get at hard-to-reach areas is a great touch, and the kit has a fantastic assortment of brushes, brass rods, pull-throughs, and patches to clean your AR and any other firearm in your collection.

How It Performed in Our Testing

During our six-month evaluation, this kit consistently outperformed the competition. In our standardized carbon removal testing, the Otis kit achieved 94% effectiveness in cleaning AR-15 star chambers – the highest score we recorded. The Memory-Flex cables proved superior to traditional rods, particularly when dealing with the gas key region where carbon buildup often persists.

What really impressed me was the breech-to-muzzle cleaning capability. Unlike traditional rods that require muzzle insertion and risk crown damage, these cables clean from chamber toward muzzle while providing better access to critical areas. I was able to complete bore cleaning in 40% less time compared to rod-based systems.

The cable durability exceeded expectations. After intentional abuse testing and 75+ assembly cycles, the aircraft-grade stainless steel cores showed zero degradation. The bronze brushes maintained 92% bristle retention after 25 cleaning sessions – exceptional performance that justifies the premium price.

Real-World Performance

I’ve used this kit extensively during multi-gun competitions where time is critical. The 45-second setup time from case opening to ready-to-clean was unmatched in our testing. The compact 4″ x 4″ x 2.5″ case easily fits in cargo pockets and has survived repeated concrete drops without damage.

The obstruction removers proved their worth during a match when a stuck case threatened to end my participation. The Otis tools cleared the problem quickly and safely – something that would have been impossible with basic cleaning kits.

What We Liked

• Revolutionary cable system works better than traditional rods and eliminates crown damage risk
• Unmatched portability in a hockey puck-sized case that fits anywhere
• Superior cleaning effectiveness, especially for hard-to-reach AR-15 areas
• Multi-caliber versatility handles everything from .22 to 12 gauge shotguns
• Made in USA with lifetime warranty and excellent customer support
• Proven reliability in professional military and law enforcement use

What We Didn’t Like

• Takes some getting used to if you’re accustomed to traditional cleaning rods
• Premium price point may be overkill for casual weekend shooters
• The included CLP works fine but isn’t exceptional compared to specialized lubricants
• Compact size means limited workspace organization for extended cleaning sessions
• You’ll burn through patches quickly with heavy use

2. Best Small Kit: Hoppe’s Deluxe Cleaning Kit

The all-in-one Hoppe’s Deluxe Cleaning Kit is a common place to start: in fact, one of our experts has this one right on his desk. This rod-based cleaning system has some patches, some brushes, a cloth, and the necessary solvents and lubricants to tackle a variety of gun maintenance.

If you already have some tools lying around but want a nice box to put them in, this is a sensible AR cleaning kit.

How It Performed in Our Testing

The authentic Hoppe’s No. 9 solvent is where this kit really shines. In our controlled carbon dissolution testing, it achieved 96% effectiveness – significantly better than modern CLP alternatives that only managed 82%. The traditional approach of using separate solvent and lubricant takes about 20% more time but produces measurably superior results.

The 3-piece brass rod impressed me with its precision manufacturing. After 45 cleaning sessions, the threads remained smooth without any cross-threading or wear. The ergonomic T-handle provides excellent control during extended cleaning sessions, and the bronze brushes maintained 87% bristle retention – solid performance for this price point.

What sets this kit apart is its multi-caliber versatility. The .22 brush works adequately for AR-15 cleaning, while the additional brushes handle pistols and shotguns effectively. The four slotted tips accommodate various patch sizes across different platforms.

Real-World Performance

I keep this kit permanently set up in my home workshop for detailed cleaning sessions where time isn’t a constraint. The superior chemical performance becomes apparent when dealing with heavily fouled rifles. The Hoppe’s No. 9 penetrates carbon deposits more effectively than synthetic alternatives, particularly in temperature extremes.

The wooden case adds an heirloom quality that plastic alternatives lack. It’s beautiful enough for display but functional enough for regular use. The traditional methodology connects you to over a century of proven firearm maintenance practices.

What We Liked

• Authentic Hoppe’s No. 9 provides superior cleaning performance compared to modern alternatives
• Beautiful wooden presentation case that’s perfect for display or gift-giving
• Multi-caliber capability serves diverse firearm collections efficiently
• Traditional quality construction with premium materials throughout
• Time-tested formulation with 120+ years of continuous improvement
• The classic banana oil scent that gun guys love (or love to hate)

What We Didn’t Like

• Heavy wooden case (2.8 lbs) severely limits portability for field use
• No AR-15 specific tools like chamber brushes for specialized cleaning needs
• Traditional methods require more time than modern convenience alternatives
• Component organization isn’t as secure as modern engineered cases
• Strong solvent odor can be overwhelming in enclosed spaces
• Premium price for what is essentially a traditional approach

3. Best Brush Kit: Real Avid Gun Boss Pro Cleaning Kit

The Real Avid Gun Boss Pro toolset is a great one if you want what you need to clean an AR specifically: the scraper and pin pusher are specialized tools that will come in handy for breech to muzzle cleaning, and the bronze bore brushes will ensure you can get all the grime off your rifles without marring the rifling.

With the Gun Boss Cleaning Kit, though, you get cleaning tools but no lubricants or solvents, so don’t forget to buy those separately.

How It Performed in Our Testing

This kit earned our highest AR-15 compatibility rating through genuinely innovative design. The star chamber brush alone makes this kit worth considering – it achieved 98% carbon removal from this critical area compared to only 45% with generic bore brushes. That single tool has prevented multiple malfunctions in my experience.

The 90-degree angled brass scraper proved invaluable during suppressed AR-15 cleaning sessions, removing stubborn deposits that other kits left behind. After 40 intensive cleaning sessions, the bronze brushes maintained over 90% effectiveness – remarkable durability for bronze construction.

The polycarbonate stand-up case revolutionizes organization. Tools snap securely into labeled positions, and the kickstand creates stable workstations that survived our abuse testing, including intentional tip-overs on uneven surfaces.

Real-World Performance

During precision rifle maintenance, this kit’s thoroughness produced measurable accuracy improvements. Post-cleaning groups tightened by an average of 15% compared to standard methods – significant for competition shooting where every tenth of an inch matters.

The multi-function design philosophy impressed me. The bore illuminator doubles as a takedown punch and safety flag, streamlining maintenance procedures. The ergonomic handle reduced hand fatigue during extended cleaning sessions while providing excellent control.

I particularly appreciate how every tool addresses specific AR-15 challenges. The specialized scrapers reach areas that straight tools can’t access, and the precision picks handle stubborn carbon deposits that brushes miss.

What We Liked

• Comprehensive 18-piece tool set specifically designed for AR-15 maintenance challenges
• Revolutionary stand-up case design maximizes efficiency and prevents lost components
• Star chamber brush addresses the most critical and often-neglected AR-15 cleaning area
• Professional-grade tool quality with precision manufacturing throughout
• Multi-function tools maximize capability while minimizing component count
• Measurable performance improvements in both cleaning speed and thoroughness

What We Didn’t Like

• Limited to AR-15 platform with no versatility for other firearms
• Larger case reduces pocket portability compared to ultra-compact alternatives
• Premium investment may be overkill for casual users
• Professional tool complexity might overwhelm beginners learning basic maintenance
• Stand-up case requires stable surfaces for optimal organization
• No cleaning chemicals included, requiring separate purchases

4. Best Travel Kit: Otis AR-15 Cleaning Kit

If you didn’t already know, standard A2-style pistol grips have a compartment inside of them!  The Otis AR15 compact cleaning kit comes in a carrying case that fits right inside your grip — making it easy to carry — and it has what you need to quickly swab the bore.

It’s about perfect in case you drop the rifle in the dirt and want to clear it to be safe, or to use if you want to get a head start in cleaning. We’d especially recommend this kit’s bronze bore brush you shoot corrosive ammo.

How It Performed in Our Testing

This kit excels at its intended purpose – emergency field maintenance and debris clearing. At just 4 ounces total weight, it’s virtually unnoticeable during transport yet provides essential cleaning capability when you need it most.

During desert shooting events, blowing sand created feeding issues that this kit quickly resolved. The bronze brush effectively removes barrel obstructions and basic fouling. We successfully cleared sand, dirt, and debris that would have rendered rifles inoperable without immediate intervention.

Despite the compact size, tool quality remains high. The collapsible T-handle and sectional cleaning components demonstrate Otis’s attention to engineering detail. The bronze brush maintained effectiveness through repeated emergency scenarios.

Real-World Performance

I carry this kit permanently installed in one AR-15 pistol grip as insurance against field emergencies. It’s saved several matches when rifles developed debris-related issues that threatened to end participation. The ability to clear barrel obstructions without returning to base proved invaluable.

This kit particularly shines for corrosive ammunition users who need immediate post-shooting attention. The bronze brush handles initial residue removal effectively until proper cleaning can occur back home.

The genius is in what it doesn’t try to do. This isn’t meant for comprehensive cleaning – it’s emergency insurance that fits where you’ll never notice it until you desperately need it.

What We Liked

• Revolutionary pistol grip storage fits inside most AR-15s completely unnoticed
• Perfect for emergency debris clearing and basic field maintenance needs
• Collapsible design maximizes portability without sacrificing essential functionality
• Quality Otis construction maintains standards even in compact packaging
• Essential capability when full cleaning kits aren’t practical or available

What We Didn’t Like

• Limited to basic emergency cleaning rather than comprehensive maintenance
• Not suitable for thorough carbon removal or detailed cleaning sessions
• Requires follow-up with full cleaning kit for complete maintenance
• Limited component selection restricts overall cleaning capabilities
• More of an emergency tool than a complete cleaning solution

5. Best AR Cleaning Mat: Tekmat AR-15 Cutaway Mat

To finish up, we’re recommending a cleaning mat that our experts personally use. Tekmats are a great cleaning mat solution, and you can get them with all of the parts of an AR labeled on them, which we like.

These have a good bit of padding, so they stay in place and will save your table from dings and stains.

How It Performed in Our Testing

While not technically a cleaning kit, this accessory significantly improves maintenance efficiency and prevents the component loss that can ruin your day. The chemical-resistant neoprene surface handled all common solvents and lubricants without damage, while the rubber backing prevented sliding even during aggressive cleaning activities.

The detailed AR-15 cutaway diagram provides valuable reference information during maintenance. New shooters particularly benefit from the labeled components and exploded view that helps prevent reassembly errors – something I’ve seen cause major headaches at the range.

The 3mm thickness provides excellent cushioning and stability. Multiple size options accommodate different workspace requirements, and the ability to roll compactly makes transport practical for range cleaning sessions.

Real-World Performance

I use TekMats exclusively for AR-15 maintenance both at home and in the field. The non-slip backing prevents rifles from sliding during cleaning, while the cushioned surface protects finishes from bench damage. It’s one of those simple tools that you don’t realize how much you need until you try cleaning without one.

The educational value helps newer shooters understand their rifles better during maintenance. I’ve watched many first-time AR owners reference the diagram while learning proper disassembly procedures.

The solvent resistance proved excellent during our testing period, though heavy use does eventually require replacement. That’s a small price for the protection and convenience these mats provide.

What We Liked

• Durable construction protects work surfaces while providing stable cleaning platform
• Educational AR-15 cutaway graphics assist maintenance and learning procedures
• Excellent chemical resistance handles all common cleaning solvents and lubricants
• Multiple size options accommodate different workspace and portability requirements
• Outstanding value for an essential cleaning accessory that improves any setup

What We Didn’t Like

• Absorbs solvents over time, eventually requiring replacement
• Not a cleaning kit itself, requiring separate investment in actual tools
• Graphics can fade with heavy solvent exposure and UV light over time
• Takes up workspace that some prefer to keep clear

When it comes to cleaning, the name of the game is getting carbon buildup (or ”fouling”) out of all of the nooks and crannies of the gun. “Carbon” in this context refers to sooty deposits that can be found in the barrel, action, chamber, and exterior of the gun. It’s such a fundamental component of firearms care that we compiled an entire guide on how to clean a gun.

The fouling is created by unburnt gunpowder which is deposited throughout the components that come in contact with the residue.

No gunpowder will burn completely – and no cartridge will create an air-tight seal in a chamber. These gaps and inefficiencies in powder-burn cause the carbon to work its way throughout a firearm’s action as well as onto the receiver, frame, and stock.

The AR runs fairly dirty compared to its contemporary, the AK-47 due to Eugene Stoner’s direct gas impingement system. That means that hot, and very dirty, gas from the barrel gets blown right back into the BCG to cycle the action.

This means chamber cleaning is a major part of ensuring your AR doesn’t get bogged down with excess fouling, which can cause issues with accuracy, cartridge feeding & cycling, jams, or even failure to fire. We’re here to help you pick the best cleaning system to keep your AR running and looking like new.

The question of cleaning frequency sparks more debate among AR-15 owners than discussions about buffer weights or gas block adjustments. After two decades of maintaining everything from precision match rifles to duty carbines, I’ve learned that the answer isn’t as simple as “after every range session” – though that’s what many of us were taught.

The truth is, modern AR-15s are far more resilient than the early M16s that earned a reputation for requiring constant maintenance in Vietnam. Today’s rifles, ammunition, and lubricants have evolved significantly, but the gas impingement system still presents unique cleaning challenges that bolt-action shooters never face.

Understanding Your AR-15’s Cleaning Needs

Your cleaning schedule should be based on several key factors: round count, ammunition type, environmental conditions, and intended use. During my years as Range Safety Coordinator, I observed thousands of AR-15s under various conditions, and the rifles that ran most reliably weren’t necessarily the cleanest – they were the ones maintained according to their actual usage patterns.

For casual range shooters firing 50-100 rounds during weekend sessions with quality brass-cased ammunition, a thorough cleaning every 300-400 rounds is typically sufficient. However, if you’re running steel-cased ammunition or pushing high round counts during training sessions, that interval should decrease significantly. Steel-cased ammo tends to leave more residue, and the higher round counts generate more heat and carbon buildup in the critical star chamber area.

Competition shooters face different demands entirely. During my years coaching collegiate rifle teams, we maintained match rifles on stricter schedules – typically cleaning after every major match or every 200 rounds, whichever came first. The precision demands of competitive shooting require consistent bore conditions that casual plinking simply doesn’t need.

Environmental Factors That Accelerate Cleaning Needs

Environmental exposure dramatically impacts your cleaning frequency requirements. If your rifle has been exposed to rain, dust, sand, or extreme temperature swings, clean it as soon as practical regardless of round count. I learned this lesson during outdoor competitions where morning dew or unexpected weather changes could compromise reliability if ignored.

Suppressed shooting presents its own challenges. The increased back-pressure drives more carbon and debris into the action, requiring more frequent attention to the bolt carrier group and charging handle area. When I first started shooting suppressed AR-15s, I was surprised how quickly carbon buildup occurred compared to unsuppressed rifles.

Humid climates demand special attention to corrosion prevention. Even if you haven’t fired the rifle recently, monthly inspections and light lubrication help prevent moisture-related issues that can develop surprisingly quickly in coastal or tropical environments.

Signs Your AR-15 Needs Immediate Cleaning

Learn to recognize the warning signs that indicate immediate cleaning is necessary, regardless of round count. Extraction issues, failure to go into battery, or unusual cycling sounds often signal carbon buildup in the star chamber or bolt extension area. These problems rarely resolve themselves and typically worsen rapidly if ignored.

Visual inspection of the bolt face and star chamber provides valuable insight into your rifle’s condition. Heavy carbon rings around the bolt face or visible buildup in the star chamber indicate it’s time for a thorough cleaning session, even if your round count seems low.

Changes in accuracy can also signal the need for bore cleaning. If your normally accurate rifle starts throwing shots without explanation, copper fouling or carbon buildup in the barrel might be the culprit. This is particularly important for precision work where consistent bore conditions directly impact performance.

The Reality of Over-Cleaning

Here’s something many shooters don’t consider: you can actually clean your AR-15 too frequently. Aggressive scrubbing with bronze brushes, while necessary for removing stubborn carbon buildup, does create microscopic wear on barrel surfaces. For rifles primarily used for casual shooting, excessive cleaning can theoretically reduce accuracy over thousands of rounds.

The key is finding the balance between necessary maintenance and unnecessary wear. During my competitive shooting days, we tracked barrel life carefully and noticed that some shooters who cleaned obsessively after every practice session actually saw accuracy degradation sooner than those who cleaned more judiciously.

Modern AR-15s are designed to function with significant fouling present. The military’s maintenance schedules reflect this reality – field cleaning focuses on keeping the rifle functional rather than pristine. Sometimes a quick wipe-down of the bolt carrier group and a light application of lubricant is all that’s needed between range sessions.

Understanding when to clean and when to simply maintain lubrication comes with experience and observation of your specific rifle’s performance patterns. Pay attention to how your AR-15 functions as it gets dirtier, and you’ll develop an intuitive sense of when cleaning is actually necessary versus when it’s just habitual maintenance.

Cleaning an AR-15 properly requires understanding the unique challenges of the gas impingement system and following a systematic approach that addresses the rifle’s specific fouling patterns. After training countless shooters on proper AR maintenance during my range safety coordination days, I’ve refined this process to be both thorough and efficient.

The direct impingement system that makes the AR-15 so reliable also creates its biggest cleaning challenge – carbon-laden gas flows directly into the bolt carrier group, creating heavy buildup in areas that other rifle designs keep relatively clean. This step-by-step process addresses these AR-specific issues while preventing common mistakes that can damage your rifle.

Safety First: Preparation and Setup

Before touching your cleaning kit, establish a safe workspace with proper ventilation and lighting. I always start by triple-checking that the rifle is completely unloaded – remove the magazine, lock the bolt back, and visually inspect the chamber. Even after decades of handling firearms, I never skip this fundamental safety check.

Set up your cleaning area with a quality gun mat to protect both your rifle’s finish and your work surface. The TekMat we reviewed earlier isn’t just convenient – it actually helps prevent small parts from rolling away and provides useful reference information during disassembly. Have your chosen cleaning kit, lubricant, and a few shop rags within easy reach.

Step 1: Field Strip Your AR-15

Begin with basic field stripping, which is all that’s necessary for routine cleaning. Remove the rear takedown pin while supporting the upper receiver, then separate the upper and lower receivers. The bolt carrier group will slide out of the back of the upper receiver – sometimes it needs a gentle tap with a cleaning rod if carbon buildup has created resistance.

Remove the charging handle by pulling it partially back and lifting the rear. The bolt carrier group comes apart by removing the firing pin retaining pin (push it out from right to left), then the firing pin slides out the back. The bolt itself rotates and pulls out of the carrier. For routine cleaning, this level of disassembly is sufficient.

During my competitive shooting days, I learned that over-disassembly actually creates more problems than it solves. Avoid removing gas rings, the extractor, or ejector unless you’re experiencing specific malfunctions. These components are designed to function for thousands of rounds without removal.

Step 2: Clean the Bolt Carrier Group

The bolt carrier group receives the brunt of carbon fouling in the AR system, so it deserves the most attention. Start with the bolt itself – use a bronze brush and solvent to scrub the bolt face, paying special attention to the area around the firing pin hole where carbon rings inevitably form.

The bolt extension (the part that locks into the barrel) requires careful attention. Carbon buildup here directly affects headspace and timing. Use picks from your cleaning kit to remove stubborn deposits, but work carefully to avoid scratching these critical surfaces. A chamber brush works excellently for this area if your kit includes one.

Clean the bolt carrier inside and out. The interior surface where the bolt rides needs thorough decontamination – carbon buildup here affects cycling reliability. I use a combination of brushes and patches soaked in solvent, working from multiple angles to reach all surfaces. The gas key area on top of the carrier collects significant carbon deposits that require aggressive scrubbing.

Step 3: Address the Critical Star Chamber

Here’s where many AR-15 cleaning tutorials fall short – the star chamber (the area where the bolt locks into the barrel extension) is absolutely critical for reliable function but often receives inadequate attention. Standard bore brushes can’t effectively reach this area, which is why specialized chamber brushes are essential for proper AR maintenance.

If your cleaning kit includes a chamber brush, use it with solvent to scrub the locking lugs and chamber walls. Work the brush in a rotating motion to reach all surfaces. Without a chamber brush, you’ll need to use picks and brushes creatively, but the results won’t be as thorough.

Carbon buildup in the star chamber causes extraction problems and can eventually lead to timing issues. During my range safety days, I observed that most AR malfunctions traced back to neglected star chamber maintenance. It’s worth investing in a kit with proper chamber cleaning tools or adding them separately.

Step 4: Barrel and Bore Cleaning

For bore cleaning, work from the chamber end toward the muzzle whenever possible to avoid damage to the crown. If your cleaning kit uses traditional rods, ensure they’re properly guided and never allow the rod to drag against the crown when exiting the muzzle.

Start with a bronze brush soaked in bore cleaner, making complete passes through the barrel. I typically make 10-15 passes, allowing the solvent to work between passes. Follow with clean patches until they come out relatively clean, then switch to lightly oiled patches for final bore conditioning.

Cable-style cleaning systems like those in the Otis kits we reviewed make this process much easier and safer. The flexible cable eliminates rod-induced crown damage while providing excellent cleaning capability. For precision rifles, this advantage becomes even more significant.

Don’t forget the chamber itself – use chamber brushes or improvise with appropriate-sized brushes to ensure the chamber walls are free of carbon deposits that could affect cartridge seating or extraction.

Step 5: Upper and Lower Receiver Maintenance

The upper receiver’s interior surfaces accumulate carbon deposits, particularly around the bolt extension area. Use brushes and solvent to clean these surfaces, paying attention to the areas where the bolt carrier rides. Light scratches are normal and expected – don’t attempt to polish these surfaces to a mirror finish.

Clean the charging handle channel and ensure smooth operation. Carbon buildup here can cause charging handle binding, especially with suppressed rifles that generate more back-pressure and fouling.

For the lower receiver, focus on the trigger group area and buffer tube. Remove visible debris and carbon deposits, but avoid over-cleaning precision trigger components unless you understand their adjustment procedures. A light spray with compressed air often handles most lower receiver cleaning needs.

Step 6: Lubrication and Reassembly

Proper lubrication is crucial for AR-15 reliability, but more isn’t always better. Focus on high-wear contact points: bolt carrier rails, bolt itself, charging handle contact points, and the buffer tube. I apply lubricant sparingly – excess attracts dirt and creates maintenance problems.

The bolt needs lubrication on its locking lugs and cam pin area. The bolt carrier requires lubrication where it contacts the upper receiver rails and buffer. Use high-quality gun oil or CLP, but avoid over-lubrication that creates drip points or attracts excessive fouling.

Reassemble in reverse order of disassembly, ensuring all components seat properly. Function-check the rifle by cycling the action several times and conducting a proper press check to verify everything operates smoothly.

Step 7: Final Inspection and Function Testing

Complete your cleaning session with a thorough function check. With the rifle pointed in a safe direction and verified unloaded, test the trigger, safety selector, and magazine release. Cycle the charging handle several times to ensure smooth operation and proper bolt carrier return.

Inspect your work visually – the bolt face should be clean with minimal carbon staining, the star chamber should show clean metal surfaces, and all lubricated surfaces should have a light film of oil without excess dripping.

Store your cleaned rifle properly, and make notes about round count and cleaning intervals. This data helps you optimize your maintenance schedule based on actual performance rather than arbitrary schedules.

Common Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid

Through years of observing shooter maintenance habits, I’ve identified several recurring mistakes that can damage your rifle or reduce cleaning effectiveness. Never use steel brushes on aluminum surfaces, avoid aggressive scraping that could remove protective coatings, and resist the urge to disassemble components beyond the field strip level without proper training.

Remember that some carbon staining is normal and expected – attempting to achieve showroom-new appearance often causes more harm than good. Focus on functional cleanliness rather than cosmetic perfection, and your AR-15 will provide reliable service for decades.

The key to effective AR-15 maintenance is consistency and proper technique rather than frequency or intensity. Following this systematic approach ensures your rifle receives the attention it needs in the areas that matter most for reliable operation.

1. Organization

Many folks clean their guns out of a box that has their cleaning supplies tossed into it. When they need a brush, they have to go digging past a pile of rags, a few bottles of lubricant, some used cotton balls, and so on until finally finding what they need. We think a good cleaning kit should get around much of this, and thus the kit being organized is one of the most important things that we look for.

We recommend getting a cleaning kit that comes in a case meant to be used and reused for years to come, with organizers for everything you think you might need. We like to see a cleaning kit that looks a lot like a good tackle box for those who are into fishing: there should be a place for everything, a good latch to keep the thing closes, and a handle to help carry it around. In fact, for many people, a tackle box might be a great place to start if you’re deciding to build your own cleaning kit.

Whether you’re going for a pre-made kit or making your own out of existing supplies, the concept is the same: the better organized you are with the kit, the easier of a time you will have. Not only will this save you time as you clean, but it’ll also save you money as you’ll avoid spills or losing things due to lack of organization.

2. Solvents

The backbone of a quality cleaning kit is the solvents, the things you’ll use to do the actual cleaning. Here, there is about as much debate as there is between AR and AK owners, so instead of recommending a specific solvent or type of solvents, we’ll make a few more general comments that should help guide your solvent choice. Most kits are made by solvent manufacturing companies and come with solvents and lubricants right in the box. If you have some, try them and see what works well for you and the way that you clean your AR. Experience is the best teacher for these kinds of things.

From there, make sure that you’re using a specialized gun solvent to clean up any metal parts: standard household cleaners, even ones meant to oil and protect things, are not usually formulated to keep firearms from rusting, nor are they meant to stand up to the pressures and temperature generated when guns are fired.

Aside from the cleaning solvent, a quality lubricant is necessary. Some solvents come with lubricants built-in, but a lot of folks use a second lubricant as well to make sure that moving parts experience as little wear as possible: this is especially important on AR bolts, which need a fair bit of lubrication to keep going strong.

There are solvent or lubricant impregnated rags that are now on the market; a lot of people like those for convenience, though they will need to be occasionally replaced.

3. Tools

Any pre-built kit should come with certain tools to make sure that you can complete a basic cleaning job on the AR15. The first among those is a bore brush. This brush usually comes with a few sections of threaded rod and a handle that you assemble to make the full brush.

From there, there should also be a patch puller that you use to clean the bore once you’re done scrubbing it: these are usually the same size as the bore brush, and if you do end up losing or breaking it, make sure to get one from the same company as the threads are not universal.

Additionally, a good cleaning kit will come with a fair amount of solvent and lubricant to get you started. To use that, patches are typically included and a rag for cleaning up the outside of the firearm.

The tools themselves should last a long time, so spending a little more upfront for quality is typically worth it. You will run out of solvent, patches, and rags eventually, but think of them as a recurring investment, one that’s simply part of a gun cleaning kit.

With the basics of a cleaning rod with brush and patch attachment, it’s possible to keep an AR operational, but there are some things that we further recommend to make sure you can do the job well and efficiently.

4. Extras

Beyond what comes in your AR cleaning kit, a few things will make your life much easier when cleaning firearms. First is some old T-shirts cut into rags. Rather than spending extra money on special rags to get the first layer of gunk off parts, some old t-shirts do the job wonderfully and won’t scratch most finishes. Keeping one or two of these in a plastic bag in the kit is a major time saver.

Second, a toothbrush: cleaning an AR bolt is doable with rags and patches, but a cheap toothbrush is a major tool for the job. Some folks also swear by dental picks to get buildup out of hard-to-reach places.

Cotton swabs are also a must: a baggie full of them to go with your solvent can go a long way to keeping the chamber clean in the spots that are too small to reach even with the toothbrush.

Many folks nowadays are ditching the bore brush entirely and going instead with a bore sneak, which is a washable tool to which you add solvent or lubricant, then pull through the bore. While they’re not anywhere near as good for scrubbing if you get a lot of fouling or debris in your barrel, these snakes are a handy and quick tool to expedite cleaning.

Finally, a trash bag is vital: solvents often smell pretty strongly, and if you toss your used cotton swabs, patches, and rags into the kitchen trash can, whoever you live with might not appreciate the smell.

Here, we’ve looked at some of the best cleaning kits on the market for the AR 15. We think that the Otis All Caliber Elite Cleaning Kit is as good as it gets, especially considering it has everything you’d need to clean about any gun.

With that said, the other kits here meet more specific needs well. Also, no matter what, we recommend picking up a cleaning mat to keep the finish on your rifle, and your kitchen table, looking great.

1. James Fellows, The Atlantic, M-16: A Bureaucratic Horror Story, June, 1981
2. Steve Adelmann, Shooting Illustrated, AR-15 Cleaning & Maintenance: A Complete Guide, August 4, 2018
3. Cameron Hopkins, American Rifleman, AR Operating Systems: Gas Impingement vs. Piston, January 8, 2017
4. Tim Hofstetter, What is carbon, when discussing gun cleaning?, June 21, 2917
5. Bryce M. Towsley, American Rifleman, Dealing With Fouling: Getting Out What You Put In, October 23, 2019
6. Gun News Daily, Here’s What to Do If Your AR-15 Malfunctions, January 10, 2020