My favorite kneepads have hook-and-loop straps that have steadily lost their grip. They got so bad that when I stood up after working on a recent flooring project, the kneepads just fell off. Close inspection of the hook side of the interlock revealed the problem. Bits of hair, sawdust, fuzz from the loop side, and other debris had worked their way into the hook matrix, severely restricting adhesion. I dug out an old toothbrush and tried to comb the hooks clean. No luck. Then I searched through my wire-brush collection and found the right tool: a small brush with flexible stainless-steel bristles that swept all the debris out of the hooks. That’s how my kneepads got their grip back.
—Charles Miller, Sea Ranch, CA
From Fine Homebuilding #236
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Another possible tool might be a brush designed for desnarling cat fur. I had one that had short, somewhat hooked stainless steel bristles.
However, as with some of my cord & hose straps, nothing helps when the loop side loses all or most of its fibers.