text: what are those little brush things on the side of escatators for? when i say brush things, i mean that little thing that looks like a brush on the bottom below the handrail. the only reason i can think of is that the shine people's shoes, but do they have a different purpose? it's a safety feature.  skirt brush -- a long continuous brush made of stiff bristles runs up the sides of the escalator just above the step level. this helps keep loose garments and curious hands away from the dangerous gap between the moving stairs and the side panel.