Brush up on sander grooming

After using a buffing pad on my orbital sander, stray fibers clogged the hooks of the pad to the point where it wouldn't hold a sanding disc. To clean the pad, I used a small slicker brush, the kind normally intended for grooming dogs. It worked amazingly well. Since then, I keep the brush stored with my orbital sander. You can buy one of these brushes at a pet store for just a few dollars.
—Howard Anders, Arden, N.C.