Why are Cotton Swabs a Bad Alternative to Swab-its?

Cotton swabs are a dime a dozen. They are cheap. What many people do not realize is the harm cotton can cause inside a firearm. Cotton holds and absorbs moisture. After all, that is why you find cotton swabs in wound care, and you are told not to wear wet cotton on cold days. Cotton naturally carries fluid for transport from one area to another. Using cotton on a firearm is like collecting kindling to start a fire. The cotton collects and absorbs naturally occurring salt and moisture in the air, and then holds this moisture mix on metal components deep inside your firearm. As time goes by nature takes its course, and oxidization of the metal begins. Your precious firearm begins to rust, thus cotton swabs are not the best answer.