A device for the mechanical cleaning of wire rods for the production of drawn metallic wires includes a pair of elements supported by a shaft, each element having a truncated-conical body and a flat disk that closes the truncated-conical body, defining an internal annular space that contains the steel wool. The flat disk has openings that are shaped as a slot. The two elements being disposed one in front of the other, with a space between the two flat disks. During operation, by rapid rotation of the shaft, the steel wool expands under the effect of a centrifugal force in radial direction, thus creating an axial thrust component on the steel wool such that the steel wool escapes partially and elastically from the openings of the flat disks so that the steel wool brushes against the surface of the wire rod in transit in the space between the two elements.