2023-09-02 06:03:39
How often should a hairbrush or comb be cleaned?
The ideal is to clean your hairbrush once a week, then proceed to a deep cleaning once a month. The only exception is if you have very long hair or use a lot of styling products. At this time, it is better to do it every two weeks, because your brush will get dirty much faster. But be aware that regardless of the cleaning frequency you have chosen, it is best to always remove the hair from the brush following each use. It takes two seconds and helps maintain your brush.
A word of advice: if you suffer from dandruff, cleaning your hairbrush should be done even more often, once a week for better hygiene.
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To clean your brush, you will need:
Equipment and tools
- A tail comb
- A tweezer
- A toothbrush
- A basin
- A towel
- cotton swabs
Materials
- A gentle shampoo
- Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
- A disinfectant spray
- baking soda
Instructions
The cleaning steps are different depending on the type of brush or comb you use. Plastic styling tools are easier to clean. While brushes with natural bristles or wooden handles require meticulous cleaning.
Good to know
Very hot water and excessive heat are not suitable when cleaning brushes. Synthetic bristles can melt and deform while natural bristles dehydrate and dry out.
How do you clean hairbrushes with synthetic bristles?
- Remove hair: remove as much hair as possible from the brush using a comb, your fingers or tweezers;
- Clean the brush: fill the sink, kitchen sink or basin with lukewarm water. Add two teaspoons of mild shampoo and lather;
- Let it soak in water: if you have time, let your brush soak in water for 10 minutes. Otherwise, tackle the dirt directly using a clean toothbrush;
- Rub it with baking soda: if you think your brush is very dirty and has hair product residue, add 4 tablespoons of baking soda to the solution and continue scrubbing. This gentle abrasive will remove all dirt without damaging the bristles of the brush;
- Rinse it thoroughly: With lukewarm water, remove all residues of shampoo and washing products from your brush;
- Disinfect it: for this, nothing better than isopropyl alcohol. Fill a basin with two equal parts alcohol and water. Dip your styling tools in the solution and leave for a few minutes. Then let your brushes dry on a towel, bristles down and voila!
How do you clean natural bristle hairbrushes?
Hairbrushes with natural bristles such as boar are more expensive than others and there is a reason for this! The latter indeed promise to obtain smoother hair. Brushes with wooden handles and boar bristles are generally considered to be the most efficient. Here’s how to take care of them to extend their lifespan and make their price profitable:
- Remove hair: brush it off by removing the hair.
- Clean the bristles of the brush: to do this, you’ll need a shallow bowl that’s large enough, filled with warm water and a teaspoon of mild shampoo, to soak the brush bristles in without wetting the handle. Leave on for 10 minutes then run your fingers between the bristles to rub and clean better;
- Rinse the brush: for this, use lukewarm water and place it on a towel, once more with the bristles down, and let it dry overnight;
- Clean the wooden brush handle: if the handle is dirty and needs cleaning, dip a toothbrush in soapy water and scrub it gently. Wipe it followingwards with a clean towel and leave it in the open air;
- Disinfect the brush: if you want a cleaner brush than ever, you can sanitize it. Spray some disinfectant to kill bacteria. Isopropyl alcohol is not good for this type of brush because it dries out the natural bristles.
Good to know: the wooden part of the hairbrush must not be soaked in water at any time at the risk of deteriorating.
How to clean a plastic comb?
Take advantage of the fact that you are in “cleaning” mode to wash your combs too! When the latter are made of plastic, the operation is quite simple:
- Dip them in water: fill your sink with lukewarm water and a teaspoon of shampoo, then soak the combs in it for a good ten minutes;
- Rub them: with a toothbrush remove all the residue stuck between the teeth of the comb. In case the dirt persists, dip the toothbrush in baking soda and vigorously scrub your combs;
- Rinse them: run lukewarm water over your combs then lay them on a towel to dry them quietly in the open air;
- Disinfect them: dip a rag or cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol and wipe your combs with it. No need to rinse!
How to clean a wooden comb?
- Clean between the teeth of the comb: put a toothbrush in warm soapy water and rub between the teeth of the comb gently;
- Wipe it comb: to do this, use a clean towel and then let it air dry;
- Disinfect (if needed): Lightly spray your wooden comb with disinfectant spray.
How do you remove dust from a hairbrush?
Dust mixed with sebum, residue from styling products and dead skin, it doesn’t mix well. To overcome it, get a dry and clean toothbrush, pass it between the bristles of the brush and sweep in all directions to remove everything.
How to kill lice embedded in your hairbrush?
By placing your brush in the freezer, it will eradicate lice in a simple and effective way. The cold kills lice and nits and you will get rid of them quickly.
- Place your hairbrush in a plastic bag in the freezer for 48 hours;
- Then proceed to clean your brush as explained above.
How to clean the hairbrush with shaving foam?
Don’t have a mild shampoo on hand? Do not panic ! Shaving foam can also do the trick. but only for cleaning a plastic brush. Shaving foam is not suitable for wooden or natural bristle brushes and can damage the fragile material of these styling tools.
- Spray the foam on the bristles of the brush;
- Leave to act for a few minutes, rub with your hand then rinse with water.
How to clean a hairbrush with white vinegar?
As a disinfectant, vinegar helps to overcome bacteria and dead cells that remain in the bristles of the brush. If you want to use it, we show you how to do it:
- Dip your brush in a solution of white vinegar and warm water (equal parts);
- Scrub the bristles with a clean toothbrush;
- Rinse with clean water and let your hairbrush air dry.
FAQ
Why are there so many bristles in my hairbrush?
We naturally lose a few hairs daily (up to 100 per day), and these get stuck in the pins of our brush when we comb our hair.
How often should we replace our hairbrush?
It all depends on the type and quality of your hairbrush. Plastic or rubber hair brushes last 6 to 12 months, while natural boar bristle brushes need to be changed regarding every 6 months.
What are the signs that I need a new hairbrush?
There are three unmistakable signs:
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- The density of your hairbrush bristles decreases;
- You notice that the bristles or bristles of the hairbrush are damaged;
- The hairbrush still looks dirty even following cleaning.
Can I clean my hairbrush in the dishwasher?
Oui, provided it is plastic because it is more resistant. Also, avoid putting brushes made of natural wood or natural bristles in the dishwasher, as the material risks being damaged due to the soaking time, which is quite long.
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