How to Clean Hair Brushes and Combs

Hairbrushes and combs require as much cleaning as our cosmetic brushes do. Dust mites, dead cells, accumulated oils, product residue, and a list of infection-affirming grime can take over your hair health and spoil it completely. Moreover, it’s gross; to end the debate. So get up and clean your hairbrushes now.

How to Clean Hair Brushes and Combs? - Here is a step-by-step guide to getting you cleaning your hairbrushes and combs the right way.

1. Pick hair strands from your hair brushes with your fingers.
2. Make sure the brushes’ bristles are free of any hair tangles.
3. Then soak them and other hair combs in hot and soapy water for 5 minutes. You

can also add vinegar and shampoo to the solution. Swish your hand around the solution to create suds.

4. Now rub the brushes and combs together to get the dirt removed and wash each of them under running water, separately.
5. You can also use a rat-tailed comb or an old toothbrush to pick stubborn grimes here.
6. For the last step, waggle your hairbrushes and combs to throw away excess water and dry each of them with a clean towel. Leave the brushes’ bristles facing south on the towel until completely dried under the sun.
   
   

The paddle brushes can absorb water and in time, may stink. So it is important to shake brushes and get the moisture out. Plus, drying them under sunlight will kill any remaining germs and bacterias and ensure the elimination of any possible odor.

For wooden hairbrushes and combs - Do not soak whole brushes/combs in the water. Instead, just soak the brushes’ bristles or comb’s tooth in hot water for about 2 minutes with cleaning solutions added to the water. Use an old toothbrush or rat-tailed comb to scrub away the dirt.

Cushioned Brushes - Plastic or ceramic hairbrushes and combs can be soaked in cleaning solutions for as long as 10 minutes. However, if they are partially cushioned, then they should not be soaked in water at all. Instead, just try dipping and waving them in hot water containing disinfectants (i.e. Vinegar/Rubbing Alcohol/Antibacterial Shampoo, etc) quickly. Make sure to shake them well to get rid of any excess moisture sitting inside and dry them well. 

If you still see any dirt sticking on your brush or comb then gently scrub it away with tissue paper soaked with any disinfectant or use an alcohol swab.

How Often Should I Clean My Hair Brushes and Combs?

Schedule cleaning your cosmetics, hairbrushes, and combs every 20 days. Pick hair strands tangled on hairbrushes after every use and make sure to store all of your brushes and hair styling items in a clean organizer, preferably in a drawer. 

What Will Happen If I Don't Clean My Hair Brushes and Combs?

Your hair’s health will deteriorate. That includes dandruff, grease, and lice; eventually leading to infection and yeast development on the scalp. In some cases, yeast infection can lead you to go bald, after which hair regrowth gets dull and poor. While the importance of cleaning hairbrushes and combs is often missed out completely, the consequences are commonly suffered. We hear many people catching hair yeast infection and dandruff for mysterious reasons who end up miserable with straw-like dry hair, using all the medicated shampoos with harsh bacteria-eliminating ingredients. Well, now you know how it all starts; with a dirty hairbrush!

Weekly Maintenance Helps - Hairbrushes and combs like any other beauty tool get unclean over time. Being outdoors gets hair dusty and greasy. The dust and grease get built up on your hairbrushes and combs, so scheduling a cleaning every 20 days is important to avoid a dirty buildup. Additionally, weekly maintenance will help you in keeping everything mess-free and crystal clean.

Just disinfect the handles of your beauty tools with alcohol swabs and scrap away any buildup on their frame with the swab. Knock them gently on tissue paper to get any tangled hair, dust, or product residue out. And finally, leave them under the sun for 5-10 minutes to ensure the elimination of germs.  

Storing Your Hair Brushes and Combs - The secret to storing your cosmetic, skincare, and haircare tools safe, is in keeping them away from moisture and dust. Most people prefer to keep their beauty and grooming tools in their bathroom drawers that are dry, well organized, and clean with an even drawer-mat laid inside.

However, you can choose to store your hairbrushes and other beauty tools in any drawer of your room as long as it is dry, clean, moderate in temperature, and organized.

Never leave your beauty tools uncovered on your vanity table unless you want your brushes to accumulate tonnes of dust and germs.

How to Clean a Lice Comb? - Cleaning normal combs is one thing and cleaning lice combs is another; because lice combs can get really stubborn. If you are suffering from hair issues such as dandruff and lice, you may already know the struggle.

However, if you follow the right cleaning process and take care of the steps, you can get all your stubborn lice-combs, sparkling with cleanliness.

Step # 1: Use an alcohol wipe (preferably) or a paper towel to wipe away the dirt sticking on the lice comb.

Step # 2: Soak in the lice comb in hot water containing disinfectants, for 10 minutes. Swish around to create suds.

Step # 3: Take an old toothbrush and scrub away the remaining dirt. Wash in running water.

Step # 4: Pour a few droplets of rubbing alcohol and scrub the comb a little more, then wash them in clean water. Finally, dry it with a clean paper towel and store it in a clean container.

Conclusion

We are all investing in haircare products every month but what about maintaining our basic tools? No amount of luxury hair care products can help your hair health if your basic tools like hairbrushes and combs are active houses of germs and infection-affirming bacterias. You may use expensive shampoos but if you have dirty brushes to swipe through your hair, all you will end up with - is greasy and dirty hair!

Take a little time out on your weekends to clean your beauty tools (i.e. make-up brushes, hairbrushes, combs, etc) as a part of your regular body care routine and see the difference.