How to Clean Your Hairbrushes

You say you love your hair. Bet you take good care of it. You wash it frequently, nourish it regularly and brush it religiously.

But how often do you clean your hairbrushes? The answer to this question for most is never.

Although it may not be readily visible to the naked eye, your hairbrushes accumulate dirt and lint that you brush out of your hair, along with sebum (oil secreted from your scalp) and dead skin cells.

Residue from hair products like conditioner, serums, and mousse also end up in your hairbrushes. The fact that your hairbrushes are a flourishing habitat for germs, as well as dust mites, should eek you out.

Now, think about how many times you brush your freshly washed hair with one of those dirty brushes. Shudder!

Among the array of hair accessories you possess, your hairbrushes require more diligent care on your part. But that doesn’t mean that it has to be a daunting job.

Cleaning hairbrushes is not rocket science. Regular cleaning can even make your brushes easier to clean. So, get onto this cleanup job without much ado.

Steps to Clean Your Hairbrushes Quick and Easy

Things you’ll need:

• Dirty hairbrushes
• Comb
• Tub
• Lukewarm water
• Shampoo

• Organic Tea tree oil
• Toothbrush
• Cotton swabs
• Towels – 2
• Paper towels

Step 1. Pull out loose hair with a comb

• Pull out all the loose hair from your hairbrushes. Use a comb to snag out the dead hair trapped at the base of the brushes.

Keep at it until you’ve managed to pull out all the loose hair. Some dry dirt mass may also come out in the process.

Step 2. Fill a tub with lukewarm water

• Fill a small tub with lukewarm water. The tub should be big enough to soak your hairbrushes fully immersed in the water.

The lukewarm water will help loosen up the hardened grime on your brushes.

Step 3. Squirt in some shampoo

• Squeeze some shampoo into the tub.

The grime accumulated on your hairbrushes is similar to the grime that accumulates on your hair.

Just like shampoo helps rid your hair of oil and dirt, it helps dissolve the oily dirt mass in your hairbrushes.

Step 4. Add a few drops of tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is known for its antiseptic properties.

• Add a few drops of tea tree oil to the water in your tub to disinfect your hairbrushes. It will also help kill the dust mites.

Step 5. Dissolve the oil thoroughly by stirring the water

• Stir the water with a toothbrush to disperse the tea tree oil evenly, as well as dissolve the shampoo completely into the water, giving rise to suds.

Step 6. Soak your hairbrushes

• Soak your hairbrushes completely in the water for not more than 15 minutes.
• If your brushes aren’t very dirty, you can soak them for less time.

Step 7. Use an old toothbrush to clean the brushes

• Use a toothbrush to clean the base of the hairbrushes.
• Scrub back and forth at all angles to thoroughly clean the dirt and grime from the hairbrushes.

Step 8. Clean paddle hairbrushes using a cotton swab

If you have a paddle hairbrush, a toothbrush won’t be enough to clean it completely.

• Use a cotton swab to easily expunge the grime from the hard-to-reach portions of the brush.

Step 9. Rinse clean with fresh water

• Pour fresh water over the hairbrushes to thoroughly rinse out the dirty shampoo water.

Step 10. Dry the hairbrushes on a towel

• Soak up the water dripping from the hairbrushes with a towel. Try to dry them as much as you can.
• Place them on a dry towel to finish air-drying.

Be sure to keep your paddle hairbrush face-down on the towel to allow the water from the bristles to completely drip down.

Besides becoming hygienic, your hairbrushes will shine anew after being cleaned.

Additional Tips:

• If your hairbrush has a thick nest of dead hair at its base, you can use the end of a rat-tail comb to lift the tangled mass out. If the hair mass refuses to come out, lift it halfway and snip it with a scissor. The chopped fragments of the hair mass will then pull out easier.
• If your hairbrush is crafted from wood, avoid soaking it in the water. Brushes with fabric cushion heads shouldn’t be soaked either. Such hairbrushes should only be dipped into the water a few times.
• Develop a habit of cleaning out the dead hair from your hairbrush after every use. This way, they won’t get as dirty.
• To keep your hairbrushes hygienic, clean them once a week.