I am pretty new to wet shaving and I have a quick question. 9/10 times I use a glycerin based soap like VDH. Every now and again I'll use a cream like Proraso and I even got a chance to try some Tabac. When I used creams and tallow based soaps, I noticed that they turned my razor and brush handle really white, and made my brushes dusty. An expert brush maker told me that the white dust is really bad for the brush, so it makes me hesitant to use creams and tallow soaps. What is it that causes this residue? And how can I rinse this residue out of my brush without having to go through the brush cleaning process? I have some exquisite RV brushes and I don't want them to get damaged!!! Thanks guys!
A question about residue
- Thread starter NSmalls
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it's just dried soap and water. here in FL, we have really hard water, and everything gets water stains on it.
what I do to get rid of it is every few months I clean my brushes. soak them in distilled water for a few minutes, then rinse them really well and soak them in half distilled water and half white vinegar for 15 minutes. after that, I'll rinse them out and add 2-3 drops of dish soap and lather it up really really well, working the soap all through the knot. then I do a final rinse.
what I do to get rid of it is every few months I clean my brushes. soak them in distilled water for a few minutes, then rinse them really well and soak them in half distilled water and half white vinegar for 15 minutes. after that, I'll rinse them out and add 2-3 drops of dish soap and lather it up really really well, working the soap all through the knot. then I do a final rinse.
- Thread starter
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Oh I forgot to mention that I have hard water. It has broke two of my Keurig machines!!! So what I did, I started buying the 5 gallon jugs of Poland Spring at BJ's. I use that in my Keurig and to soak my brush in prior to shaving. I also splash a little on top of the puck. The softer water DEF improved my lather. I just wonder why it happens with some shaving product and not others. I hate the white residue!
"Soap Scum" is caused by the interaction of the minerals in the hard water with the tallow (fat) in the soap.
With my well water creams and certain soaps gunk up my razors and brushes. I usually wipe down my razors after every shave. As for cleaning my brushes, every couple of months I lather them up on my glycerin face soap (Neutrogena Facial Bar) and rinse them out. It does a pretty good job and it's quick because the soap is right there on the sink.
Well said. Sounds like the OP has Hard Water. Adding a dash of Rock Salt to your brush soak water can pre-soften the water and helps in making soap scum disappear. Salt helps make the water become Ionic (soft) which does not allow the minerals to precipitate out the the water as easily. This method is called Chellation which means binding metal ions (minerals) together. That's why the Metal razor becomes more white...the Minerals have bound with the fats and are attracted to the electrons in the metallic razor like iron sand to a magnet.
As for what sticks to the brush, this is the actual tallow (fat) and can be cleaned off the brush once a month with some Johnson Baby Shampoo or (more harshly) with Dawn dish washing detergent. the fats in the shave cream or soap tend to congeal in hard water and then become sticky. The soap in it makes it flaky, but the fat sticks to the actual hair of the brush which is the white powder when dry.
As for what sticks to the brush, this is the actual tallow (fat) and can be cleaned off the brush once a month with some Johnson Baby Shampoo or (more harshly) with Dawn dish washing detergent. the fats in the shave cream or soap tend to congeal in hard water and then become sticky. The soap in it makes it flaky, but the fat sticks to the actual hair of the brush which is the white powder when dry.
