Brush cleaning?

[bcgradstudent]

Hi all,

I have this Omega boar brush that I love, but it's starting to smell a little funny and I'm not sure what to do. It's not the new brush stink - I've been using this brush a couple times a week for the past 2 years. I wash my brushes thoroughly after each use, dry them fairly well on a towel, and then hang them to dry. I cycle uses between an Edwin Jagger super badger and the Omega boar, so they each get at least 2 days of drying in between uses. (I have a few other brushes, but those two are my work horses).

On top of all that, every few months I'll give them a quick clean. A little soak/wash in mild dish detergent, and then a shampoo and conditioner. My badger brush smells great - just like a faint hint of all the soaps I love. But the Omega has started to smell... off. Musty, or something. It's weird.

I was just wondering if any of you fine folks may know what I'm talking about, or at least have a suggestion or two for ways to rid my beloved brush of its funk.

 

[Frozenshades]

Interesting. Are you sure you're completely washing out all lather after each shave? And the brush is being hung to dry out on the counter and not in a cabinet or anything?

Dish soap usually does a good job of cleaning up a brush, but you can also try a brief soak in vinegar water.

Another technique is to thoroughly lather it up with your shave soap of choice or shampoo (something nice and fragrant) and let it sit for 12-24 hours before a thorough rinse and dry.

If none of that does it, I'd consider oxiclean as the tactical nuke but with some risk of damaging the hairs.

 

[Scarry Knight]

A soak in a dilute vinegar solution should help. I have a body brush that can get smelly at the base/knot with certain soap residues left behind, particularly one with neem oil in it.

How do you dry the brush? Getting them dry quickly after a very good rinse helps. Try spinning it in your palms like you would a paint brush. Bundle a lump into a dry thick piled towel and slap the brush bristles and the towel back and forth against each other fairly vigorously. Then set it in a warm spot with air flow to prevent mildew setting in, and/or wrap the knot with tissue paper or brown bag paper to wick out extra moisture, again, as is done with paint brushes.

That’s how I do mine. Others will have different helpful ideas, I suppose

 

[Clay S]

It sounds like a mildew odor you are describing. Vinegar does a good job generally. About 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water. Borax and baking soda are other options.

 

[bcgradstudent]

Thanks folks - I'll definitely try the diluted vinegar. Yeah, it's weird because I spend quite a bit of time at the end of each shave making sure the lather is washed out and and that the brush is dry. I never thought of trying the paint-brush technique, usually I just dry it off on the towel until it's no longer leaving damp marks and then I hang it from the razor stand.

What's really weird is that it's only the boar brush - the badger brush that I use just as often (and with the same routine) doesn't smell.

But thanks for the tips!

 

[ryinzana]

Work some dish soap into the brush and “lather” it. Then soak in diluted dish soap for a few minutes. Follow this up with a soak in diluted white vinegar or borax for about a minute or two then rinse and repeat, if necessary. This is also useful for getting the funk out of new natural fiber brushes, or even cleaning used brushes you may purchase.

 

[Badgerstate36]

I just give mine an occasional bath in some warm with with dish soap, followed by lathering it in my hand with dish soap, followed by lathering it with shampoo (if its a natural hair brush).
IMO, if you cant get the stink out of it and question it at all, I would just toss the brush or at the very least reknot it. Brushes are cheap, especially boar brushes. Theres no reason to risk infection of who knows what just to save a few bucks.

 

[Billy T.]

Soak it in some warm water with vinegar.

 

[RayClem]

If it is some type of fungus, this formula should take care of it:
1 TBSP part vinegar (apple cider vinegar is preferred)
1 TBSP table salt
1 TBSP hydrogen peroxide
1 drop tea tree oil
1 cup water
(TBSP - Tablespoon, app. 15 ml)
Soak the brush for 10-15 minutes and then thoroughly wash the brush to remove residual chemicals.

I use a similar solution (albeit in larger quantities) to soak my feet to treat nail fungus. It works.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Despite thorough rinsing, some soaps clog my boar brush deep in the knot. Pre de Provence gummed up my boar terribly, and I used a mixture of warm water and baking powder to clear it. Martin de Candre also did it to a lesser extent.

 

[BigJ]

Great suggestions above!

My main tip (for the future) is to assure that you rinse your brush well after each shave. Be sure to let running water get well into the base of the knot.

 

[gwsmallwood]

I would try the brief vinegar / water soak first and see if that helps. I use the PAA brush cleaner every few months on my brushes. It adds some borax. I just find it easier than making my own mixtures.

 

[Twelvefret]

Great suggestions above!

My main tip (for the future) is to assure that you rinse your brush well after each shave. Be sure to let running water get well into the base of the knot.

^^^^^ what @BigJ said.

 

[Norman Gunston]

If it is some type of fungus, this formula should take care of it:
1 TBSP part vinegar (apple cider vinegar is preferred)
1 TBSP table salt
1 TBSP hydrogen peroxide
1 drop tea tree oil
1 cup water
(TBSP - Tablespoon, app. 15 ml)
Soak the brush for 10-15 minutes and then thoroughly wash the brush to remove residual chemicals.

I use a similar solution (albeit in larger quantities) to soak my feet to treat nail fungus. It works.

That sounds like an awesome brew. A Doctor told me years ago to use Hydrogen Peroxide for any cuts or infections of the fingernails or toenails, due to its penetrating properties. That advice has served me well. I also use Tea tree oil for general cuts and abrasions, as it has both antiseptic and antifungal properties, and is cheap as chips here in Australia.

 

[bcgradstudent]

Thanks all! I did a couple distilled vinegar / rinse cycles last night and it seemed to help. I think soap had, despite my efforts at post-shave rinsing, started to gum up near the base of the knot. I'll try a few more cycles tonight. Again, many thanks!

 

[RayClem]

I have hard water as my water softener needs to be replaced. Thus, I get a buildup of calcium and magnesium salts in the base of my brushes if I am not careful in cleaning them after every shave. I use the "plunger" method to rinse the soap out of the brush. I place a bowl or mug into the sink and then let warm (not hot) water run into the vessel as I plunge the brush up and down into the water until the water water is completely clear. for me, that method works even better than placing the brush under running water.