I bought my T&H silvertip brush a couple of months ago, and I love it. However, my brush doesn't love the hard water here in Chicago. I noticed some stiffening of the bristles, and that it didn't hold water or lather quite as well as when I got it. There was also a ugly layer of soap scum on the handle. I'm used to the soap scum problem: I clean my razor every week to keep it shiny. So last night I realized it was time to clean the brush.
After reading a lot of conflicting posts here about brush cleaning, some suggesting borax, some suggesting vinegar, I decided upon a two-pronged approach of my own. For the bristles, I used a pea-sized dab of the same shampoo I use on my hair. Rinsed it very well in warm water, then used a bit of Dawn dish soap and a toothbrush to scrub the scum off the handle.
The result: a like-new brush. The handle looks clean again, and the bristles feel the same as the day I bought it. Great lather today, and that wonderfully soft silvertip feel on my face. Also, not a single hair was shed during the cleaning process.
I'll probably repeat this cleaning once every month or so, unless someone here thinks shampoo on a silvertip badger brush is a bad idea. Seems like it worked pretty well.
Nick
After reading a lot of conflicting posts here about brush cleaning, some suggesting borax, some suggesting vinegar, I decided upon a two-pronged approach of my own. For the bristles, I used a pea-sized dab of the same shampoo I use on my hair. Rinsed it very well in warm water, then used a bit of Dawn dish soap and a toothbrush to scrub the scum off the handle.
The result: a like-new brush. The handle looks clean again, and the bristles feel the same as the day I bought it. Great lather today, and that wonderfully soft silvertip feel on my face. Also, not a single hair was shed during the cleaning process.
I'll probably repeat this cleaning once every month or so, unless someone here thinks shampoo on a silvertip badger brush is a bad idea. Seems like it worked pretty well.
Nick
