How to Properly Clean/Disinfect a Second Hand Shaving Brush?

[DGDV]

Hey Fellow Wet Shavers. Had a quick question and wanted to see what the general consensus was in how to clean/disinfect a second hand shaving brush.

I purchased a beautiful Simpson’s Two Band Chubby 2 Silvertip Badger from one of our fellow members and wasn’t sure the best way to clean/disinfect a shaving brush before I start using it.

For all of my second hand DE razors that I purchased through the marketplace I have always used Barbicide for the recommended 10 minutes and no longer to disinfect all my razors. Can I do the same with my Brush or is Barbicide not a good option?

This is a beautiful brush kept in great condition from our fellow member and it runs a bit expensive so I just want to make sure I don’t damage the brush in anyway trying to clean/disinfect it in an improper way.

So I guess my question is A) is it ok to use Barbicide to clean/disinfect a brush and B) what are your recommendations and how do you go by cleaning/disinfecting your brush purchased from the marketplace.

Appreciate all the advise coming my way [emoji1303]




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Timeclo]

I haven't heard of using barbicide for brushes and I probably wouldn't do it.

How I clean second hand brush is I either soak it in shampoo/conditioner mixed water for 30 minute or so and then hand lather it using shave soap. Or I soak it and hand lather it using shampoo/conditioner. I do it pretty rigorously and hand lather for about 20 minutes. Then I just use the brush as my own and I don't seem to have any problem with it.

I know there are some vinegar/water solution cleaning methods and Dawn soap methods as well.

 

[ackvil]

I place the brush under running warm water. When thoroughly wet I take a few drops of a mild dishwashing liquid soap and gently rub it into the brush. I then rinse the brush under running water and then soak the brush for a minute in a container filled with clear water. I shake the brush to get rid of excess water. I then take a cup or container and fill it with one ounce of white vinegar, a few drops of liquid glycerin, and warm water. I stir the mixture and put the brush in the liquid using a pumping motion. I soak the brush for about two or three minutes. I take the brush out of the mixture, rinse again under running water, shake out the water, and twirl it around a towel to dry.

The reason you are using vinegar is to be sure you are removing all of the soap residue from the brush. Plus, it acts as a disinfectant.

 

[ackvil]

The Wiki has another method you can use.

 

[ajkel64]

I wash my used brushes in dishwashing detergent mainly just using them like I am lathering them up to use. I then do the same thing again in medicated hand soap and to finish them off I them might give them a wash in shampoo and conditioner. Most of us have our own method of washing/sterilising them to suit our sanitary expectations.

 

[BigJ]

I would avoid harsh treatments as this might damage the brush. I suggest using some Dawn or other mild detergent, then a few test lathers with shaving soap.

 

[Demolition]

Today, I received a slightly-used Yaqi Red Marble 24mm Tuxedo (generously PIFed to me by CanuckShaver) and I just finished a multi-step cleaning process. Here's how it went...

A couple of photos showing the brush as it came out of its box. A light dusting of lint (and possibly some hard water stains or soap scum?) on the handle:

I mixed a weak solution of warm water and distilled white vinegar (7 parts water, 1 part vinegar) for disinfection purposes in my handy-dandy plastic cup. I swirled the brush to mix the vinegar and water, then "pumped" it up and down a few times to ensure the solution made its way deep into the knot. Then, I let it sit for 15 minutes:

Followed by a thorough rinse under warm tap water to get the vinegar solution out:

Next, I mixed a weak solution of warm water and Dawn Original dishwashing liquid (just a few drops). As with the vinegar solution, I swirled the brush, pumped it up and down, then let it sit for 15 minutes. The dishwashing liquid has two functions: 1) strip wax and grease off of the hairs; and 2) wash any remaining vinegar out of the knot:

(not much difference from the vinegar photo; just slightly more bubbly)

Following another rinse, I used a bar of Ivory hand soap (99.4% pure, etc.) to wash the handle and "lather" the knot to rid it of any traces of the dishwashing liquid:

After yet another rinse, I performed a 30-second hand-lather with a 1 cm blob of shaving cream (Nivea Sensitive):

After a final rinse, I let it sit on its base on the vanity and it was completely dry in less than two hours. No signs of staining on the handle, anymore. Nice and shiny:

So, that's the process I used. I tried to avoid cleaning products that contained anything too perfumey or medicated to ensure that no residues ended up on the hairs that could affect its performance in the future.

I'll shave with it tonight and see how it goes. I might give my impressions somewhere... not sure if I should write them down in the original PIF thread, continue in this thread, or create a new review thread?

 

[Demolition]

Today, I received a slightly-used Yaqi Red Marble 24mm Tuxedo (generously PIFed to me by CanuckShaver) and I just finished a multi-step cleaning process. Here's how it went...

Replying to my own message to note that the aforementioned brush actually has a 26mm knot. Apparently, CanuckShaver sent me the 26mm because his son wanted to use the 24mm.

Doesn't affect any details of the cleaning process I mentioned above, other than the fact that the brush may be new and unused. In that case, what I was removing was any residues left from the manufacturing process.


p.s. I used the brush tonight and it was a revelation. Lathering was very easy, although the methodology is different from what I usually follow with my natural hair brushes: wet the brush, squeeze all of the water out, start lathering while the hairs are mostly dry, add a dribble of water, and suddenly the thing explodes into a geyser of rich lather. Face-feel is extraordinary. The description of this knot is accurate: lots of backbone, extremely soft tips. As some reviewers mentioned, there is almost too much backbone, leading to insufficient splay. But, there's a tipping point, so to speak, where if you keep pressing it onto your face, the hairs splay out evenly and require no pressure to remain splayed. Therefore, I found it a joy to face-lather with. (I might write up a full review after I use it a few times)

 

[shaveSymptomatic]

Just lather it up with some antibacterial dish soap and let sit for a couple of minutes and repeat one more time.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Here's a thread. There are others.

I've used Barbicide (5 minutes then air dry) + Ship-Shape. I've done this successfully with both badgers and boars, but I'm not saying it's the way to go nor am I saying I know anything.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[FireDragon76]

It's a good idea in this day and age of superbugs to sterilize shaving brushes and razors that are second-hand.

Brushes from the homes of former smokers are absolutely disgusting. It's so bad I don't really want to collect vintage brushes anymore unless the brush is NOS.

I use Ship-Shape, then soak in Barbicide for a short period. That's what the makers of Ship-Shape and Barbicide recommend. Just make sure the Barbicide is diluted appropriately.

Barbicide only requires a few seconds of contact to kill everything it touches. For a nice Simpson brush in good shape, I would only expose it to Barbicide for about ten seconds or so, then rinse it thoroughly and condition the bristles with hair conditioner or something similar.

 

[malocchio]

FireDragon above has the correct method....

 

[FarmerTan]

My dad would probably dip it in gasoline. Then rinse it in a bucket with water from the ditch. Then bring it in the house and get fussed at by my mom as he washed it in Dawn at the kitchen sink.