Regarding the care of brushes...

[aaronjw124]

So, what's to be done? I've been using but one CO Bigelow badger brush for nearly 2 years... Is there anything I should be doing to "maintain" this brush other than hanging it on it's rack, and allowing it to "breath"?

Thanks!

Aaron

 

[BroJohn]

So, what's to be done? I've been using but one CO Bigelow badger brush for nearly 2 years... Is there anything I should be doing to "maintain" this brush other than hanging it on it's rack, and allowing it to "breath"?

Thanks!

Aaron

Clicky Here!

I do the vinegar soak and the Borax routine that the Em's Place video above demonstrates. Generally, I clean a brush every three months or so. Works well.

-- John Gehman

 

[Swashbuckler]

You can clean and maintain your brush, but I find that as a brush matures then starts to get old, it adds character, and eventually gets little use next to the newer ones, many a brush last over fifteen years without too much attention.

 

[ImaWestie]

How many years are you expecting to get out of it?

FWIW, for my every day brush, I couldn't be bothered doing more than giving it a good rinse and drying it then sitting it upside down. As long as I get more than a couple of hundred shaves (which is less than a year!) out of it I'll be happy.

Anyway, who can complain about an actual excuse to buy a new brush

 

[Navig8tor]

My everyday brush is a cheap (< $30) Omega badger brush. I have used it for over 3 years. All I do is shake it out, dab it on a towel a little and then set it on the shelf until the next morning. Sometimes when I am cleaning the bathroom and notice some soap scum on the handle it will give the handle a wipe with whatever cleaner I am using. I think the most important thing is to put it somewhere that it can dry out. It doesn't necessarily have to be completely dry by the next morning. You just need a place where air circulates so it doesn't get musty. Maybe if you live in a humid climate you may have to be more careful of this too.

As always YMMV and we each have our own comfort level. Some people clean them every week and others never clean them. Some people insist on hanging them upside down and others argue against it. Others never use a brush two days in a row, they want it completely dry before it is used again. As long as it is working and you are happy you can do what you want.

 

[Mike Schutz]

I've never 'cleaned' my brushes. I reason that they get cleaned every time I use them. I had three brushes in a rotation for well over 20 years before I declared them dead. That was when I joined B&B and developed a SBAD. Now I have enough brushes I never have to worry about wearing them out or cleaning them.

 

[Go West Young Man]

A bit of shampoo and conditioner every few months is enough to get some of the soapy buildup off my brushes and bring them back to like-new condition.

 

[aaronjw124]

Thanks for all of the great advice!

I went ahead and gave mine a once over with dish soap, conditioner, and a vinegar rinse as per the Em's video, and am pleased with the results.

I noticed that my bristles were coated in a white film that just didn't look or feel right. This process fixed that.

I'm always careful to rinse my brush well, swishing it in a sink full of water, and running it under the tap. I've noticed that the CO Bigelow and Proraso products leave some MEAN soap residue on just about everything. That combined with our awful hard water, is a recipe for buildup!

Honestly, after 2 years of what amounted to simply letting the bugger hang and dry, I can't complain about giving it a once over!

Thanks again!

Aaron

 

[Duckster]

I clean my brush with dish detergent and a vinegar rinse a couple times a year.

A bit of shampoo and conditioner every few months is enough to get some of the soapy buildup off my brushes and bring them back to like-new condition.

I wouldn't use conditioner. Hair conditioners work by leaving a coating on the hair or by smoothing down the cuticle layer of the hair. Either way results in the hair being able to retain less water.

 

[D/E Bob]

I recently rebuilt mt 28 year old Hoffritz Best Badger brush with a TGN knot. It served me very well over those 28 years and rarely missed a day of use. All I did over that time span was to wash it out after each shave and dab it on a terrycloth towel before putting it away. I never soaked it or washed it with anything, and I never encountered any problems what so ever.

Regards,
D/E Bob