Safe to boil razor with plastic handle?

[Compaq]

I need to sterilise a newly bought razor. However, it has a plastic handle. Will boiling it melt the handle, or can I safely boil it? It's a proper gillette razor, TTO. I have no idea of the model, but it came in a grey plastic, rectangular-ish box with a small puck of soap inside.

I wouldn't make my worst enemies use this razor, it looks like it has aids. I need to sterilise it before I even dare touch it properly

Compaq

 

[Go West Young Man]

Boiling water is overkill for most razors, you just need hot soapy water and then something antimicrobial like Scrubbing Bubbles.

 

[RichGem]

If boiling the razor doesn't melt the handle outright (it may or may not), it may very introduce stress cracks which will bite you in the rear end at some point later on. Old plastic is nothing to mess with when it comes to heat.

Somewhere around here, there's a guide to cleaning razors and what products work well, etc.

 

[Compaq]

ah, ok. Anyhow, I have no idea what scrubbing bubbles is (are). I live in Norway, so if you can translate it for me

 

[RichGem]

ah, ok. Anyhow, I have no idea what scrubbing bubbles is (are). I live in Norway, so if you can translate it for me

It's a spray foam cleaning product used for bathrooms and such. It may or may not be good for plastic, I'm not sure. But, it's probably not available for you and so not an issue.

Warm water and regular soap is probably the best way to go for cleaning purposes. To kill any germs, etc, just be sure that whatever you use won't harm plastic.

 

[kg4ghn]

ah, ok. Anyhow, I have no idea what scrubbing bubbles is (are). I live in Norway, so if you can translate it for me

Scrubbing Bubbles is a brand name of a foaming bathroom cleaner. Works great for removing gunk from razors and kills bacteria too.

 

[DamnFineBob]

I had a Tech that looked quite a bit grungier than that. I tried all kinds of things before I managed to get all the gunk out of it.

One hour soak in soapy water.
One hour in Windex (window cleaner), full strength.
3 or 4 soaks in Scrubbing Bubbles (bathroom soap scum remover), followed by brushing.
One 20 min soak in bleach water, followed by scrubbing.
Polishing with Haggerty's metal polish.
and finally
an overnight soak in rubbing alcohol before using.

I had intended to boil it before use... but I figured that nothing could survive the variety of chemicals I threw at it just to clean it up.

 

[jpkunst]

ah, ok. Anyhow, I have no idea what scrubbing bubbles is (are). I live in Norway, so if you can translate it for me

Where I live (NL) we have "Muscle Bathroom Cleaner" which I use for cleaning my razor.

 

[cswann1]

Most hard and durable plastics can handle being submerged in boiling water just fine. But for old/vintage things, the extreme temperature swings may cause cracking.


I agree that it's probably overkill. If you want to sanitize the razor you can dunk it in a light bleach solution. One tablespoon per gallon of water is plenty, so just a few drops in a glass of water will do.