What method do you use to clean your brushes

[millertime150]

I usually clean my brushes once every 2 months in a mild borax solution. This seems to dry out my brush and it might be in my head but it seems to make my brush hair less absorbant.

I tried baby shampoo and my brushes came out soft but does not seem to remove much soap scum.

Borax I think helps remove odors and mold/mildew/soap scum.

What is everyones prefered method?

 

[plaidman]

I wash it with a few drops of dish soap then swirl and soak it in a small glass of vinegar for a few minutes. Good as new.

 

[tg16]

Dawn dishwashing soap and a little vinegar.

 

[Wingnut]

I have been working through the brush cleaning powder that I got from ClassicShaving, which I now understand is merely Borax. Chalk one up to the learning curve, but it does seem to work well for my Kents.

 

[kevtex]

Vinegar for me.
http://www.shaveinfo.com/videos/brush_cleaning.htm

 

[whereisandy]

I soak my brush in a solution of vinegar and hot water (1:8) and add a squirt of glycerin. Then I wash it out with shampoo to get the vinegar smell out.

I've only had to do this once but it seemed to help my brush regain some of its ability to retain water.

 

[Bobtrumpet]

I use Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo.

Soap residue, even with extended rinsing, seems to be the biggest problem I have with my brushes (hard water here in Dallas). It works great at getting rid of the residue on both badger and boar brushes. I use it about once every 1-2 months.

I've had better success with it than with vinegar and/or borax.

 

[kzoo1]

None of the above.

I use soap, I rinse the brush well. How is it not clean?

 

[Ookla The Mok]

None of the above.

I use soap, I rinse the brush well. How is it not clean?

Me too.

 

[mdunn]

every so often its shampoo and diluted vinegar

 

[infotech]

every so often its shampoo and diluted vinegar

I do the same thing once or twice a year.

 

[luvmysuper]

I use soap and water, daily.

I seem to have numerous little round containers of different soap in my bathroom, so it's very convenient.

I also wash my hair every day with bar soap when I shower.
Never used vinegar or borax to get the soap scum out though.

But seriously, if hard water or something was an issue for me, I'd probably use the borax infrequently. Dawn dish detergent is also an amazing multipurpose product.

 

[mretzloff]

I use vinegar once a month. It seems to do its job.

 

[huntmol]

Man, you guys do this often, I thought this was a once a year kind of thing

 

[sandmountainslim]

None of the above.

I use soap, I rinse the brush well. How is it not clean?

I'm preachin' the same gospel.
Wp

 

[mmack66]

I shampoo my brush every 3 or 4 months.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I clean the brush I use daily, I use either shave cream or shaving soap
Even with a lot of usage, I do not see the need to clean any of my brushes. After every use with cream or soap (i.e. after I shave) I wash it out very thoroughly under running warm water, making sure all the soap/cream residue is removed. There is no built-up of soap scum, but I also have a water softener for the house.

 

[shm]

Once or twice a year I soak my brushes in a diluted vinegar/glycerin solution and then was it with some mild soap.

 

[Milton]

I usually do a water/vinegar/glycerin mix as well. I also use hair conditioner on it afterwards. Makes it even softer. Haven't had any adverse side effects yet (water retention, hair falling out, etc).

 

[JdB]

A little dishwashing soap and hot water does the trick for me (almost every month). Besides that, I give them a good rinse (hot and cold) after every shave!

The thing is never clogged with soap or dirty or smelly or whatever.


Happy shaving!