To me it is counterintuitive that something that is made to be used when wet "needs" to be given a period of time for "complete drying," before getting it wet again. I've been hearing this on BB pretty often but I do not understand what the reasoning or theory is behind it. Can anyone help to enlighten me?
Why should brushes dry completely?
- Thread starter Teddyboy
- Start date
I think it mostly has to do with hygiene. Something that stays wet or damp can grow mold or collect bacteria. Shaving brushes have a lot of places for things to grow. JMO
+1
Anytime anything stays damp, fungus, mold, and mildew can start.
The denser the brush the longer it will take to completely dry.
Remember hair and bristles absorbs moisture so just because something "looks" dry does not mean that it "is" dry.
Numinous complete dry cycles are required for boar brushes to break in properly as the tips need to split and the back and forth wet dry cycles speeds this process. Now this is not necessary, It just speeds up the break in process.
Yup. Hygiene and lifespan of the brush IMHO
This would be the only reason I can think of that a brush needs to dry between uses.
Other than that, I am sure it is fine to use when damp. Some people have gone 15 years or more using the same brush everyday - if mold or anything else was a real problem, it would have been the norm to keep two or three brushes, but it wasn't.*
*This is all just between us right? Next time SWMBO asks about my many brushes, I can give her some story about mold etc. etc.?
Yes. And you can bet your brushes that I'll back you up; just as long as you do the same for me...
Tell her that you learned it takes almost a year for a brush to fully dry, then you're good for at least 364 brushes.
Tell her that you learned it takes almost a year for a brush to fully dry, then you're good for at least 364 brushes.
I feel like that is a reasonable limit for us to put on ourselves. Anything more than 365 brushes and I have a problem
Don't you actually need 366 to take into account leap years?
I like where this is going...
A brush stored in a location where air can circulate "should" dry on its own over night before it is used again. Placing one in a restricted environment (such as inside a cabinet, drawer, or other closed area) will keep the brush from drying naturally.
Extremely dense brushes like Simpsons Chubby, Polo, and the thickly packed Rooney brushes may take a little longer to dry. My Polo 12 is still damp inside several days after I use it last.
I do not know if there are any adverse effects of keeping a natural hair/bristle brush wet continuously for years on end but I can see no reason to push my luck with expensive brushes. Now with a $10 brush, who cares but once they get over $200 I try to do a little more for them.
I used the same brush, razor, and mug for 40 years without any adverse effects. Now the bristles did wear down a LOT in that time period but I never noticed any other problems. BUT... this was a nylon bristled brush not a natural hair brush.
I could see mold or bacteria being an issue if you store the brush while wet, but if it is out in the open I don't see it as a problem if it doesn't completely dry. After all, you are washing it with soap daily during normal use...
We have an excellent ventilation system in the bathroom. Also, the bathroom door is mostly always open so the AC is sucked into the bathroom then sucked out by the ventilation fan. Plenty of ventilation in our bathroom. Hence my chubby 3 Manchurian dries pretty fast.
- Thread starter
- #14
Very interesting and helpful discussion. Thank you all.
+1 & Stink
I shake my BK8 until it's almost dry (OK, it's not dry, but there is nothing left but damp hair) - probably 15 times. It drys way before my next shave.
I have a plastic/resin/something Franks Shaving brush that I just toss around... I use it when I use it, but I don't worry about making sure it's dry. I have a wood handled brush that I have set near my register ( it gets air flow, but no heat ) and make sure it dries completely. I do that more for the wood than I do for the knot. It's also the only brush I always hang upside down so it dries faster.
I agree
I am afraid of that so from time to time i use white vinegar for disinfection.
What do wild badgers and other animals do in the winter, when they are constantly cold and wet? How do they dry their coats? Do they become moldy?
Making that sort of comparison is like comparing a cow to a pair of shoes........ not really worthwhile.
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