How To Clean Hair Brushes

Trio of hair brushes isolated.

How to clean hair brushes easily. Clean hair brushes and combs are not only more appealing to look at - they will also keep your hair clean longer.

The good news: It's easy to clean hair brushes, and you should plan to clean them weekly. All you need to get these grooming essentials clean is shampoo, running water, and a toothpick (for really settled-in hairbrush hair).

Here's how the weekly brush cleaning routine shakes out.

1.  Remove Hair from Brush Bristles

Pull as much hair from the bristles as possible with your fingers. Use a toothpick to loosen and remove tightly bound hair.

2.  How to Clean Hair Brushes With Shampoo

Soak the brush or comb in a sink filled with warm water and a squirt of shampoo for about 15 minutes. This will help loosen surface oils or hair styling products for removal.

The shampoo will also clean hairbrush bristles and comb surfaces at the same time. Gently scrub the base of the hair brush, or the teeth of the comb, with your fingers after the 15-minute soak. Then move on to the bristles.

Continue gently removing debris until all the hair and visible buildup on the base and the bristles disappear. Rinse with clean water. Lay on a towel and allow to air-dry. 

3.  Clean Hair Brushes with Stubborn Oily Deposits with Vinegar

How to clean hair brushes of oily deposits. If the bristles still don't feel clean, submerge the brush in a coffee mug filled with equal parts of warm water and vinegar.

This will help break up and remove stubborn, oily deposits. Let soak for 15 minutes. Rinse, and then dry the brush flat on a clean towel.

4.  Clean Wood, Padded, or Rubber Brush Cushions Without Submerging

If your brush has a wood base, rubber padding, or has natural boar bristles, clean it under warm running water with shampoo - without submerging it in water. Water can go through the vent holes on cushioned brushes and will erode the cushioning.

On wood brushes, sustained exposure to water can cause the wood to weaken and break. And natural boar bristles can twist or curl.


You Might Like These:

  • Here is how to clean copper cookware. While it takes more time to clean copper, it's hard to argue the cookware's benefits aren't worth the extra effort to keep clean and polished to perfection.

    How to Clean Copper Cookware

    Here is how to clean copper cookware. While it takes more time to clean copper, it's hard to argue the cookware's benefits aren't worth the extra effort to keep clean and polished to perfection.

  • How to make disinfecting wipes at home. Store bought disinfecting wipes are simple to use and kill most bacteria and viruses. These ready made wipes are spendy, however.

    Make Disinfecting Wipes At Home

    How to make disinfecting wipes at home. Store bought disinfecting wipes are simple to use and kill most bacteria and viruses. These ready made wipes are spendy, however.

  • How to clean your phone, tablet, and other touchscreens.

    How to Clean Your Phone

    How to clean your phone, tablet, and other touchscreens.

  • How to get windows clean for less cash. Store-bought formula or home-mixed variety? Paper towels, squeegee or cloth rags? Much like the paper-or-plastic debate, the best strategy for getting windows clean isn't always crystal clear.

    Get Windows Clean For Less Cash

    How to get windows clean for less cash. Store-bought formula or home-mixed variety? Paper towels, squeegee or cloth rags? Much like the paper-or-plastic debate, the best strategy for getting windows clean isn't always crystal clear.

  • Summer house cleaning hacks. So, you didn't quite get around to that spring cleaning, did you? Relax. Summer is a season for second changes, and these house cleaning hacks can help.

    Summer House Cleaning Hacks

    Summer house cleaning hacks. So, you didn't quite get around to that spring cleaning, did you? Relax. Summer is a season for second changes, and these house cleaning hacks can help.

  • Weekly house cleaning checklist for your home's high-touch hot spots. Using a cleaner-disinfectant saves time because it combines two steps - and gets those dirty jobs done quicker.

    Weekly House Cleaning Checklist

    Weekly house cleaning checklist for your home's high-touch hot spots. Using a cleaner-disinfectant saves time because it combines two steps - and gets those dirty jobs done quicker.

  • How to clean cleaning supplies. Yes, you need to clean cleaning supplies too - if you want to win the war against household dirt, grime, and germs in your home.

    How To Clean Cleaning Supplies

    How to clean cleaning supplies. Yes, you need to clean cleaning supplies too - if you want to win the war against household dirt, grime, and germs in your home.

  • These stone floor cleaning tips can help remove the dirt and stains of daily family life.

    Stone Floor Cleaning Tips

    These stone floor cleaning tips can help remove the dirt and stains of daily family life.