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:

  • How to clean crystal glasses and everyday stemware to keep them looking their best - party after party.

    How to Clean Crystal Glassware

    How to clean crystal glasses and everyday stemware to keep them looking their best - party after party.

  • Cleaning brass is easy to do at home, thanks to the built-in germicidal and antimicrobial components. These bright ideas for cleaning brass can bring back the sassy shine you love.

    Bright Ideas for Cleaning Brass

    Cleaning brass is easy to do at home, thanks to the built-in germicidal and antimicrobial components. These bright ideas for cleaning brass can bring back the sassy shine you love.

  • Easy summer cleaning tips. With the kids out of school for summer, chances are you'll have more messes to clean than usual. These easy summer cleaning ideas can help.

    Easy Summer Cleaning Tips

    Easy summer cleaning tips. With the kids out of school for summer, chances are you'll have more messes to clean than usual. These easy summer cleaning ideas can help.

  • Cleaning lighting fixtures. Lighting fixtures need cleaning about once a month. These cleaning tips can help you clean them properly - and get all that wattage you're paying for.

    Cleaning Lighting Fixtures

    Cleaning lighting fixtures. Lighting fixtures need cleaning about once a month. These cleaning tips can help you clean them properly - and get all that wattage you're paying for.

  • You've always heard about the benefits of a family meeting, You've always been curious. Now's the time. Get started with these family meeting rules of order as your guide.

    Family Meeting Rules of Order

    You've always heard about the benefits of a family meeting, You've always been curious. Now's the time. Get started with these family meeting rules of order as your guide.

  • Tips for choosing a vacuum. How times change. These tips can help you make a smart choice for your home's flooring.

    Tips For Choosing a Vacuum

    Tips for choosing a vacuum. How times change. These tips can help you make a smart choice for your home's flooring.

  • How to clean lamps and light fixtures to allow your home to get all that expensive wattage you're paying for. Here's how to safely clean lamps and lamp shades.

    How to Clean Lamps and Shades

    How to clean lamps and light fixtures to allow your home to get all that expensive wattage you're paying for. Here's how to safely clean lamps and lamp shades.

  • When cleaning stainless steel pans, rinse your pieces under warm running water and mild soap. Resist the urge to submerge: Less is more here.

    Cleaning Stainless Steel Pans

    When cleaning stainless steel pans, rinse your pieces under warm running water and mild soap. Resist the urge to submerge: Less is more here.



Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.