Tutorial Clean & De-Stink your shaving brushes

Discussion in 'Tutorials' started by Neolithium, Jan 2, 2013.

  1. Douglas Carey

    Douglas Carey Wildman

    Thanks solid information. One question what is the toothbrush for?
     
  2. Omaney

    Omaney Well-Known Member

    Plaque removal and halitosis prevention.




    :prrr:
     
    Douglas Carey likes this.
  3. Douglas Carey

    Douglas Carey Wildman

    :D

     
  4. grump

    grump Well-Known Member

    To brush and get in between the hair.
     
    Douglas Carey likes this.
  5. Douglas Carey

    Douglas Carey Wildman

    Thanks Phil.:happy096:

     
  6. chambolle

    chambolle New Member

    I'm looking at the 'certificate' that was inserted in the box that contains my new Thater cocobolo 2 band bulb brush. Now, having just tossed $200 at this toy, and being a bit on the obsessive/compulsive side of the line, I'd like to care for it properly. Thater says it warrants its brushes for two years against defects in materials and workmanship, but states a number of 'exclusions from warranty,' which include the following:

    'The warranty will be void in case of: ... Improper use and treatment with strong detergents such as borax.'

    I don't know about you, and you can call me a silly goose (or worse) for believing what I read, but if the manufacturer of my brush specifically directs me NOT to use borax to clean it because damage will follow, for which the manufacturer will disclaim any responsibility, I'm not about to use the stuff to clean my new brush, or any of my other badger brushes.

    My philosophy here is 'do no harm.' I rinse my brushes to a fare thee well after each use. I never use the same brush more than once every three days to give ample time for thorough drying. Now and then I will use a very mild, 'natural' and dye-free dishwashing liquid to soak and clean my brushes, or a 'purpose built' cleaner like the one from Da Vinci. I kinda figure that they make scores of badger brushes for shaving, makeup and other uses and if they manufacture a brush cleaner, it's probably the right stuff. It costs about $20, which is a fraction of the cost of one high end silvertip shaving brush, and it lasts about forever, so who gives a whoop. Put another way, it's the current tariff for one shot of decent scotch at the nearby hotel bar. So blow the Hamilton, hang the cost and rest assured you've done what the manufacturers of the best silvertip brushes recommend.

    My sense of adventure stops right about there, and I wouldn't counsel anyone to don a white lab coat and go experimenting on his collection of expensive brushes with various home brewed potions, lotions and emollients.

    Just my '02 cents, and my first foray into this den of thieves, so have at it and/or me.
     
    SlowRoller47 and Douglas Carey like this.
  7. Douglas Carey

    Douglas Carey Wildman

    Clean with shampoo, finish with hair conditioner. Rinse well.
     
    PatrickA51 likes this.
  8. chambolle

    chambolle New Member

    Shampoo sounds like a fair idea as well, so long as it is mild and more or less dye free. But my concern is that this string begins with a 'tutorial' that instructs readers to deep clean brushes with borax, which at least one manufacturer indicates is about the worst thing one could do to a quality silvertip badger brush. Of course this same manufacturer (Thater) also discourages face lathering - advice I will choose to ignore as I've been doing it for quite some time with no apparent ill effects. And even if it might be a bit harder on my brushes, I enjoy lathering on my face and it also helps to set up my beard and skin before the assault with a blade, so that's that.

    BTW my 'no more than once every three days' rule of thumb doesn't apply to fiber brushes, which probably goes without saying but heck, I went and said it.
     
    Herm2502 likes this.
  9. PatrickA51

    PatrickA51 Well-Known Member

    Every one of my Brushes, before I have ever used any of them have been washed twice with Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap Tea Tree Liquid Soap. I use it as a shampoo, and or bath soap. Whats good enough for my body is good enough for shaving brushes.
     
    Douglas Carey likes this.
  10. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Borax is mildly abrasive. I imagine that they are more concerned with damage to the handle from Borax, rather than the bristles.
     
    Boojum1 likes this.
  11. chambolle

    chambolle New Member

    Good ol' Dr. Bronners... Hours of fun reading the labels, although I have to admit I havent used the stuff since my Zap Comix days, quite a few decades ago.
     
  12. chambolle

    chambolle New Member

    The Thater insert actually warns against damage to bristles from 'strong detergents,' and later says it will not warrant the brush against 'improper use and treatment with strong detergents, such as borax.' The logical and reasonable reading of that would appear to be that Thater believes borax is a 'strong detergent' that will damage bristles. I've not used borax on any of my brushes before, and don't plan to start doing so now, as there are less aggressive and manufacturer-recommended ways to clean brushes without it.

    But again, the Thater folks seem to be awfully persnickety and protective of their bristles. They also 'strongly recommend not to lather directly on the face,' explaining that whiskers are much stronger than badger hair and thus face lathering will shorten brush life.

    They could be right, but I will gladly forfeit a bit of longevity in exchange for the pleasure of massaging my face with silvertip bristles and silky shaving lather. That's a fair trade, and that pleasure is the reason I pay the big bucks for good shaving brushes in the first place. But shortening the life of my brush by 'maintaining' it with overly aggressive cleaners doesn't add to the pleasure of using the brush, so I will forego that option.
     
  13. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I don't blame you. A bottle of MAC brush cleaner is what, about $13? It will last for years too.
     
    SlowRoller47 likes this.
  14. PatrickA51

    PatrickA51 Well-Known Member

    Are you trying to make me feel like and Old Fart?
     
  15. chambolle

    chambolle New Member

    Actually, I think I just succeeded in establishing my own status as a bona fide old fart!
     
    PatrickA51 likes this.
  16. chrisf8657

    chrisf8657 Active Member

    I'll be giving this a go when my new Simpsons arrives. Good info!
     
  17. PatrickA51

    PatrickA51 Well-Known Member

    I think we are probably all "Old Farts"
     
  18. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    You know you're really old when you start farting dust!
     
  19. chrisf8657

    chrisf8657 Active Member

    I've found the Borax does not work for removing the smell - the Borax is better for "cleaning" the brush after it's been used for awhile to remove hard water & soap buildup.
    For initial cleaning and defunking, Tide Laundry Detergent left to sit for 2 hours with several very good rinses or a Dish Soap left to sit 3-6 hours done thrice with good rinses inbetween work very well to rid most or all of the smell.

    I tried Vinegar once and that didn't work well either. I personally don't like the idea of it since it's acidic and hair doesn't like acidic things, but to each his own.
     
  20. cubancigar2000

    cubancigar2000 Well-Known Member

    I have never had a brush stink? All mine smell great just like the last soap I used?? The only thing I can think of that would make a brush smell bad is if it were left wet too long??
     

Share This Page