I rinse my shaving brush thoroughly, take my razor apart (or open the doors) and give it a quick scrub under running water with my clean brush. TTO's are left open and I let them air dry, and 3 piece razors are given a quick pat dry using a towel and then loosely reassembled. I've been doing this for nearly 2 years now and haven't had any trouble at all. No dipping ever.
From the Barbicide website FAQ: This post on Shave My Face provides a real-world example: As you noted, there is plenty of other anecdotal evidence around. Then dips in alcohol and Barbicide are best avoided, as they are not strictly necessary.
I dipped when I was cartridge shaving to preserve the blade but haven't found I needed to with such cheap DE blades. I scrub my razor with an toothbrush when change blades and dry it with a towel.
I bought a spray bottle from the dollar store a few years back. It looks similar to this: The spray is set on mist. After every shave I give my razor a few quick sprays with 70% iso and then put it away. I've noticed that this greatly reduces soap scum build-up and helps the razor to dry more quickly. I'm a daily shaver and do this every time I shave, and my razors all still look great.
I use a water rinse. I'm the only one who uses it and my bathroom, so the only stuff that it's contaminated with is me.
