OK, what is the proper way to dry your brush after use? I am starting to accumulate more and more brushes. I've see all kinds of racks that hold a brush bristles down but is it really necessary?
There is no scientific research to support either theory; up or down. Just rinse, shake out the excess, and store in an open, dry area.
I do both... One brush has a stand which holds it bristles down. Then I have another which i just let dry on its handle. I do however do as the queen has stated that I do rinse, shake out then flick some of the water out then store in an dry area that has air flow.
Next day (as your brush is upside-down in the stand) have you ever mention any drops down after you rinse and shake the excess water? Me never,that means had no water on the bristles I thing that the brush is not a wet cloth to hang it If you dry it properly after the shave i feel that does not need any stand.
Pretty much, two things generally lead to knot failure: manufacturing defects and excessive abuse. Personally I rinse and comb out the knot with my fingers essentially *Super Badger likes to tangle* wipe around the collar area with a towel *soap scum likes to buildup there* and place on my makeshift stand upside down till its entirely dry; I store the brushes upright, however.
At home, all but one of my brushes hang upside down from my storage cabinet via Velcro dots. Once I have completed my shave, I rinse thoroughly, shake/squeeze out the excess water, do a couple swipes on my bath towel to fluff the bristles and hang it on the cabinet. My "special-made-for-me' Secret Santa 2010 brush has not been adulterated with Velcro, she has her own stand and she dries upside down. When traveling, whichever brush tags-a-long dries upright on the hotel counter. Same routine as home, but the brush is stored upright versus hanging. I haven't had a problem either way and I am a frequent (at least once a quarter) traveler. It's your brush, dry it your way! Couldn't resist Steve!
Here are the ways, with the argument: Dry the brush with the bristles facing down so the water doesn't run into the knot. Argument: How come I never see any water gather at the tips or a puddle under the brush? Hanging it down is the wrong way to do it. Besides, water evaporates up. Dry the brush with the bristles facing up. That's the only way it can dry properly - water evaporates up, right? Argument: So you're saying that the wet inside of the glasses I put in the dish rack won't dry if I put them in the rack bottoms up? Funny, but the next morning the insides of my glasses are dry, and they have all been set on the rack bottoms up. Besides, hanging with the bristles up only allows water to run to the knot. Bottom line, dry it how you want, just do not store a wet brush in an enclosed area like the medicine cabinet or linen closet.
True, enclosure allows moisture to be retained which is lethal to your brush! You will soon declare that there is a fungus among us!
I've been drying mine with the bristles up as I don't have a brush stand (yet - of course I have one on order! Gotta display the goods properly!) and haven't had any problems. What I do is rinse thoroughly in a full sink of clean water, then run water over the brush until I'm sure all the soap residue is gone, very gently squeeze the brush from the knot to the tips of the hairs, give it a gentle shake over the bathtub and let it rest. Seems to be working so far.
There is no fear that the water will pass via knot base into the handle and corrupt it Between the base and the side of the handle there is a lot of epoxy glue,the handle is acrylic but even if it's from wood it's from a durable one passed with lacquer.
LOL!!! I dry mine diagonal. Hang them on an angle. Cause I can't decide whether to do it up or down. No actually it's because the stand I have is too small to hold any of my brushes. I start out down or diagonal and when I get home from work I fluff the brush and stand it up to finish drying.
I used to dry mine down but I have stasrted drying it up. Above is my new brush, for some reason it wont fit in my usual brush holder cant think why. so It gets dry up
I think we must try a retation system 1 day upright,1 day up side down,1 day diagonal. Maybe someone invent the "rotary" system,you catch the brush by a special mechanism and a small motor turns it 360 degrees by slow motion for some hours That way you have the perfect brush drying !
