Think about how often you use your hairbrush, then think about how often you clean it. If you’re anything like us, it’s time to learn how to clean your hairbrush. It turns out, using a clean hairbrush is part of any good hair care routine—just like cleaning makeup brushes is essential for healthy skin. After all, a dirty brush can redeposit gunk and grime back onto your scalp. Whether you have dandruff and product buildup or just haven’t cleaned your hairbrush in a while, we can all benefit from a clean brush.
The first sign that your hairbrush needs a good cleaning? Gray fuzzies. “When you start to see gray fuzzies or buildup on your brush, this is an indication that it’s time to give your brush a major cleaning, or simply get a new brush,” says hairstylist Leland Olson.
Dirty brushes can affect otherwise healthy hair. Jenna Spino, hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, also stresses the importance of removing these particles. “Cleaning your brush is important because this gross mixture will then transfer back onto your head,” she says. “This can cause bacteria to grow and make your hair look dirty.”
If you haven’t yet cleaned your hairbrush or just need to brush up (pun intended) on best practices, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about how to clean your hairbrush, straight from hair experts.
What is the gray fuzz on my hairbrush?
The accumulation of gray (or white) fuzzies is, unfortunately, just as gross as you think. “This buildup is usually a combination of dust, fibers, oils, discarded dry skin cells, and hair products that have been transferred from our hair to the brush,” says Olson.
Using a brush with gray fuzzies can be seriously damaging to your strands, so it’s important to clean them off. “Re-brushing this buildup back into your hair can lead to hair issues, odor, and accumulation of bacteria on your hair and scalp,” Olson adds.
How to remove buildup from hairbrushes
Luckily, if you’re taking care of the gray fuzz often enough, it’s not too difficult to remove. Simply use your fingers or a comb to remove loose hair and other debris. That should help loosen up the fuzzies, and then soak the brush in warm water and a little bit of dish soap or shampoo to soften the fuzz further. Then grab an old toothbrush or use your fingers again to scrub out the fuzz.
To help prevent buildup in the first place, hairstylist and colorist Dan Williams recommends keeping your brushes in a safe space. “Gray fuzzies are usually dust and particles in the air (clothing/towel fibers) that attach to the bristles,” he says. “It’s important to store your brushes in a closed space and clean them regularly so products such as hairspray, gels, and oils don’t allow for more of these particles to stick.”
How often should I clean my hairbrush?
Consistency is key, and Olson recommends a thorough monthly cleaning, whether you use a boar bristle brush, round brush, paddle brush, or even a rat-tail comb. “You should be cleaning your hairbrush thoroughly about once a month as well as your hair combs,” he says. However, there are some exceptions depending on your hair type.
“If you have longer or thicker hair, it’s more ideal to be cleaning your brushes and combs every two weeks,” Olson says. Or, if you use a lot of styling products, you may want to clean even more often. “If you find that your brush is getting buildup very quickly due to excessive product buildup in your hair, then I would recommend a weekly brush- and comb-cleaning routine,” Olson adds.
A small, preventive step you can take: “Every single time you finish cleaning your hair, pick out and remove any hair that’s transferred to your brush bristles immediately,” he says. “This will help prevent further tangles in the hair and the brush.”
What happens if I don’t clean my hairbrush?
Cleaning not only promotes a healthy scalp and strands, it also helps your hairbrush perform better, especially if you’ve invested in a pricier brush. If you’re not regularly keeping your hairbrush clean, you may be making things harder for yourself. “Brushes can range in price on the market depending on the brand, quality of the brush, and whether it’s a ceramic or natural bristle brush,” Olson says. “You want to clean your brushes regularly to help prevent your hairbrush from not working as intended or effectively.”
Williams agrees, adding that tools are available to help make the cleaning process easier. “Cleaning your brushes regularly keeps the quality of the bristles in better condition,” he says. “It will also allow the brush to work to its highest capacity—when a bunch of hair clogs the brush, you’ll notice the quality of detangling and smoothing deteriorates. You can find brush-cleaning tools on Amazon that make cleaning your brushes a breeze.”
Not cleaning your hairbrush also may inflict damage on your scalp. “When you aren’t cleaning constantly, every time you brush your hair, a dirty brush can redeposit buildup, bacteria, and dead skin cells to your hair strands and scalp,” Olson says. “This also may make detangling your hair much harder to do.”
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Mason Pearson Hair Brush
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How to clean hairbrushes
Luckily, how to clean a hairbrush is fairly simple and easy to achieve at home. “For a quick everyday cleansing for someone on the go, simply spray your combs and brushes with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water to dilute,” says Olson. “This is an easy way to instantly kill any bacteria that may grow on the brush in between thorough cleanings.”
How to deep clean hairbrushes
For a deep clean, Olson recommends soaking your brushes and combs in a tub of hot water with soap. Then air-dry your brush bristle-side down so it fully drains and doesn’t leave excess water in the brush or handle. “Please make sure to let your brush fully dry before your use it again,” he says.
Spino likes to add vinegar to her soaking mixture to make sure brushes are fully disinfected. You can even add some baking soda for additional cleaning power. “To truly disinfect, you will have to make a mixture of half water and half vinegar,” she says. “You can soak the brush and rinse well. If there is buildup stuck on the brush, scrub with something like a toothbrush. Depending on how often you use your brush, it should be cleaned once a week to once a month.”
If you’re not trying to DIY, Williams uses the Ship-Shape Comb and Brush Cleaner to clean his brushes and combs. “Soak the brushes in a tub overnight and rinse them really well the next day with water,” he says. “Your brushes will look and feel brand-new!” Once you’re done cleaning your brushes, you’ll be ready to get back to hairstyling, and trust us, your scalp will thank you for the freshly cleansed brush.
The post How to Clean Your Hairbrush, According to Professional Hairstylists appeared first on Glamour.
