How To Clean Your Hair Comb

Purchasing a new set of hair clippers represents an investment, as you most likely expect to use the device for a long time. But hoping you will make the best out of it is not enough.

Your clippers need a bit of attention from your part so that you boost your grooming opportunities for an extended period.

Similar to other grooming devices, cleaning this machine is more than necessary.

If you are looking for more suggestions on how to clean clippers and their blades, this article is for you!

Up next, you will discover why you need to clean the blades and how to do it like a professional!

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Why Do You Need to Clean Your Clippers?
Step by Step Guide to Cleaning Hair Clipper Blades
- Step 1 – Remove dirt and hair clippings
- Step 2 – Remove detaching parts
- Step 3 – Start the cleaning process
- Step 4 – Take care of the comb attachments, too
- Step 5 – Don't forget to oil the rusty blades
Summing Up the Pro Tips About Cleaning Clipper Blades

Why Do You Need to Clean Your Clippers?

Sanitation and sterilization are essential for any hair clipper blades.

Clean blades have a better life span, as they remain sharper and rust-free for longer.

Plus, regular maintenance can prevent bacteria buildup, along with several other diseases.

This means you can save a lot of money and use your device for an extended period as you no longer need to deal with rusty blades in the future which is most of the time a complete headache.

Now that you know that maintenance is key to the effectiveness of your hair clipper blades, you should start gathering some cleaning supplies and see what's the best step-by-step guide to cleaning your clipper blades.

Step by Step Guide to Cleaning Hair Clipper Blades

Proper cleaning can be done with the help of:

Cleaning brush
Screwdriver
Blade-cleaning solution or warm water mixed with vinegar
Clean and dry soft cloth
Hair clipper oil

After you gather the supplies mentioned above, you are ready to start the cleaning process.

Let's see how you can sanitize your hair clipper as a professional does!

Step 1 – Remove dirt and hair clippings

Hair clippers can get a lot of buildup after every haircut.

This can lead to blade damage and can alter the functionality of the motor.

Thus, to better the performance and protect your device, you should start your maintenance routine by removing dirt and hair clippings.

If your device has a separate storage area for debris, you can simply empty it.

But if you have a tool without such storage in its design, you can do the following.

Use a comb or cleaning brush to remove hair and make sure there is no buildup left.

Keep in mind that you should never clean your hair clipper blades with a cotton ball.

Step 2 – Remove detaching parts

The second step is to look at your hair clipper model and determine what parts are detachable.

Keep in mind that many manufacturers use distinct designs, meaning you won't be able to disassemble your tool in the same way.

Our tip is to check the user's manual for your hair clipper and start removing parts such as the shaving head or the foil.

Step 3 – Start the cleaning process

It is an important step you shouldn't overlook.

After disassembling the device, you should start disinfecting it.

Always remember that the blades come in direct contact with hair and scalp.

This means unclean blades are filled with germs and bacteria that can promote skin infections.

Thus, to disinfect your trimmer, you can use any of the 4 mentioned ways:

a) Use a clipper spray

The fastest and most straightforward way to sterilize your hair clipper blades and remove any buildup of bacteria is with the help of a specially designed clipper spray or a lube.

You can find these products in almost any shop, and you will most likely see any barber applying it on the trimmer shortly before using the device on a client.

Most of the clipper spray, lubricating oil, or lube is non-detergent based and is designed to significantly prolong the blade life.

These are excellent for preventing rust and mold, too.

b) Use white vinegar

Of course, if you are looking to use ingredients available in your kitchen, you can always clean and disinfect your razor or hair clipper blades with white distilled vinegar.

To do this, you need to:

Take all removable parts of your device and soak them in warm water for up to 10 minutes
Use a bowl to mix equal quantities of vinegar and water
Place the blades and shaving head in this mixture for no more than 20 minutes
Wipe the parts with a dry cloth and allow them to air-dry
When the blades are dry, oil them and reattach them on your device.

c) Use rubbing alcohol or disinfectant

The general rule says that if you use a standard 70% isopropyl alcohol, you will manage to sterilize your blades, as bacteria cannot thrive with this concentration.

Of course, specially manufactured shaver blade disinfectant is useful, too.

Make sure you purchase qualitative solutions to prevent rust or sharpness loss after the cleaning process.

So, to disinfect your hair clipper blades with alcohol, you need to:

Use ¼ cup of alcohol and pour it into a bowl
Soak the blades, and avoid other parts of your device from touching the alcohol
Allow the blades to soak for around 30 seconds
Afterward, wipe off any liquid and allow the blades to air dry
When the blades are dry, oil them and reattach them on your device.

d) Use ultrasonic cleaning machine

Ultrasonic cleaning device at home offers brilliant technology when it comes to cleaning valuable things like antique coins, jewelry, watches, and even your hair clipper blades.

When you switch 'On' the cleaner, ultrasonic vibrations create tiny bubbles that release high energy and cleaning power.

And you will see that the submerged clipper blade is getting cleaned slowly and gently.

The good thing is the dirt from the shaver blade separates off into the water within a few minutes of the cleaning cycle saving you from all the hassle of a time-consuming job.

Since the ultrasonic cleaning device uses only water and ultrasonic waves, no contact of chemicals is involved in this cleaning method.

DO NOT use solutions such as Dettol or alcohol in the ultrasonic machines as it can affect its efficacy and can also damage the machine.

Step 4 – Take care of the comb attachments, too

Many people forget about cleaning the comb attachments.

But this is a necessary step, as the entire hair clipper gets in contact with bacteria and residue from hair and scalp.

Besides, you have to remove the grease that gathers in the nooks, to make sure the device is adequately sterilized.

To clean your comb attachments, you should:

Take some lukewarm water and mix it with a mild soap
Rinse the combs by hand and positioned them under running tap water to make sure any solvent is removed
Place the combs on a cloth and let them air-dry for at least half a day

Step 5 – Don't forget to oil the rusty blades

This is an essential step that can protect your device and expand its lifespan.

After carefully cleaning the blades, you should always lubricate them.

This step is necessary to make sure you have sharp and strong moving blades.

Not doing so can lead to scratches on the skin and a lack of effectiveness.

Hence, to oil the blades, you should consider the following:

First of all, you need to verify if you cleaned the blades correctly. You should oil the blades only after you sterilized and allow them to dry
You should position the clipper downward, and make sure there is a recipient underneath it for the oil to pour into
Pour around three drops oil on the blades, and be careful not to slip too much product
To make sure the oil is distributed evenly, switch on the device. The fast rotation of the blades will do the job for you and allow the oil to reach every inch of your blades
Turn off the device and remove with a cloth any excess oil

Our advice is to verify the manufacturer's instructions for oiling the blades of your product.

Depending on the model, there might be particular indications regarding how to lubricate metal moving parts for your device.

Also, some products might require a specific lubricating oil, so it is best to verify what are the maintenance requirements for your hair clipper model.

And you should know that purchasing a professional hair clipper will get you a bottle of clipper, oil, too.

Thus, you can use that as guidance on what refills to buy when you ran out of oil.

Our advice is never to use mechanical or any other type of oil that wasn't designed to be applied on clipper blades.

Summing Up the Pro Tips About Cleaning Clipper Blades

Now that you've reached the end of our guide on how to clean rusty clipper blades, let's sum up the essential tips professionals say, you mustn't overlook:

DO's

1- Do frequent clippers maintenance, based on how often you use the device.

Generally, you should clean them once a week or after every fourth trimming session. This way, you will prevent bacteria or debris buildup.

2- Always make sure the clippers are unplugged when cleaning and that you don't submerge any electrical components in the water.

3- Always use the cleaning brush offered by the manufacturer.

4- If you didn't receive one, you should purchase a brush designed for hair clippers. In some cases, a soft toothbrush can be useful, too.

You should always verify how the clipper is reassembled correctly.

Aligning the blades as instructed and closing the head tightly will enable optimum functionality. Otherwise, you risk damaging your device beyond repair.

5- After cleaning, you should always allow the clippers to dry appropriately. Not doing so can damage your hair clipper blades.

Don'ts

1- Do not compromise on the quality of the clipper oil.

You should always purchase hair clipper blades oil for the best maintenance results. Other oils can damage beyond repair your blades.

2- Do not use excessive amounts of oil. Lubricating the blades can be done only with a couple of drops. Adding too much can deem the product ineffective.

FAQs:

Can You Use Ultrasonic Cleaner for Cleaning Clipper Blades?

Well, the answer is definitely yes.

Ultrasonic automatic cleaner machines are known to clean intricate items like clipper blades that cannot be cleaned by hand.

The best part of the ultrasonic cleaner is that the liquid can penetrate into even very small crevices while making the cleaning action gentle and thorough.

How Often to Clean Your Hair Clipper Blade?

Cleaning your hair trimmer blade after every use is a good idea. However, I usually oil and sharpen my Wahl clipper blade once in 6 months.

Depending on your use you can also deep clean (oil and sharpen them) using an automatic cleaning device every 3-4 months.

Remember, clipper blades usually last for about 6-8 months under normal working conditions. For many, a properly cleaned and oiled blade has lasted for even about 12-15 months.

According to Wahl, the lifetime of the blades will generally depend on how often you use them and how you take care of them.

With proper maintenance, you may need to replace the blades once a year.

Can Your Hair Clipper Blades Be Sharpened?

Yes, you can easily sharpen your clipper blades within few minutes at home. To sharpen first remove the blades from your clipper.

And then use a 4000-grit coarse sharpening honing stone to get them sharpened. These stones are easily available at a hardware store nearby.

As an alternative, you can also use a hair clipper blade sharpening machine that is available for sale at online stores.

The Bottom Line

Purchasing a hair clipper represents an investment, no matter if you are a professional barber or you are simply looking forward to using it at home.

But to make the best of your purchase, you should always keep a close eye on maintenance requirements.

Especially, if you are using a hair clipper for the first time, you should focus on creating a cleaning routine after each grooming session.

This is the simplest way of extending your product's life and use it safely.