How to Clean Your Hair Brushes, Dryer, and More, According to a Celebrity Stylist
When it comes to makeup tools, we all know just how important it is to wash our brushes often. But what about our hair tools? Other than picking out hair from your brush, giving it and your heat tools a thorough cleansing can actually work wonders for them and you. “Regular cleaning of your tools will add longevity to their life,” notes Marilisa Sears, artistic director for Marc Anthony True Professional. “It also removes oils, gunk, and bacteria that can build up.” Keep reading to find out exactly how to clean your hair brushes, flat irons and wands, and blow dryers.
hair Brushes
We know it’s not your favorite, but removing hair that’s caught in between your brush’s bristles is a must. “No matter what sort of brush you have, run a fine-tooth comb through it each week to remove any hair build up,” says Sears. If you have the time, consider making it a daily effort. Original Mineral Creative Director and Owner, Janelle Chaplin, suggests brushes and combs should be cleared of hair after each use.
When it’s time for a deeper clean, how you proceed will depend on which type of brush you use. If your brush of choice is a detangling, extension, boar bristle, or paddle style, grab a small bowl of water and a baby toothbrush. “Add a little bit of baking soda and liquid soap to a bowl and mix together,” instructs Sears. “Dip the toothbrush into the mixture and gently rub.” Repeat this step until all the caked up product is gone. Then rinse the toothbrush under water and wipe any pesky residue away.
For your typical rubber padded brush that we all know and love, Chaplin mentions they can be “washed in warm water with a little shampoo then rinsed well and left to completely dry on a towel.”
Flat irons + wands
Cleaning your flat irons and wands is a crucial step in extending the life of tools and how effective they are at styling your hair. If you’re using your hot tools daily, Chaplin recommends cleaning them once a week, otherwise biweekly will do the trick.
To remove product buildup, dirt, oil, and dirt from your styling hot tools, gather a small towel or washcloth, water, and baking soda. Turn on your tool, let it heat up, and then turn it off. “While it’s still warm, dip your towel into the warm water and pour a smidge of baking soda onto the towel,” she directs. “Gently scrub the metal until the gunk is gone, rinse the towel. Then go over your tool once more.”
Blow dryers
On the back of most blow dryers, you’ll see a mesh piece. This is your hairdryer’s filter that, when clean, can make drying time shorter and keep your tool in its best condition throughout years of use. Sears coaches us to remove this mesh piece and clean the area weekly, if possible, but no longer than monthly. (Photo via Getty)
To do so, unplug your dryer and grab the same baby toothbrush for this process. Cleaning this area as often as you can keeps your tool unclogged and clear. You can also take a warm cloth dipped in soap and remove any build up whenever you see gunk around the nozzle of your drying tool.
Chaplin also suggests using a small brush (or toothbrush) to brush out all the dirt in the filter, then finishing up by washing with soap and drying completely before re-attaching it to the dryer.
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(Photos via Getty)