Rinsing/Cleaning the Brush

Hello, I've just recently registered here after lurking here and at several of the other shaving forums. Seems that SRP is the most focused on straight razors, so this is where I should be. Learned about you all from a thread on a fountain pen forum, BTW.

So, I've used a cheapo boar's ahir brush and soap with disposable blades for a bit over twenty years, I think. I tossed my first brush about 5 or 6 years ago, after I noticed it resembled my the end of my Welsh Terrier's tail--after he'd been sitting in the dirt. The current one is well on the road to the same state.

I do plan to get a new brush, an entry level badger's hair brush, but am curious about the focus on rinsing and cleaning the brush. Is this about ensuring it will hold water and make a good lather, or are there other reasons for this? (Besides the simple hygenics I'm not so attuned to!)

I've ordered Lynn's DVD and will spend some time studying that before my next steps, but thanks for any information!

Best, Dan Carmell

Hi dcarmell,

Just rinse well under warm running water while swirling the bristles in your cupped palm, gently squeeze out excess water and give a couple of shakes, that's all. If you still notice suds in your brush, just rinse a little longer.

Use a brush holder to hold the brush upside down, or place it in your mug upside down like I do, or, let it sit on it's end bristles up. At one time I stored my brush bristles up for years with no ill effect. Just do what's easiest for you.

I've had the same brush (Crabtree Evelyn best badger I think) for close to 20 years and it's still working just fine with just the minimal care I described above.

It's mostly hygenic and just good common sense brush care. Nothing magical nor mysterious about it.

Good Luck,

Scott

You will also find that every so often you'll need to wash out the brush to clean away soapy residue. I'd say once a month is fine. There are different methods, but dishwashing soap seems to work for me. Make a lather with your brush and the detergent, mush it up really well, and then rinse thoroughly. That will remove the shavesoap/cream residue that buildsup over time, and make the brush more absorbant again.

Soap scum builds up on the bristles over time, making them hydrophobic. I wash mine with shampoo, then follow up with a bit of hair conditioner. It's hair, after all, so clean it the same way you do your own. How often it needs this depends on your water and your lather. When I used creams the brush needed cleaning every other week, but since I switched to soaps its more like twice a year.