Thread: How do I steralize a used brush?

Well I cleaned it with Borax and then the dish soap, conditioner and lastly vinegar. It really wasn't caked w/ soap, mildew or mold but I wanted it to be clean by my standards w, help from all of you. Now it is and I used it tonight. It worked well but has a much smaller knot than my other brushes and will take some time to get used to it. I guess I'm just spoiled. Thanks for all of your help.

Originally Posted by cassady

Joe -- I have some Barbacide that might work. I could bring it tomorrow -- but will it stain the bristles blue, I wonder?

cass

Barbicide will dry the bristles. There have been some recent threads (in other forums) of how it ruined a brush after soaking. It is also a skin irritant. While it can easily be washed off completely from razors, getting it off a brush is different.

I use Barbicide all the time. I mix it properly and don't over do the concentration. I then soak just the bristles about 5 minutes. I then rinse it really well. Borax will dry your bristles and should be use only if it is gunky. I then use a hair conditioner and work it in. I then wash the brush with a really good human hair soap. It will come out very well and looking like new. Just don't over do the Barbicide thing and once you have got it into shape proper care will mean no problems for years.


Later,
Richard

Is there a problem in using antibacterial soap for this?

Al raz.

Somewhere, about eight (8) months ago, I read about the use of a small (tabletop) tank with ultrasound. It was used to clean the soap build-up on shaving brushes' bristles. I am not sure if it just used distilled water or a solution. I wonder if it could work for "sterilization" of a used brush.

My only concern would be the safety of the bristle base (I would not want the bristles to fall out). I assume that this could be avoided by not submerging the brush completely, instead holding it by the handle while dipping just the bristles.

I have not done it. But if I could have access to a machine, I would try it.

1:5 barbosol to water. soak for about 5-7 min.
rinse with hot water to get all barbosol out.
use anti bacterial soap to work a lather in your hand. get down into the center.
rinse with hot water.
use shampoo to lather up and soften the bristles a little bit more.
rinse with hot water.

this has worked well for a couple that i have done, and so far no issues. also, i believe that any brush that has been sitting for any length of time, much less years, will not have anything still alive. zombie bugs only live on zombies, not shave brushes. it ain't coming back from the dead.

good luck.

vgod

+1 on what vgod said.




I might add that hair conditioner is very good for the bristles.


Take care,
Richard