Thread: Rinse clean brush every time after shave?

Are you supposed to rinse-clean the brush every time after the shave?

On my brush, there's usually good left-over shaving cream. And as expensive as my shaving cream is, I'd like to conserve as much as possible. It doesn't make frugal sense to wash good shaving cream away, and wanted to save some for next time, and perhaps not needing to add as much the following shave. At some point, perhaps weekly or when I notice there's too much old shaving cream, I can thoroughly rinse and clean the brush.

But since I'm new, and this is my first brush, I'm not sure if this will lead to ruining my brush or shortening its life span? Or perhaps I need to clean the shaving cream out of the hair so the brush will dry better and become fluffy?

Thanks,
Jake

Jake,
I tried the same thing you suggest and learned the hard way (with a NASTY breakout of cystic infections) that many bacteria and the fungus that causes tinea barberae will grow in a wet soapy brush...
... I decided the few pennies of soap or cream I was saving were definitely NOT worth it...

That said, contrary to what I had previously read it did no damage to the knots. In both respects, however, YMMV.

+1 on Benjamin's advice. Additionally, over time leaving your brush full of wet lather will result in its deterioration as well. One day the knot of your brush hairs or a part of it will fall out.

Rinse your brush thoroughly after every shave. Shake out the excess water, then hang it brush side down so that it can dry out.

With enough practice I figured out a near perfect balance of lather, water and method to use up all the soap. There isnt massive amounts of super lather but its good enough to shave well with.
I use slightly less water than I need when loading brush. Gently rub puck with it a few small strokes and bowl lather. Add a drop or two of water at a time. By the time I am on third pass there is almost no lather left. I hand squeeze lather out of the brush and use my hand to apply the last bits.

Instead of saving old lather, make as little as possible. Will need to experiment for probably a long time to figure out a perfect routine. Keep the brush as clean and dry as possible.

My dear Jake:

Benjamin gives sound advice. Rinse and clean after every shave is my motto, as well. Besides, there is something pleasant and refreshing about whipping up lather from start to finish. It is part of the pleasures of wet shaving.

Regards,
Obie

I have always rinsed my brush well in hot tap water after the shave. I've got a number of brushes now but I only had one for about thirty years + and it is still around so it is a good thing to do for your brush IME.

+1 to C23's statement. I know what you mean about not wanting to waste, but you will get better at estimating the amount of soap or cream required.

On a puck of soap, you're not going to pick up enough to make it disappear appreciably sooner, and with creams, the quantity is easy to adjust. Some of the creams require so little to get a proper amount of lather that I don't see them running out in the short term.

It's not worth the health risks. Make sure your brush is well-rinsed, and allowed to dry thoroughly. I shake mine out and give it a bit of a squeeze as well, but not so much as to put a strain on the base of the knot.

Fred

If you have extra lather you can apply some to your mirror to make it temporarily fog free. It's apparently also usable on barber hones for lubricant and some even use it as a strop conditioner.

Originally Posted by Blue

If you have extra lather you can apply some to your mirror to make it temporarily fog free.

Make sure it's glycerine soap and not tallow soap.