Thread: Razor Sanitizing

Whatever you do, DON'T soak in bleach! Don't even get bleach close to a straight razor as you are asking for nightmares. Carbon steel and stainless steel are not places that "cooties" can survive long. The air we breath is quite deadly to blood-borne pathogens. Disinfect your blade with isoprophyl alcohol (I use 91% solution, the higher the better), please don't soak it...it doesn't need it. You can either dip it or wipe it. Just remember to oil the blade afterwards...

FYI: The #1 killer of "cooties" is soap...penicillin hasn't killed 1% of the germs that soap has.

As the others have said, alcohol works great. If you really want to be sure you can use the Clorox bleach free anti-microbial wipes before the alcohol.

As mentioned above, stell probably isn't going to carry anything nasty long term.

That said, I use Barbicide on my razors after they come in, and before they go out.

I remember an MD once recommending Lysol. Said that's what they used to disinfect everything in the ER, but I'd be careful with it on certain types of scales.

What's the advantage of isopropyl alcohol over denatured ethyl alcohol? Or the non-neutered Everclear we used to add to grape juice?

Originally Posted by Bruce

What's the advantage of isopropyl alcohol over denatured ethyl alcohol? Or the non-neutered Everclear we used to add to grape juice?

Isopropyl smells like hospital IME Bruce. And you know how potent smell can be in evoking emotion.

I also simply use isopropyl alcohol to sanitise any razors I have to send away or get in. My work area smells like a hospital ward. And sometimes, my wife dresses up in her nurses outfit, and I say "5 mil of isopropyl, stat!!" and she says "Yes, Doctor", and I say "You seem to have spilled some down your blouse nurse." ..... but I digress.

James.