What's a good way to steam a towel? I have a microwave, but not sure how much water to throw into the mix...
-Chief
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What's a good way to steam a towel? I have a microwave, but not sure how much water to throw into the mix...
-Chief
I wet my towel then microwave it for 1 +min (depends how much heat you can tolerate).
The traditional method works for me. Roll the towel, hold it under a stream of hot water until it is wet, wring out excess water and unroll over face.
This sounds crazy, but I used my wife's crock-pot a couple of weekends ago to steam a stack. Dunked the towels in warm water, wrung them, and popped them in the crock-pot while I took a shower. Worked great... kept two steaming while I did the first wrap and WTG pass.
When ever I've nuked a towel in the microwave I've had enough water in it so that its as wet as it can be without actually dripping water everwhere.
And I gave it about 30 seconds IIRC.
The shave I had at Trumpers also had about that level of water in the towels. Any more water in them and they would have been dripping wet..!
Definately one of the most enjoyable elements of a shave IMHO!
the crok pot thats funny!!! but hey it works....just dont let the wifey find the crok pot while your in the shower...gonna be wanting to cook a roast and find you in the shower cooking towels in the bathroom
I gotta like the crock pot. I'm a Hot towel via Microwave myself. The faucet water is never hot enough. I nuke a washcloth for a minute while I re-lather and or re-strop. I do three passes, maybe even another final touch pass. Through all of these, I hot towel for every pass.
Thanks guys. I'll have to check out that crock pot method...
I'm sure I'm driving my wife nuts however-- I keep "repurposing" her appliances... a few months ago I was experimenting with her fondue pot as a makeshift scuttle...
And I use her instant hot water heater/teapot when the kids use up all the hot water...
-Chief
I figured a way to override the safety catch on the microwave door. Now i just soak my head in a bucket of water, wrap a towel around it and stick my head in the microwave, running on "high". Stings a little when my eyeballs get a little hot...that's when I know to pull my head out. Crockpots are for wussies.
I have never had an issue with my water temp, so I use the sinks hot water, then wring out the towel till it stops dripping.
Hot water from my kettle.
I use the kettle instead of tap water so I don't waste water waiting for it to heat up. I also use this water for rinsing the blade and keeping my cup and brush warm.
Just have to take care not to burn yourself!
All the best,
Michael.
So are you guys running between the kitchen and the bathroom or do you just take the Microwave into the bathroom?
Thankfully, I'm blessed with very hot tap water!
When I get up, I put on the kettle. While waiting for it to boil, I make my lunch or deal with some dishes. Then I go have my shower and shave.
My tap water would be hot enough - but it means running the tap a lot and wasting a lot of water - and we've got water restrictions.
This routine works fine for me and I don't waste any time (or water).
All the best,
Michael.
I like that idea that I might just be crazy enough to try it; I have been using a towel before lather; then re wet same towel under hot water, wring and put over lather, then when I re-lather and shave I wipe the whiskers on the towel. Then at the end of second pass, I yet again rinse the towel in hot water and repeat.
I like your idea of having three hot towels ready to go.
I start by soaking a medium size towel in hot water, wringing out the excess, into the microwave for 1.5 minutes, when it comes out I wrap it in a larger dry towel to hold the heat in while it is on my face which also helps to wrap it around my face.
I love the feeling of cold water on my face after a good shave:rock:
I just wet a barber's towel and nuke it for 1:25 minute. It is still nice and hot by the time I get to the shave den. Or just soak a towel in hot water and apply. I like the microwave route better.
Call me silly, but I do not use a hot towl. I put my mug and brush in the bathroom sink full of hot tap water to warm the mug and soften the brush. After a shower, i just just quickly dry off with the exception of the face. I empty the sink except for an inch or so of hot water, build my lather, lather the face and leave the mug/brush in the sink with the hot water to keep it warm. Put on the skivvies, pick my blade, strop, refresh the lather on the face and shave. No towel since the shower took care of shave prep.
I'm a shower and hot towel guy... might be overkill, but I certainly enjoy it.
FWIW, for the life of me, I can't make myself soak my brush in a sink full of water... that's the sink where everyone spits after brushing their teeth, wash their hands after .... yeah, I'm not soaking a brush in that and rubbing it on my face :p
Goodness gracious, I never realized that shaving was such a production. From all these comments on process I see I have much to learn, so much to learn.
:beer2:
Brush goes in the mug, mug gets filled with hot water, sink gets filled with hot water, mug sits half submerged in sink.
I have a two basin vanity in the master bath. One side is the wifes, one side is for me. I do all that disgusting stuff in the the wifes side.:p
I'm a fan of the nuker.....
I only do hot towels when I have time to waste, usually when i'm off out for the night and have most of the day to do naff all and want to relax a bit, then it's shower hot towels shave and an ice cold towel from the freezer.
But like I say it's an occasional thing, a little bit of pampering as it were
Geek
Howdy from the sticks of OH!! Any who's, I put very hot tap water in an electric Po/Pourri heater and put a small cone shaped ceramic dish in the warmer and some very hot water in it, plug in the whole affair and make my later with the hotest water my tap with give[quite hot by the way] I then fill a microfiber face towel with hot water, this type of towel will hold a LOT of hot water without it dripping down the front o' me and holds the heat in much better than a regular towel, then after the pre/prep is done, usually with Proraso preshave I"m ready to go. Your;all really should try the microfiber towel for hot prep, it works for me and I think youll' like it.
Have a great shave and saver the moment, the best of the day.
tinkersd of SRP!
My house has REALLY hot water so what i do is fill he sink with really hot tap water, throw a towel in there and let it soak while i take a shower. by the time i get out, it has cooled just a bit (making it hot but tolerable), then i just drain the water, wring out the towel and i am ready to go!
How long should the towel be left on the face?
You will stop with the towel when the towel is nolonger hot.
You knew that!!! This advice oughta be worth a thank you....
Lol. thank you. I figured as much. :rock:
I'm still trying to figure out if I want to use a hot towel as a pre shave step or not. I shave after a shower so it doesn't seem to make a huge difference there. I have found that I like to use on between passes though to moisten the skin again.
The other day I couldn't find a washcloth to use so I grabbed an older, fresh from the laundry cloth baby diaper that we've hung onto for no apparent reason. It worked wonderfully. There are several layers of very absorbent cloth. Holds lots of water and all the layers provide good insulation to keep it hot for a lot longer than the washcloths were staying. Plus it's fairly long and can cover my entire face and neck at the same time.
Funny I wet my towel and put it in the steaming rack of the rice cooker and let it steam 15 mins or so until hot. Works like a charm for me.
Out of habit and because it gives my skin some time to recover for the next day, I usually find myself shaving over the kitchen sink in the late afternoons, often with a neat thimble full of Johnny with the black shirt keeping me company and always after a hot towel to awaken the vapors. Hardly ever anymore shave in the bath after a shower. I know my beard is softer then, but the mirror is foggy.
Always loved the shaving scene from the movie Greystoke where the lord of the manor Viscount Greystoke the elder begins his shaving routine with a spot of hot tea out of the silver urn to top off his shaving mug poured by the valet. Ever try it? Alx
I run the towel under hot water, wring the towel so that no more water comes out then I microwave for 1 minute.
Regards, Andy.
Anybody ever try one of those egg cooker/steamer machines to steam your face towel?
Hi Alembic,
Never thought of that however we have a rice steamer that I have considered (Although I think I'd have to do it while my better half is out!)
Microwave is the best option for me however I have to go from the kitchen to the bathroom several times.
Regards, Andy.
I had not considered a micro fiber towel, I'll have to give it a try.
A hot towel is part of my shave prep each and every day. Sometimes I almost could fall asleep I find it so relaxing. I think I would do it even if there were no practical effect on the resulting shave.
Just hot tap water is all I need.