Shave hygiene?

I have a few process steps which are about shave hygiene:

1- Face prep
2- Blade prep
3- Sponge
4- After shave
5- After shave stropping
6- Blade clean up and storage
7- Brush maintenance

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1- Face prep starts with a wash cloth and face soap. I clean the oils and dirt off my face before shaving. I figure no reason to drag this dirt into the fresh skin after blade exfoliation. I usually use Neutrogena but occasional an anti-bacterial soap.

2- I wipe the blade clean, rinse with very hot water, and strop on linen and then leather prior to shaving.

3- I use a sponge to avoid the faucet chips. Every other day I put the damp sponge in the microwave and blast it for about 4 minutes to make sure nothing grows there.

4- After shave I use Alum, rinse, moisturize, and then use an alcohol splash. The new skin is sealed. Every few weeks I'll run a witch hazel pad over my face to check everything is squeaky clean.

5- I rinse, wipe, and strop the blade before putting it away.

6- Periodically I run the blade under extremely hot water, dry carefully, pour rubbing alcohol on the blade, dry carefully, and mineral oil the blade to store.

7- The brush gets soaked each shave in very hot water. At the end of the shave, I rinse thoroughly and shake the water before hanging the brush bristles down to dry. Once every two months I use a pea sized amount of human shampoo and conditioner to give the dirty badger a good wash and rinse :p.


Is this over the top? Or is there anything essential I'm missing? I figure as long as I draw blood occasionally I might as well treat it like surgery :(. So far the nicks close immediately and heal nearly as quick. Even the couple of cuts I've earned so far have closed and healed quick and clean.

Best,

Ed

Well whatever turns your crank man,if it works for you thats a good thing.
for me, in and out 15 mins tops, never cleaned a brush or a blade, I think shaving soap will deter any evil humors.

I am in pixels camp, i have never even cleaned a razor that has been loaned to me, or that i have bought secondhand, brushes get used, then left either hanging bristles down or standing up on their bums, depending on whether i have a brush stand or not.

I think I was a bit overzealous with the cleaning when I first started, but now after all those years and shaves I wipe the Tuf-Glide off the blade run it under the tap, a wipe with the fingers and I'm off and running.

Cool will see how the thread runs. It might be ten years working in a hospital. At least I don't wear gloves :rofl2:

But if I can cut steps out I sure will! It is just baked in: sharps, blood, apply aseptic measures...

Of course in the hospital there are all kinds of nasty bugs about, I get the point in my shave den they should all belong to me...

Best,

Ed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EdHutton

Of course in the hospital there are all kinds of nasty bugs about, I get the point in my shave den they should all belong to me...

Best,

Ed

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Precisely the only funk is your own funk, and if that hadn't killed you by now it never will.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EdHutton

Cool will see how the thread runs. It might be ten years working in a hospital. At least I don't wear gloves :rofl2:

But if I can cut steps out I sure will! It is just baked in: sharps, blood, apply aseptic measures...

Of course in the hospital there are all kinds of nasty bugs about, I get the point in my shave den they should all belong to me...

Best,

Ed

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43 yrs in an O.R,cardiac and ortho,soap and water is good stuff,Unless your sharing razors, brushes etc, you have nada to worry about.
Most nasty bugs die within minutes when exposed the air,Your dealing with your own bodily fluids.

Yea, bit over the top.

I too do a 10-15 min shave. Rinse razor in hot running water and wipe with micro fiber 2-3 times leave open on a glass butter tray to dry.

Rinse the brush in hot running water shake dry, blot on mico-fiber and hang dry.

Once a year or so, soak the brushes in hot water and vinegar for 10-15 min and shampoo with a dime of shampoo in my hand, rinse, shake, blot and hang to dry, takes out all the soap.

I am not even close to 10 - 15 minutes, but if I drop some of the un-needed cleaning steps there is some time improvement. I just got good shaves happening routinely. I figure eventually the time will improve. Today I went through a good shave start to finish in a pattern that is burning in. Little by little it will get better.

I liked the comment soap and water is good stuff. It is good stuff. I'm going to start backing off on too many hygiene steps.

Thanks all,

Ed

Yea but some of you guys are so old, mean and ornery the bad bugs are terrified of you.