Thread: Using Old Brushes

So when it comes to brushes, I've not ventured too far into the tremendous depths of variety and possibility. My focus thus far has been on the shave itself and on honing.

BUT

I was recently given two vintage shave brushes of unknown, though natural, media. They appear to be in pretty good shape, but I don't know if I should consider using them, just display them, or what.

If I do use them, what sort of cleaning process would you recommend? Not that they look particularly nasty or anything but I don't know who used them last, or how.

I'll try to post up some pics this evening...don't have them on this computer.

Thanks for the input.

Peace,
Jim

Anti bacterial hand soap should do the trick. Work a good lather up with the brush making sure the soap gets everywhere within the brush, let it sit and allow the soap to do its job, rinse thoroughly, allow to dry.

I use borax on new brushes that I receive that may be questionable. ie. Horse Hair from the middle east.
about a 1/4 up in about a quart of water and soak the part above the knot over nite and then wash with hair shampoo.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Anti bacterial hand soap should do the trick. Work a good lather up with the brush making sure the soap gets everywhere within the brush, let it sit and allow the soap to do its job, rinse thoroughly, allow to dry.

Absolutely, as nun2sharp advised.
I go a step further after the hand soap. I soak it in a cup of 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water for a couple of hours. The things that vinegar is known for cleaning,; well,,,it will certainly clean your brush.

I would imagine a good cleaning in some mild detergent and some soaking in anti bacterial soap should do it.

Personally, though I have no issues using second hand stuff I just have a thing about brushes. Deep down in the knot you never know whats lurking and whether the cleaner gets all the way down there.

Maybe some alien super-virus-har har.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I would imagine a good cleaning in some mild detergent and some soaking in anti bacterial soap should do it.

Personally, though I have no issues using second hand stuff I just have a thing about brushes. Deep down in the knot you never know whats lurking and whether the cleaner gets all the way down there.

Maybe some alien super-virus-har har.

If I start the zombie-pocalypse you can say "I told you so!"

Originally Posted by Johnus

I use borax on new brushes that I receive that may be questionable. ie. Horse Hair from the middle east.
about a 1/4 up in about a quart of water and soak the part above the knot over nite and then wash with hair shampoo.

+1 I am a fan of the 20 Mule Team Borax soak then Hair Shampoo routine also....

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Absolutely, as nun2sharp advised.
I go a step further after the hand soap. I soak it in a cup of 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water for a couple of hours. The things that vinegar is known for cleaning,; well,,,it will certainly clean your brush.

I understand vinegars cleansing properties, but will it hurt the hair in any way? Such as bleaching it out, ruining glue that binds the knot, etc.

BTW, what does the borax do?

Borax: It is a Cleaner/Detergent first off and an Anti-Fungal secondly... That was what I also understood anyway, it also seems to do wonders at removing the "Wet Dog" smell on new Badger brushes

I am usually pretty wary about using vinegar in applications such a s these. While it does kill most bacterias, vinegar is also known to be a prime habitat for several types of ring worm, including the aptly named vinegar worm.