3 Tips For Thoroughly Cleaning Your Hairbrush

As much as we love the idea of an easy-breezy hair regimen, the truth is that caring for your locks requires maintenance. That might come in the way of introducing new and powerful products (for example, scalp serums should be a staple in your haircare routine), or it might simply come down to regularly cleaning and upgrading the various tools you use to keep your tresses looking their best. And there are plenty of tools required, from claw clips and tail combs to blow dryers and flat irons (and yes, you should actually be cleaning your flat iron, too). But the one tool we use the most frequently, and therefore needs the most solid cleaning routine, is the humble hairbrush. 

Even though many of us use a hairbrush at a minimum of once per day, it's one of the hair tools that tends to be neglected when it comes to TLC. Forgetting to clean your hairbrush can stop it from doing its job, as the bristles may be too clogged by old hair to smooth out your knots. Worse, unclean brushes may be carrying bacteria and dirt that you're then distributing around your scalp when you use it. 

To find out how to clean our hairbrushes properly and avoid all of this, Glam spoke exclusively to Karen Gordon, FWTS, a certified clinical trichologist with the World Trichology Society and sought-after public speaker. A specialist in hair loss and disorders of the hair and scalp, Gordon is the president of Chicago's Karen Gordon Hair Loss Solutions. She reveals that cleaning your hairbrush can simply be done with antibacterial hand soap and water, though you'll want to get rid of excess hairs first.

The first tip that Karen Gordon recommends is removing loose hairs from your brush before washing with antibacterial hand soap and water. You can do this with a tail comb or a wide-tooth comb, ensuring that you work gently so as not to damage the bristles of your brush. If you're looking for a tail comb, the Professional 8.8 Inch Tail Comb from Bardeau Essentials is highly rated, while you can easily grab a wide-tooth comb like the HYOUJIN Black Large Wide Tooth Comb online, to. As for the soap, something like the Amazon Basics Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap will work perfectly.

"Next, dip the head of the brush in a bowl of warm water with a pump of liquid antibacterial hand soap and let the brushes soak for 10 minutes," Gordon advises Glam in our exclusive chat. The final element of this step is rinsing off the soap and drying off your clean brush. Gordon suggests removing as much water as you can with a towel before popping your brush in an upright position (for example, resting in a glass) to air-dry. 

Cleaning your hairbrush is easy, but many people struggle with remembering to do it often enough. We already know we should be cleaning our beauty tools more often, and according to Karen Gordon, hairbrushes, in particular, need a clean every week. However, you'll want to pluck out hairs that are clogged between your bristles every day so they don't build up. "Oil and bacteria build up on brushes and can be transferred back to the scalp, possibly causing scalp disorders, so it is important to keep your brushes as hygienic as possible," Gordon shares exclusively with Glam, noting that it's vital not to fall behind on your cleaning. 

It never feels great to throw out something you spent money on. But there comes a time when a hairbrush has had its day, and holding onto it after this period can end up damaging both your hair and your scalp. "When the bristles start to split or bend, it is time to get a new brush," Karen Gordon notes in an exclusive chat with Glam. "If bristles are missing, invest in a new brush. It will make your blow drying easier and your hair will look better."

Gordon explains that a high-quality brush that you're regularly cleaning and drying should last for several years, but there are factors that can ruin your brush before its time. "If too much water gets inside of a brush when cleaning it and doesn't get drained out properly or towel dried, it can cause the cushion (where the bristles go into the brush) to harden and crack," she says. To avoid doing more damage during the cleaning process and help your brush last as long as possible, it's essential to dry your brush properly. 

These tips apply to all hairbrushes, and if you're looking to buy a new one, check out our ultimate guide to hairbrushes and when you should use each type.