How to Clean a Hairbrush And Our 3 Favorite Methods!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been getting all my life hacks recently from Tik Tok. Some Tik Tok users have awesome everyday tips and tricks to make our lives just a little bit easier.

Everything from makeup, hair, skincare, cleaning, and fashion advice circulates through this app quickly, going viral in just a couple of days. One of these viral hacks was from Jessica Haizman (@JessicaHaizman) who did a deep cleaning video on her hairbrushes.

If you weren’t aware that cleaning your hairbrushes was a thing you needed to be doing, you’re not alone. But, we’ve got some very valid reasons why you should. Your hairbrushes can accumulate dirt and residue from many places. Brushes soak up any dirt and oil as well as products that are on our hair, essentially acting like a sponge.

Then, when you use your hairbrush, all of those gross things that are being contained in your hairbrush will be deposited back onto your hair. On top of buildup, your hairbrush also accumulates all your lost hair throughout the day.

We all lose hair naturally every single day and the bristles on the brush will catch this. These hairs can actually collect bacteria when sitting around. Your hairbrush also collects dead skin cells, and if you don’t regularly clean your brush, that too will be deposited back onto your scalp.

If you struggle with oily hair and residue, your issue may be stemming from your hairbrush rather than your wash day routine or products used.

So, that all sounds pretty disgusting, right? As women, our hair is typically our safety blanket and we’re taught to take care of our hair. That being said, you’re probably ready to get into a hairbrush deep clean, and we’re going to teach you exactly how to do it.

1st Method

According to the Tik Tok user Jessica Haizman, the first step is to clean out the hairs from the brush using a fine-toothed comb. Use it to pull out all of the hair that is stuck between its bristles.

Be sure to throw this hair in the trash rather than flush it down the toilet or let it run down your sink drain as it can clog your pipes and create an even bigger issue.

The second step is to plug your sink and fill it with water. It doesn’t matter whether the water is cool or warm, as long as there is enough water to cover the brushes. You’re going to add one cup of baking soda and a squeeze of shampoo. Mix it together so that everything is evenly dissolved into the water.

Next, you’re going to add your brushes into this mixture for a minimum of 30 minutes. Be warned, the water will turn visibly brown. That’s normal and it means that the concoction is stripping out the dirt and oil from inside your brushes. It may look gross, but it means it’s working!

Once your brushes have soaked long enough, you’re going to rinse them off and let them hair dry. This process should be repeated once or twice a month depending on how much product you use and how often your wash your hair.

If you use a lot of products and oils, your brushes may benefit from a biweekly cleaning. If you typically use your brushes on clean hair, you can stretch this process out to once a month.

One thing to consider before starting this process is what kind of brush you have. If you have a wooden brush, the baking soda can actually damage the wood and finish. With this in mind, only submerge the bristles in this mixture rather than the entirety of the brush.

Another adjustment to consider is whether or not you have all the necessary ingredients. If you’re missing the baking soda, using some apple cider vinegar will give you similar results and do a good job.

While this method is the most common among many different resources, there are some other ways to clean your brushes that won’t take as long.

It may not give you that deep clean that soaking in baking soda will, but there are some good alternatives for those weeks where you just don’t have the time.

2nd Method

The first alternative cleaning method requires a toothbrush. Start the process off in the same way, by removing all of the hair between the bristles with a fine-tooth comb. Although, instead of soaking your brush, you’re going to dip a toothbrush in some soapy warm water and start to scrub between the bristles.

You can use shampoo, detergent, or dish soap to create the soapy water. Using the toothbrush, make sure to get around the bristles and the bristles themselves. This should only take a few minutes. Once you’re done a quick scrubbing, you simply rinse it off in clean water and let it air dry.

3rd Method

The other option is taking the brush into the shower with you and using shampoo as a cleaning agent. Essentially, you use shampoo to massage the brush’s padded base and bristles. Using your fingers, work the shampoo into the hairbrush and let the water from the shower rinse it off.

This should also be done on a brush that’s rid of any excess hair, so be sure to use that same fine-tooth comb method before trying out this quick hairbrush cleaning hack. Again, this is not a deep cleaning, long-term solution. This is a great way to maintain your brushes between soaks!