How to Clean Combs

Combs as well as other beauty tools are dirty after a period of use. If your comb is full of hair, it’s time to clean it. You can clean combs with a mild cleaning solution and a toothbrush. If you haven’t cleaned your comb in a while, it’s time to disinfect it with vinegar or rubbing alcohol. When you’re done, you’ll have a clean, crisp comb.

Table of Contents

Basic hygiene

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Use your hands to remove the hair from the comb. First, you use your fingers to clean the hair on the comb. Removing your hair is very easy, so you should try to remove it very clean. If you encounter hairs clinging to the inside of the comb, use a toothpick to pull the hair up and then remove it with your fingers. ^{[1] X Research Source}

You can buy a special tool to remove the hair from the comb. Alternatively, you can also use the handle of a mouse tail comb.

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Mix a mild cleaning solution with warm water. You do not need to use a strong detergent solution to clean the comb. Gentle products such as dishwashing liquid or shampoo are suitable. Put a small amount of cleaning product in a small bowl of warm water. There’s no rule on how much soap to use, but you don’t need to get a large amount to clean your comb. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Use a toothbrush to scrub the comb. First, soak the comb in the cleaning solution for about 15 minutes to loosen the hair and dirt on the comb. Then, dip an old brush into the prepared cleaning solution, and gently scrub the comb with the brush. In addition, you should also brush the edges of the comb because there is contact with hair and dirt during use. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

However, if you have a wooden-handled comb, you should avoid getting it wet. Water can damage wood materials.

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Wash comb. After scrubbing the comb, you will rinse off the cleaning solution. Rinse the comb under hot water until the water is clear. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Let the comb dry naturally in the air. If you are in a hurry, you can use a cloth or paper towel to dry the comb, or use a hair dryer to dry the comb.

Deep cleaning and sterilization

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Soak the plastic comb in vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Plastic combs can be safely sterilized with rubbing alcohol or apple cider vinegar. Pour rubbing alcohol or apple cider vinegar into a cup or bowl large enough to soak the comb. Soak the comb for about 10 minutes. Then, take out the comb and rinse with water. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Soak the brush head in vinegar to kill bacteria. You only need to disinfect the comb head. Mix a mixture of one part vinegar to one part water in a bowl large enough to soak the comb. Then, soak the comb head in the mixture for about 20 minutes. ^{[6] X Research Source} Wash comb with water after soaking.

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Dry the comb. You should place the comb on the towel while it dries. The drying time will vary depending on the type of comb. Some types will take a few hours and others just need to dry overnight. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Clean comb handle. The comb handle is also contaminated. You should clean the comb handle at the sterilization step. Cleaning depends on the material of the comb, but you can clean most surfaces with rubbing alcohol to remove dirt. You will then wipe the brush handle with a damp cloth. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

It is best to avoid using harsh cleaning products such as rubbing alcohol to clean wooden combs.

Note

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Clean comb teeth gently. When cleaning comb teeth, especially round combs, you should work slowly and gently. Vigorous handling can cause the comb teeth to bend or break during cleaning.

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Avoid wetting the sponge comb for a long time. Do not wet the comb for too long with a cushion underneath the comb teeth. Avoid soaking in water to clean this comb and only scrub gently with a brush with a mild cleaning solution. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Do not soak the wooden comb. You should not soak combs with handles or wooden frames. Wood material is very easily damaged by the effects of water and soaking the wooden comb can cause damage. These combs should only be cleaned with a brush and cleaning solution. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Steps

Basic hygiene

Deep cleaning and sterilization

Note

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