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COMBING HAIRCOMBS

How to Clean Hair Combs

wikiHow Staff

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

wikiHow’s team of trained editors and researchers

March 29, 2019 References Tested

As your hair combs fill up with old hair, dust, and hair product residue, they become less effective and
can add dirt and germs to your freshly washed hair. [1] Regularly cleaning your hair combs will help your
hair looks its best.

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning with Shampoo

Remove the hair from your hair combs. You want to make sure to remove all the hair that has built up in
your hair combs during their use. This can harbor germs and dirt that can spread to your clean hair
during styling. Your hair combs can also have a buildup of hair product that needs to be cleaned
regularly to ensure your hair looks its best. To remove the excess hair from your hair combs, try:

Using a pen or pencil to lift the hair off the hair comb bristles. [2]

Using a comb to get in between your hair comb’s bristles. [3]

Cutting the hair with scissors if it is tangled or hard to remove from your hair comb’s bristles. [4]

Fill your sink with warm water and a small amount of shampoo or conditioner. Using a clarifying
shampoo will ensure that it cuts through the styling product residue that is on your hair combs. [5] Baby
shampoo is also effective at cleaning hair comb dirt. [6] Use a dime size amount of shampoo or
conditioner and mix well with warm water.
3

Soak your hair combs for approximately 15-30 minutes. You want to allow your hair combs to soak to
soften the bristles. This will also loosen the dirt, hair, and hair products that may be stuck on the hair
comb, itself.

Scrub with a toothbrush to remove any dirt. If it seems that your hair combs need additional cleaning,
use a toothbrush to scrub the bristles and surface of the hair comb. This will allow dirt and hair products
to be removed easier and will ensure you have a clean hair comb when you are finished. [7]

Rinse brushes with warm water to remove the shampoo. Thoroughly rinse the shampoo or conditioner
from the hair comb’s bristles. This will help remove any excess dirt and hair from the hair comb. You
want to make sure to rinse well, so there is no shampoo or conditioner residue left on the bristles. This
could make your hair greasy when used later.

Towel dry your hair combs. Once rinsed, dry your hair combs on a towel. This will remove any excess
water and keep your bristles fresh. If you have a natural bristle hair comb, leave it bristle side down on a
towel to air dry overnight. [8]

Drain the water left in the sink and dispose of any hair. You can drain the water that is left in the sink. It
may be necessary to rinse and clean your sink with a cloth to remove any lingering dirt from your hair
combs. Any hair that has been left in the sink should be disposed of. Be sure not to let large hair clumps
to go down the drain as this could clog your sink.

Method 2 of 3:

Disinfecting with Vinegar

Add vinegar to warm water. As another alternative to help clean your hair combs, you can add vinegar
instead of shampoo. Pour a half cup of vinegar into a half cup of warm water and mix. [9]

Soak your hair combs for 15-20 minutes. Vinegar acts as a natural disinfectant and will allow your hair
combs to become free of dust, dirt, and germs. Soak your hair combs in the vinegar/water mixture and
allow the dirt and hair product build up to loosen.
3

Rinse your hair combs thoroughly. After soaking, rinse with warm water. You want to make sure the
vinegar mixture is completely removed from your hair combs surface and bristles.

Dry your hair combs on a towel. Pat your hair combs dry with a towel. You will immediately notice how
clean and fresh they appear. Allow them to dry overnight for the best results.

Method 3 of 3:

Deodorizing with Baking Soda

Add baking soda to warm water. Baking soda mixed with warm water is another good way to clean your
hair combs from dirt and hair product residue. Pour 1 teaspoon of baking soda into a small amount of
water and mix thoroughly. [10]

Soak your hair combs for 15-20 minutes. This will allow the baking soda to activate and clean your hair
combs of hair and styling product buildup. Make sure your hair combs are free of dirt and hair before
you remove them from the water mixture.

Dry your hair combs on a towel. Use a towel to pat your hair combs dry. This will remove any moisture
on the handle and bristles. You can also let it sit overnight to make sure it is thoroughly dry.

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References

↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/hair/advice/a40904/how-to-clean-hair-brushes/

↑ https://www.madison-reed.com/blog/pro-tips-for-cleaning-hairbrushes-and-styling-tools

↑http://7beautytips.com/how-to-clean-hair-brushes-and-combs/

↑ http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/06/how-to-properly-clean-your-hair-brush/

↑ http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/06/how-to-properly-clean-your-hair-brush/

↑ http://7beautytips.com/how-to-clean-hair-brushes-and-combs/

↑ https://www.madison-reed.com/blog/pro-tips-for-cleaning-hairbrushes-and-styling-tools

↑ https://www.madison-reed.com/blog/pro-tips-for-cleaning-hairbrushes-and-styling-tools

↑ http://7beautytips.com/how-to-clean-hair-brushes-and-combs/

More References (1)

About This Article

wikiHow Staff

Co-authored by

wikiHow Staff Editor

This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for
accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work
from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high
quality standards. This article has been viewed 63,840 times.

74 votes - 94%

Co-authors: 9

Updated: March 29, 2019

Views: 63,840

Categories: Cleaning Hair Care Tools | Combs

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CategoriesPersonal Care and StyleHair CareRegular Hair CareCombing HairCombs

How to Clean Hair Combs

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