You have done the hard part of finding a good razor; it is only fair you know to clean it. A clean razor plus a suitable shaving cream equals effortless smooth skin.
If you shave often, you need to learn how to clean a razor, as it ensures they stay in good condition for long. This means you can extend the life span and enjoy more value for your money. Cleaning your razor also helps ensures your skin remains healthy since you are not using a dirty razor.
Most men don’t schedule shaving into their daily routine, significantly if their hair doesn’t multiply. When you don’t plan on shaving, you will most likely not care about the state of your razor. So long as it works, right? That shouldn’t be the case as they deserve a deep clean at least once weekly, as a clean razor makes all the difference.
A clean razor also aids your shaving exercise. There are several benefits of using shaving with a clean razor. You are about to enjoy a new era where your skin is smoother after shaving and changing razor heads less often. So, read on to find our guidelines on how to clean a razor properly.
How To Clean a Razor (the regular kind)
Your regular razor must be cleaned, even if you need to dispose of your cartridges often. So, long as the blade is still in use, you should always clean it. Below is an easy guide to ensure you can add to your shaving routine.
1. Rinse as you shave
Instead of shaving in a hurry and doing a single rinse, you should rinse after every swipe. It is a great way to prevent build-ups and to ensure the shaving process is smooth. It will also prevent your blades from being clogged, so when you decide to clean it after you finish up, it is easy.
Shaving cream combines with hair along with some skin cells as you cut the hair. So, it would help if you placed the blades under running hot water. If you are concerned about wasting water, fill a bowl or cup with the hot water and shake with force, to rinse the blade between each shaking stroke.
You should only use the water to clean your blades; tapping it on the sink can destroy the blade. Do a final rinse with clean water after you have shaved off all the hair.
2. Deep clean and disinfect the razor
Rinsing your razor between each stroke is only the first step of getting your razor cleaned adequately. It would be best to disinfect it to keep bacteria at bay for your safety. For this, you will use isopropyl alcohol with 70% strength. Although alcohol is preferred, if you cannot get such alcohol volume, hydrogen peroxide or distilled white vinegar can suffice for the process.
Get a shallow bowl, throw your blade into it, and allow it to rest for one minute before taking it out. When you plan to clean the entire razor, maybe because the handle still has some stubborn dirt, soak in the alcohol solution for about 10 minutes. After which, you only need to drain off the excess alcohol because it has already gotten sterilized.
3. Air dry your razor
Do not clean your razor with a towel or any other item, as that will compromise the disinfection process. Your best bet is to allow it to air dry in an open space, like a clean rack. Avoid placing the newly cleaned razor in a drawer or case where it can get wet.
How to Clean an Electric Razor
Most electric razors come with a sanitation dock that ensures it is always clean and ready for use. If your electric razor does not have such a feature, you are left with the option to clean the blade manually. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to clean it.
Step 1: Extract the hair trapped in your razor
Get a razor brush or old toothbrush to remove the hairs on your electric blade if you shave without using cream. Start by removing all the hairs you can find on the surface, and swipe on the edge until all the hairs fall off. It would be best to stay close to the trash, so the hair does not scatter everywhere.
Electric razors commonly have rotary blades that can be flipped open. On the other hand, when you use a clipper or an electric razor with foil, you can pop it off. Therefore, we advise using a brush to extract the trapped hairs instead of tapping against a hard surface.
Some hair can prove to be very stubborn, so if you must tap your razor, ensure you hit the blade directly instead of the plastic body part. When you use shaving cream, a brush might not be effective for cleaning the razor. After shaving, rinse your razor thoroughly to remove all the trapped hairs and cream build-up.
Ensure you take out the cutting block before rinsing, as you don’t water to destroy the electric part of the razor.
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Step 2: Wash with soap
You will need a liquid washing soap that you can quickly drop on your blade to wash. Any liquid antibacterial soap, or even dishwashing soap, will do. Add a generous amount of the soap to the edges in a bowl with little water.
Turn and shake the razor until it forms a lather. Use the suds to clean the blades for about 20 seconds.
Step 3: Rinse thoroughly
Place the blades under running warm water and rinse out all the soap. Ensure you get all the sides of the razor that might have dirt, especially the head.
Step 4: Dry the razor completely
Leave your razor with the blades and other parts disassembled as it is, and place it in a well-ventilated area of your home. Allow it to air dry before you couple it for use.
How to Care/Good Hygiene For Your Razors
After washing your razors, if you are reckless with how you care for them, then it defeats the entire purpose. Keeping your razors in their storage kit after they dry is only a tiny step in managing your razors. You can ramp your hygiene by doing the following things.
Replace your blades at the due time: The unspoken rule is to replace your every two weeks, which applies to both the safety and cartridge blades. If you don’t shave often, you can extend it to 3 weeks, but you will notice the razor becoming dull. That’s because most razors will only remain viable for five shaves, but you can push the durable ones to 8 shaves. So, prepare to swap your old razors out every 2 to 3 weeks for good hygiene.
Do not share your blades: As far as shaving goes, sharing blades is off-limits. You can only be so generous as to transmit shaving cream and aftershave, but never to use the same blades. It is as sacred as sharing your toothbrush with someone else. As you shave, you do not only take off your hair but also some tiny layers of your skin, and you can hardly avoid those minor cuts. Sharing blades can expose you to several unwanted diseases, aside from being generally unhygienic.
Never use a rusted blade: Sometimes, before the two weeks are up, you might notice signs of rust on your blade. Please do not use the blade to shave whenever you see it has become rust. After cleaning, ensure you dry thoroughly to prevent your blades from rusting quickly. Keep the blades in the case rather than out in the open, where humidity can make the blade rust fast.
Importance of Cleaning Shaving Razor
You put yourself at risk when you use a dirty razor. If you need a little more convincing on why you should learn how to clean your razor, below are a handful of reasons why you should.
- You are protected from infections, which is unavoidable when you shave with a dirty razor. That’s because you will likely cut yourself while shaving, and a polluted razor will introduce bacteria into your body.
- It keeps the blades sharp so that it can cut your hair smoothly. When you clean your razor, you take out all the build-ups that might have been blocking the blade.
- You compromise your safety with a dirty razor, resulting in bumps and rough skin.
- Your razors will remain in prime condition until the end of their life span.
Conclusion
Shaving is grooming that most people cannot skip, and razors help the process. However, shaving is never successful if you don’t practice proper hygiene. We have shown you how to clean both electric and regular razors. So, follow the guidelines if you wish to enjoy a clean shave and clear skin because even the best shaving blades burn out with neglect.
How to clean your razor is perhaps one of the most important things you should learn before you start shaving. With your clean razor, your pre-shaving ritual of exfoliating, and applying an aftershave afterward, you will see improved skin results. Remember to shave along with the growth pattern so you leave ingrown hair.
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