Easily Refresh Your Grimy Hairbrush With An All-Natural Kitchen Ingredient
A typical morning routine often features haircare with some sort of styling utensil and product. Over time, commonly used tools, like a hairbrush, can become grimy if they aren't occasionally cleaned. Learning that your hairbrush can collect oil, dirt, and dead skin cells from your scalp may change your mind, though. These substances can easily adhere to your brush along with hair, creating a greasy layer of grime that is only exacerbated once you add styling products like mousse, gel, or pomade. What's even more gross is tha,t left untreated, the surface of your hairbrush can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, rendering it unhygienic. Using a dirty brush reintroduces these dirty substances back into your freshly clean scalp during your morning routine. If your hairbrush looks like it could use a refresh, head to your kitchen and grab a bottle of vinegar to get started.
Vinegar just may be one of the most versatile tools in your home. It makes a vibrant vinaigrette and can deodorize your laundry — in addition to cleaning your hairbrush! Vinegar is a natural solution that is antimicrobial due to its acidic properties. It is a great product to use to clean grease and grime and can help break down the layers of filth residing on your hairbrush. As a non-toxic cleaner, it's perfectly safe to use on your brush and will even sanitize any lingering bacteria or fungi lurking between the bristles.
How to use vinegar to refresh your hairbrush
Cleaning your hairbrush isn't a glamorous act, but your scalp will thank you when it's all said and done. You can start by removing any obvious hairs trapped between the bristles with your fingers or a comb. Then, in a small bowl, combine equal parts of warm water and white vinegar and submerge your brush in the solution. For the vinegar to start breaking down the grime, you'll want to let it soak for at least 30 minutes. After soaking, use an old toothbrush or a cleaning brush to gently scrub the bristles and the bed of the brush to remove the loosened grime. Rinse the brush under running water to remove any remaining debris and vinegar, and then allow the brush to dry before using it.
For extremely dirty brushes, you may want to harness the additional power of baking soda. When combined, vinegar and baking soda can be a powerful cleaning solution that is all-natural and tough on grime. To try this method, you can combine ¼ cup of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a small container and allow your brush to soak. You'll notice a chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda, but this fizzing will also loosen the caked-on debris on your brush. Like before, proceed with gently scrubbing the bristle to remove any crud from your brush or comb, and rinse and dry before using it.
Cautions for using vinegar
While vinegar can be a simple solution for many hairbrushes, consider some cautions before proceeding. Since it is a highly acidic substance, there are some things you should never clean with vinegar, such as delicate materials. If your hairbrush has natural bristles, submerging it in vinegar may damage or weaken them. Moreover, brushes with wooden or rubber handles should not be submerged in water as it can weaken the material and cause it to degrade more quickly. Instead, for a brush with natural bristles, try submerging it in just warm water to loosen any debris or use a gentle shampoo or mild dish soap. For a wooden brush, you could use a shallow pan and only submerge the bristles, leaving the wooden handle out of the vinegar solution to protect it from overexposure to moisture.
Something else to consider when using vinegar as a cleaning solution is its strong odor. If you're particularly sensitive to strong smells or fumes, it's a good idea to complete this task in a well-ventilated area. One way to combat the strong smell of vinegar would be to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the cleaning solution to counteract the sharpness of the acid. Furthermore, if you have sensitive skin, it would be wise to wear gloves to protect your hands from the acidic nature of the vinegar solution. Nevertheless, when used properly, vinegar can be a great tool to help degrime your hairbrush.