Which hairbrush cleaner is best?
If your hairbrush has rogue strands wrapped around the barrel, try deep cleaning it with a hairbrush cleaner.
There’s a lot more than just hair that accumulates on your brush or comb — from hair-product residue to dirt and dust, it’s safe to say that the buildup has to go.
To help you find the best hairbrush cleaner, we’ve taken a closer look at popular models to uncover the best features on the market.
What to know before you buy a hairbrush cleaner
There are countless designs of hairbrushes and combs, all of which have different designs and bristle or tooth arrangements, which is why there’s so much variety with hairbrush cleaners.
While you can choose an effective single-purpose hairbrush cleaner for each brush and comb, you might be better off choosing one with a multipurpose design.
Single-purpose hairbrush cleaners tend to have refined, focused designs that excel at cleaning only one or two types of brushes. Unfortunately, these designs can be limiting, especially if you have quite a diverse brush collection.
Multipurpose cleaners, on the other hand, have a variety of bristles, tines, scrapers, and tapered tips to dislodge hair and buildup from brushes and combs. They’re convenient if you want the most bang for your buck, but it’s not unusual for these cleaners to fall short with one or more of their cleaning features.
To narrow your choices, it’s helpful to know exactly what type of hairbrush cleaner you need, which you can do by examining the different types of cleaner ends to find out how they work their magic.
What to look for in a quality hairbrush cleaner
Bristle tips are typically made of nylon or other synthetic materials and may resemble tiny brushes themselves. They’re recommended for cleaning softer brushes, such as those with natural boar bristles. Tines are usually made of metal or hard plastic and resemble tiny rakes. They’re used to scrape hair and buildup from the base of several types of brushes.
Hairbrush cleaners with tapered tips are dense enough to scrape away tough, stuck-on buildup from brushes. They can remove several layers of hair trapped around curved or round brushes. Comb cleaners feature short, flexible bristles that effectively sweep away hair and buildup between deep cleanings.
If your hair routine is a top priority, consider investing in a quality hairbrush cleaner. For the most part, they’re priced between $6 and $20, making them budget-friendly. Single-purpose cleaners cost less than $10, and multipurpose designs come in closer to $12 and above.
Hairbrush cleaners FAQ
Will hairbrush cleaners damage my hairbrush?
A. For the most part, they’re designed to be effective without causing damage. Unfortunately, repeated scraping of your hairbrush may shorten its life span. If you’ve spent big bucks on salon-quality brushes and combs, you can minimize damage by using your hairbrush cleaner often enough that you don’t have to engage in deep, intense scraping.
Do I need to spray a hairbrush cleaner with a cleaning product before using it on a brush?
A. It’s not necessary. Hairbrush cleaners are designed to dislodge hair and buildup. However, it’s important to clean the hairbrush cleaner occasionally. Manufacturers include specific care instructions, which usually involve immersing the hairbrush cleaner in soapy lukewarm water.
What hairbrush cleaners are best to buy?
Top hairbrush cleaner
What you need to know: This one’s our favorite due to its durable design and three-way cleaning.
What you’ll love: It’s incredibly well-made to last through years of use. It’s designed to be effective without causing damage, with firm bristles that won’t scratch up brushes or combs. The tapered pick tip works to clean round brushes.
What you should consider: It can be somewhat challenging to remove hair from this cleaner, as bristles are densely packed.
Top hairbrush cleaner for the money
Scalpmaster’s Brush/Comb Cleaner
What you need to know: This brush cleaner remains a top seller because of its affordability.
What you’ll love: This is a budget-friendly option to clean a variety of combs and brushes. Bristles are attached to a metal core, which adds to the design’s durability. It has a wide-toothed tip that lifts hair from paddle brushes.
What you should consider: While it’s versatile, it could benefit from improved cleaning tips and a stronger plastic handle.
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This new addition to our list earns high marks for its reliable scraping action.
What you’ll love: The ergonomic handle improves grip, making it easier to manipulate the cleaner. The design is specifically tailored for Kent brushes, but it can also be used on any other type of hairbrush. Equipped with high-quality nylon bristles.
What you should consider: With only one cleaning tip, some customers considered it pricey compared to similarly priced multipurpose cleaners.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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