Every time you shave, you’re exposing your razor to water and lather in
the damp environment of your bathroom. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that after a while, you’ll notice some buildup
in the form of soap scum, hair, and grime. If your DE razor is looking more like it’s been sitting at the bottom of the
ocean floor rather than beautifully polished, it’s time to give it a thorough cleaning. Today we’re breaking down the
cleaning process into 5 easy-to-follow steps. If you invest a small amount of time into restoring your razor, you’ll not
only end up with a better-looking razor, but also a more effective one, as soap scum can hinder razor performance.
Tools:
- White vinegar or dish detergent
- Old toothbrush
- Q-tips
- Toothpicks
- Bowl
- Brass wire brush
- Scrubbing Bubbles (optional)
- Lysol
- Microfiber cloth
- MAAS metal polish
1. Basic cleaning – White vinegar or dish soap
Most problems (hair build up, scum) can be solved with a
simple soak. Choose between the following:
White vinegar soak Mix together equal parts white vinegar and warm
water, then soak your razor in the solution for 5 – 10 minutes. While your razor is in the solution, scrub it with an
old toothbrush to aid with scum removal.
Dish soap soak Add a few squirts of dish soap to about 4 – 6 ounces of
warm water. Stir, place your razor into the soak, and clean your razor using the toothbrush. Dish detergent is made to
be safe on silverware and pots and pans, so it is a gentle cleanser for your razor.
2. Clean with a brass wire
brush
Brass is soft enough not to scratch the plating on chrome or nickel-plated DE razors.
3. For
good measure, do an additional soak of warm water, white vinegar or dish soap, and a toothbrush scrub.
For extra gunk removal:
- Use a q-tip (or a toothpick for those extra tight spots) to hit the crevices – this is especially important for
a razor with many crevices, like a butterfly razor with a twist mechanism.
- For lather residue that simply refuses to take a hike, try soap scum remover, like Tilex. Soak the razor in the
soap scum remover for a few minutes and everything should come right off.
4. Disinfect with Lysol
To remove literally every last
trace of germs on your razor, soak your razor in a solution of
Lysol in a normal household concentration (1.25 ounces in 1 gallon of
water).
5. Polish with MAAS Restore shine to your razor while adding a protective coating with a metal
polish like
MAAS. Use a microfiber cloth to apply.
General tips
- Do not boil your razor, especially if you have plastic or painted parts.
- You can use Scrubbing Bubbles in place of white vinegar or dish soap as the razor soak.
