By Sarah Hughes
Like many women, I can’t seem to put down those pesky hair tools! Although we know that using them too much can wreak havoc on our hair health, millions of us are hair tool aficionados. Bathrooms and bedrooms across the world are veritable Aladdin’s caves of curling irons, straighteners, hair dryers, combs and various brushes. There’s no doubt that these tools are an essential part of our daily routines to make our hair look perfect. Yet in our high-paced, time-poor lives, there is one thing that can easily be overlooked – cleaning your hair tools. It’s not a task that can accurately be described as fun, but it’s a vital part of keeping your hair healthy while getting the best from our beloved tools! Here’s the lowdown.
The Dangers Of A Dirty Hair Tool
Unclean hair tools can create a world of problems for our hair and scalps. Every time you use a styling tool, they pick up all manner of matter from our hair. Oils, dead skin cells, product residue and all the dirt, dust, gunk and muck we accumulate as we go about our daily lives. It’s a sad fact that our favourite tools are a magnet for this stuff! Over time, this build-up becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. And every time you use an unclean curling iron or straightener, you’re reintroducing all this bad stuff into your hair.
A dirty cleaning tool is also an ineffective tool. Think of trying to push a hairbrush packed with hair and residue through your locks – it’s just not going to do the job very well. It would certainly be more likely to rip hair out rather than effortlessly detangle your strands!
Dirty Tools & Hair Health
Reapplying all that grime into your hair leads to a host of issues. Firstly, the residue that transfers can make your hair look greasy and lacklustre. Bacteria and fungi will happily make the leap into your tresses and cause chaos. Dandruff and assorted scalp infections and conditions can easily result, and these problems can hinder hair growth or even lead to hair fall. If you’re already battling sensitive skin or scalp conditions, bacteria can make them worse, or even trigger allergic reactions. And we often share hair tools with our friends and family, which means scalp conditions can be spread from one person to another.
Hair can also become damaged and brittle when heat styling tools like straighteners have too much build up on them, as it can lead to excessive heat exposure.
Unclean Tools Don’t Last
The quality hair tools we all should be using don’t come cheap, and we expect them to last of course. But as well as negatively effecting our hair health, not cleaning your hair tools can significantly shorten the lifespan of the tools themselves. They also impact on their performance. That villainous bacteria and fungus attacks organic materials on the materials of the tools (wooden handles and natural bristles in particular). Build up on straighteners and curling irons causes uneven heating on the plates. Moisture, residues, and oils can corrode and damage metal parts, and a hair dryer can become clogged with hair and lint. Not only does this cause them to overheat, but it can also cause a fire hazard in extreme cases!
Cleaning Your Hair Tools
Ok, so now you know why keeping hair tools clean is so important! But how to work it into your routine? While I can’t promise it’ll be fun (it won’t be), the good news is that the process is easier than you might think. And, you don’t need to fork out on expensive products. Here are some great tips:
Hair Straighteners & Curling Irons
Make sure the tool is unplugged and totally cool. Wipe all surfaces with a soft, slightly damp cloth – not wet as excess water can easily find its way into the tool and cause damage. For tough grime, a little rubbing alcohol on a dry cloth can weave cleaning magic!
Hair Clips & Accessories
Give them a soak in a gentle solution of warm water and soap. Then, rinse well and dry them before using them again. This should nail most oils and product build up.
Hair Brushes & Combs
Remove any hair from brushes and combs every time you use them. This will stop it building up and creating a far more unpleasant job down the line. Regularly give them a soak in soap and warm water. Then give them a quick going over with an old toothbrush to remove any stubborn residue and muck.
Blow Dryers
Unplug the dryer and clean the lint filter. Simply unclip or unscrew it, remove any lint/dust (an old dry toothbrush is excellent for this) then put back in place.
How Often?
A lot depends on how often you use your tools, but a good rule of thumb is around once a week. Although you can probably get away with every two or three weeks for your hair dryer. Remember, setting aside a brief few minutes can make a big difference to your hair health and the performance of your tools.
Final Thoughts - Cleaning Your Hair Tools
By cleaning your hair tools regularly, you're giving your hair care routine a major boost. You’re making sure that you protect your hair and scalp from damage and infections, a key contribution to the appearance and health of your locks. And you’re also ensuring your tools perform at their best. This saves you from having to replace them on a constant basis.
Cleaning hair tools regularly should form part of every woman’s hair and beauty regimen. Built in alongside our amazing Hair Gain Hair Mask and Scalp Foam, you’ll be giving your hair and scalp incredible support from the outside. And of course, our wonderful Hair Gain Capsules and Gummies give them gold-standard support from the inside. And for those of us with hyper-busy lifestyles, our new Peptide Puff™ dry shampoo is perfect for hectic lives while not compromising our hair's health!
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