Have you ever had trouble cleaning your hot air brush? While it may sound like an easy task, you’re going to need a handful of supplies and some patience to get the job done. Your hot air brush has tamed your tresses many times throughout parties and events. To show back some love, clean your brush regularly, so it lasts for a long time. We’ll help you by sharing some tips on how to clean a hot air brush.
You can also check out our Best Hot Air Brush to see what’s the best for you.
Things You’ll Need
- A pair of small scissors to remove tangled hair
- A dishwashing liquid mixed in water. You can also use shampoo or a specialized cleaning solution, but the detergent is better at eliminating dirt and grime
- A soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub the brush body
- A cotton swab to reach small areas
- A piece of clean cloth for the final wipe
Unplug the Brush
This may seem like an obvious step, but it’s possible to forget to unplug the hot air brush when you have a busy schedule and a hundred thoughts running through your mind. Unplug the brush and let it cool completely. Never try to clean the brush while it’s hot as it can burn your fingers.
Start With the Tangles
The first thing you’ll notice on the brush is strands of hair tangled around the bristles. Don’t pull out every strand with your hands. Use scissors to cut out the clumps, going along each row and column. Be careful not to cut the bristles accidentally.
Use the Detergent Mix
If your hot brush has a removable rotating barrel, put it in the water mixture and clean it with a toothbrush. If the barrel isn’t detachable, spray some detergent mix instead. Don’t overspray though, as it may damage the brush. A small head toothbrush works best as it can easily dig out residue and grime from the vents.
Run the toothbrush across the bristles just like we did with the scissors. For fussy hair that won’t come out with the toothbrush, use your hands and scissors to remove them. If you spot debris dripping off the brush barrel, wipe it with a towel or cloth to avoid any damage to the brush motor.
Alternatively, if you’re not comfortable with using a detergent to clean your expensive hot airbrush, you can also use specialized cleaning products available online. These liquid solutions work with heat styling products.
Wipe the Brush With a Damp Cloth
Unless your hot air brush comes with detachable parts, never wash it directly under a faucet as it bears the risk of damage to the machine. It’s an electronic product so try your best to keep it away from water.
Use a damp cloth or towel to polish the brush surface and remove stains and watermarks. A lint-free towel is ideal for wiping the styler. For areas hard to reach with a cloth, use a dampened cotton swab to wipe away leftover debris.
Let it Rest and Dry Completely
After your brush is squeaky clean, let it dry and rest for a day before you use it again. Never use a hot brush directly after cleaning, as it may have some residue left invisible to the naked eye. But if you have to use it, then let the brush dry for 30 minutes and then heat it up for a few minutes to burn out leftover residue, if any.
How to Make Your Hot Air Brush Last Longer
The only way your hot air brush will survive in a usable condition past its warranty date is proper maintenance. If you can spare enough time, clean it right after use. Once the brush cools down, pull out the hair caught and wipe the surface with a damp cloth.
Experts recommend cleaning your hot tools once or twice a month. When compared to a flat iron, a hot air brush is prone to collecting more debris and clumps of hair within the bristles.
Also, if you regularly use styling products and hairsprays, keep in mind that they leave behind harmful chemical residue on your hot air brush, which can later damage your hair. For this reason, you may need to clean it thrice a month.
Let’s Wrap it Up
A hot air brush is not a frequent investment. You expect it to last unless there’s no way left to make it work. But for the long lifespan, it is important that you properly clean the brush at recommended times. You can use detergent or a specialized cleaning product like the Iwata-Medea Airbrush Cleaner to accomplish this.
The whole cleaning process should take an hour, depending on how much there is to remove. But the effort is worth it as it increases your brush performance and life. Have any questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section.