Drying Out Brushes

Is it best to let a shaving brush completely dry out before you use it again?  My Chubby 2 can take 2-3 days to dry out completely due to such a dense knot and humidity as a good example.

Good question, Chappy!
Not sure mine ever dries out.  I've used the same boar Semogue every day for a week without really checking to see if it was dry or not.  I bet it wasn't.  But if it's getting a hot water rinse and new soap every day, I reckon it's clean.  I just hope I'm not ruining my brush, now that you mention it...
- Bax

After using a brush I shake it pretty vigorously over the tub.  Then I brush it several strokes on a dry towel and return it to the cabinet.  It's always dry by the time it comes up in the rotation.  However, I have a 9 brush rotation (more or less) so a brush has that many days to fully dry.

I’ve been advised by others to let my brushes dry thoroughly between uses. Like MaxP, my rotation is big enough so that it’s not an issue.

Have not been really rotating my brushes but guess I'll start.  Thanks!!

I set my brush on a window to let it air dry over night. Usually good to go no matter: boar, badger, synthetic.

The simple answer is - you just need to buy more brushes

(07-27-2021, 08:32 PM)mike_the_kraken Wrote: The simple answer is - you just need to buy more brushes

I've a SV badger brush which is large. After gently drying it on a towel,  I very gently use a hairdryer for a few minutes. Its remained lovely and soft with no hair loss.

(07-27-2021, 08:40 PM)chazt Wrote:

(07-27-2021, 08:32 PM)mike_the_kraken Wrote: The simple answer is - you just need to buy more brushes

I did.  When my wife asks I just tell her it is for my next birthday.  

My take is that brushes should fully dry between use.  Anything that stays wet is much more likely to mold or mildew.  An easy solution, which has been suggested, is to get more brushes.  I shake my brushes and then gently but firmly squeeze them with a towel.  

Also, brushes should be washed once a month with a detergent soap.  Most any soap that isn't an artisan shave soap will have detergent in it.  I use dish soap, like Dawn liquid.  The reason for using a detergent soap is to remove water deposits and left over shave soap.  Detergents remove them far better than shave soap.

What about using a hair shampoo without conditioner?

(09-14-2021, 09:07 AM)Chappy Wrote: What about using a hair shampoo without conditioner?

I don't see why that wouldn't work - just check ingredients to see that neither Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide are ingredients, which I doubt they will be.

Thanks!  I'm good to go then as I have 3 badgers and 2 synthetics.  Plenty of dry time.

(09-14-2021, 05:38 PM)Chappy Wrote: Thanks!  I'm good to go then as I have 3 badgers and 2 synthetics.  Plenty of dry time.

You say that now, but just wait until you start shaving twice a day!

I used to have a stand where the brush I used would hang bristles down until dry but long ago I gave up that practice and just rinse really well then shake out excess water and stand it up to dry…the bottom is flat for reason but then at one time I had 20 brushes in rotation but am down to 8 after selling off a lot. 

My Grandfather never even rinsed his brush he always left it bristles down in his soap bowl and he only owned one brush,I think lots of times we over think everything I know I do and not just with shaving.

Badger or Boar regardless of price, rinse thoroughly, shake, stand to dry. I've never shampooed a brush in my life, never had any mold, odor, or any other drama. I also load any new brush straight from the box and shave without prep of any kind. Any brush I've had just seemed to improve with age, and I have a few.
No Ricardo, I will not inventory my brushes!   I refuse to face this problem.

(09-15-2021, 07:45 AM)Uncas Wrote: Badger or Boar regardless of price, rinse thoroughly, shake, stand to dry. I've never shampooed a brush in my life, never had any mold, odor, or any other drama. I also load any new brush straight from the box and shave without prep of any kind. Any brush I've had just seemed to improve with age, and I have a few.
No Ricardo, I will not inventory my brushes!   I refuse to face this problem.

Bill, I agree that caring for a brush is simple.  Rinse it well under a lot of running water, shake out the excess water, brush it on a towel a few times, then stand it up to dry.  If you have a concern about soap residue building up, a brief soaking in a vinegar/water solution followed by a cleaning with Dawn dish soap will work.

It would be ideal to let it dry completely, but I think you can get away with it being a bit damp. I mean look at the number of brushes left lathered in a mug and how long they lasted under the worst conditions. Perhaps not the most ideal brush to use, but still usable. It's not debatable that it did damage to the brush in the long term, but they held out surprisingly well considering their less than ideal care given to them. Most of the stuff I agree with. Shaking is one that I can see the argument against doing as all that weight in the hair wouldn't be good to shake. I squeeze mine now. Again, however, given my prior example, we're doing better than grandpa in taking care of our brushes overall than he ever did and given the two, I'll take someone actually cleaning the brush and shaking it dry rather than just leaving it lathered in a mug for the next time to use. I don't believe in using a brush stand either. Don't think its necessary, and frankly with where I have to dry my brushes, I am concerned something would bump it out of the holder and it would take a 6ft nose dive to the floor so I gave them up long ago. Even just the short fall from the holder gave me concern for any slight cosmetic damage it might have caused. Just my ocd I guess.

(09-15-2021, 04:13 PM)kooshman7 Wrote: Most of the stuff I agree with. Shaking is one that I can see the argument against doing as all that weight in the hair wouldn't be good to shake. I squeeze mine now. 

I agree with being careful about shaking a wet brush.  When I shake my wet brushes, I do so gently and grab the brush at the base of the knot instead of the handle.  As you suggest, squeezing the brush is also an option.