Knowing how to clean your hairbrush is one thing—remembering to actually do it is another. But hairstylists insist that eliminating dirt and debris is important for maintaining a healthy scalp. Just like washing your sheets and cleaning your makeup brush, your hairbrush requires constant upkeep to prevent the spread of bacteria and dead skin cells.
The first sign that your hairbrush needs a good cleaning? Gray fuzzies. “When you start to see gray fuzzies or buildup on your brush, this is an indication that it’s time to give your brush a major cleaning, or simply get a new brush,” says Leland Olson, style and color master for Kevin Murphy.
Jenna Spino, hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, agrees and stresses the importance of removing these particles. “Cleaning your brush is important because this gross mixture will then transfer back onto your head,” she says. “This can cause bacteria to grow and make your hair look dirty.”
What are the gray fuzzies on my hairbrush?
The accumulation of gray fuzzies is just as gross as you think. “This buildup is usually a combination of dust, fibers, oils, discarded dry skin cells, and hair products that have been transferred from our hair to the brush,” says Olson.
Using a brush with gray fuzzies can be seriously damaging to your strands, so it's important to clean them off. “Rebrushing this buildup back into your hair can lead to hair issues, odor, and buildup of bacteria on your hair and scalp,” Olson adds.
To help prevent buildup, hairstylist and colorist Dan Williams recommends keeping your brushes in a safe space. “Gray fuzzies are usually dust and particles in the air (clothing/towel fibers) that attach to the bristles,” he says. “It’s important to store your brushes in a closed space and clean them regularly so products such as hairspray, gels, oils, etc., don’t allow for more of these particles to stick.”
How often should I clean my hairbrush?
Consistency is key, and Olson recommends a thorough monthly cleaning. “You should be cleaning your hairbrush thoroughly about once a month as well as your hair combs,” he says. However, there are some exceptions.
“If you have longer or thicker hair, it’s more ideal to be cleaning your brushes and combs every two weeks,” Olson says. “If you find that your brush is getting buildup very quickly due to excessive product buildup in your hair, then I would recommend a weekly brush- and comb-cleaning routine.”
A small preventive step you can take? “Every single time you finish cleaning your hair, pick out and remove any hair that's transferred to your brush bristles immediately,” he says. “This will help prevent further tangles in the hair and brush.”
What happens if I don’t clean my hairbrush?
Cleaning not only promotes a healthy scalp and strands, but it also helps your hairbrush perform better, especially if you've invested in a pricier brush. If you're not regularly cleaning, you may be making the job even harder. “Brushes can range in price on the market depending on the brand, quality of the brush, whether it's a ceramic or natural bristle brush,” Olson says. “You want to clean your brushes regularly to help prevent your hairbrush from not working as intended or effectively.”
