You’ve got an important job interview coming up and your beard needs to come off? Before your summer vacation, you quickly epilate your legs? And every day you remove the hair under your armpits? Shavers and epilators quickly ensure smooth skin. But residues such as soap, shaving foam and hair impair the function of these practical helpers. To ensure that the result remains flawless and you don’t injure yourself the next time you use them, you should clean and care for them regularly. Here you can find out how to clean, disinfect and care for shavers and epilators properly.
Cleaning razors: How to care for electric and wet razors
Regular cleaning ensures that your razor will continue to catch all hairs in the future. In addition, clean, sharp blades prevent skin irritations such as razor burn and razor bumps.
How exactly you clean your razor depends on whether you use an electric or a wet razor. Below you will find detailed instructions and tips for both models. Let’s start with the electric device.
Cleaning electric shavers: this is how to do it
If you own an electric shaver, you should always take a look at the instructions for use to prevent damage to the device. Also, be sure to unplug the shaver before cleaning. If your shaver has batteries, you should remove them before you start cleaning.
How you clean the electric shaver from residues depends on how your model works. The following tips will make it easier for you to clean and care for your device:
- Remove the shaving foil: For a thorough cleaning, it is recommended to disassemble the shaving attachment of the razor as much as possible. If possible, remove the shaving foil to access the blades underneath. Use a fine brush to remove residue and blow or tap out the shaving foil.
- Empty collection container: Some models have a special container for hair stubble right on the shaving head. Tap out this container over the sink after each shave.
- Rinse with water: If your shaver allows it, you can rinse the shaving head under running water. If necessary, intensify the cleaning with liquid soap or a special shaving head cleaner. Let these agents act briefly to remove stubborn dirt and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Disinfect: Remove bacteria from the blades of the electric razor with conventional disinfectant or alcohol. The best way to do this is to apply the product to the exposed parts with a cotton swab.
- Allow to dry: Before you reassemble and store your razor, let it dry thoroughly. This will prevent rust and dull blades.
- Oil your electric razor: To prevent the blades from rubbing against the shaving foil, it’s worth oiling your electric razor about once a week. This care prolongs the life of the blades.
Did you know? Some shavers have a self-cleaning function. The cleaning program is automatically selected and cleans, oils, maintains and dries the shaver.
Wet razor cleaning: Instructions and care tips
Cleaning the wet razor is a little less complicated. This is because there is no current flowing and the blades are exposed from the start. With these tips, the razor will continue to provide optimal results:
- Moisten before shaving: Caring for your wet razor starts before the first pull: dampen the blades under running water. This removes any residue from the last shave and the blades glide better over the skin.
- Rinse the blades: To keep the blades sharp, you should rinse the wet razor after each stroke. After shaving, you should clean the razor especially thoroughly under running water. Do not touch the blades directly, you could hurt yourself! To clean the spaces in between, you can instead use a small, soft brush, for example, or lightly tap the razor on the edge of the sink.
- Let dry: Once everything is clean, you should let the razor air dry before storing it away. Take special care not to allow puddles to form under the blades. This will prevent rust and dull blades.
- Disinfect: As with the electric, you can apply a little alcohol or disinfectant to the wet razor to remove bacteria. It is best to use a cotton swab or spray. When rubbing with a cloth, there is a risk of injury due to the sharp blades.
- Change razor blades: Replace the razor blades of your wet razor regularly. It is recommended to change them every two weeks or after about ten uses. This is the only way to achieve smooth results and minimize the risk of injury. The change is usually uncomplicated thanks to a click system.
Tip: Even if you clean and disinfect your razor regularly, you should not share it with other people. There is a risk of infection.
Cleaning epilators: Here’s what you should pay attention to
Unlike a razor, an epilator provides smooth skin for a longer time. Fine tweezers do not cut the hair, but pull it out of the skin. For best results and hygienic use, you should also clean your epilator regularly. Here’s how to do it:
Note: Before cleaning, be sure to disconnect the epilator from the power supply and, if possible, remove the batteries. Devices for dry use in particular should never come into contact with water.
- Disassemble epilator into individual parts: Most devices can be taken apart without any problems. If necessary, take a look at the operating instructions for your epilator and remove all attachments as far as possible. This will make it easier to clean the individual parts.
- Remove hairs: The plucked hairs often get caught between the tweezers and rollers of the epilator. Remove the hairs by using a dry brush, for example. This is included in the scope of delivery of many devices.
- Rinse with water: If you have a waterproof epilator, you can also rinse it under running water and treat it with a little detergent if necessary. It’s best to check the instruction manual to see which elements are suitable for this cleaning method. Also, make sure that no soap residue remains on the device.
- Disinfect epilator: Remove bacteria from your epilator with disinfectant or alcohol. It is best to use a cotton swab or pad for application and make sure that no liquid enters the device.
- Allow to dry: If you wet-cleaned the epilator, let it air dry before reassembling and storing it. This will prolong the life of the device.
Clean shaver and epilator: A few simple steps ensure optimal results
In order to enjoy your hair removal devices for as long as possible, you should clean them regularly and care for them as needed.
- For example, you can remove stubble from the electric shaver with a brush and rinse some models under running water. A drop of oil prevents the blades from scratching the shaving foil.
- After each use, rinse the wet razor thoroughly with water and allow it to dry thoroughly in the air. It is best to change the blades regularly to get smooth results and avoid injuries and irritations.
- To clean the epilator, disassemble it into its individual parts as much as possible. Remove hairs with a gentle brush. You should only use water if the epilator is waterproof.
All devices should be allowed to dry thoroughly after cleaning. In addition, you can disinfect blades and co. with a little alcohol or disinfectant. This makes the next application particularly hygienic.
