If you’re having trouble recalling the last time you cleaned your hairbrush, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Most of us pick up our brushes daily and habitually run them through our hair, but amongst all the other steps in our weekly haircare routine like shampooing, conditioning, blowdrying, and styling, washing our brushes rarely seems to make the roster. 

We’d like to say you shouldn’t worry about it and your hair will be just fine, but as it turns out, those product-covered bristles tangled with weeks’ worth of fallen strands are stressing out your precious tresses!

Luckily, as with most haircare woes, there’s a simple and speedy solution. It’s time to start regularly washing your hairbrushes, and we’re going to show you how. 

Why Should You Clean Your Hairbrush?

Before we learn how let’s talk about why you should keep those bristles squeaky clean. 

First, every product you put into your hair inevitably ends up in your hairbrush—from heat protectant to styling mousse and the hair oils you use for shine. This concoction of formulas can sit on your brush for weeks and the worst part is you’re constantly adding to it! 

Another thing that happens?

Get ready because it’s way worse than product build-up. Not cleaning your brush will lead to the production of… bacteria. The conditions are perfect for those little microbes to live and grow and the only way to stop them is to wash them away. 

Oh, and if you’re wondering about those delightful, fuzzy grey circles that form around the base of your brush bristles, they’re just about the worst part of it all.

These seemingly harmless fluff balls are a combination of lint from clothing and the towel you wrap around your hair after a shower, dust particles from the air, dead skin cells, and left-over hair products.

Basically, they’re completely gross – and they need to go!

What Happens If You Don’t Clean Your Hairbrush? 

The verdict’s in and leaving your brush to bathe in fallen hair, dead skin cells, and months-old product is no longer an option. 

When left to sit and, *gulp* breed, the germs and various bacteria on your brush will transfer to your hair. So, even if you’ve only just showered, the moment you run an unclean brush through your freshly washed locks, they’re already on the way to looking dirty and greasy.

We’re personally not prepared to shampoo, condition, blow dry, and style our hair if that’s the case!

In addition, de-tangling your tresses with a dirty hairbrush deposits bacteria onto your scalp. This can lead to poor scalp health and plenty of irritation.

Over time, this grim concoction of nasties can even create a somewhat unpleasant odor. You definitely don’t want to be brushing that through the lengths of your hair!

How To Clean Your Hairbrush

The key to cleaning your hairbrush is to be gentle but thorough. You want to make sure all hair and excess product gets removed without damaging the integrity of the bristles. Especially if you’ve chosen to invest in a pricey hair tool like a Mason Pearson brush. 

First things first, before deep cleaning those bristles and the pad of your brush, you’ll need to get rid of all the excess hair. We recommend doing this two or three times a week, but removing and disposing of the strands after each brushing session is a good habit to get into.  

Once all the hair is gone, give your brush a deep clean with warm water, and some form of soap. We recommend shampoo since we already know it’s safe for our hair.

Start by adding water to your sink or a large bowl and submerge the whole brush from the handles to the bristles. We want to get this whole thing clean now we know what lurks on it! 

Let it soak in the water for ten minutes, or swish the brush around for a minute to loosen the debris if you’re on a time crunch. Lift it out, drain the water, and rinse it off.

Now, apply a little shampoo and, using your fingertips, or a bristle-cleaning brush if you’ve gone that route, work the suds into the pad of your brush and all around the bristles. You want to see all of that build-up melting away. Rinse the brush and repeat if necessary. 

Oh, and if this is the first time you’re cleaning your brush in a while, or in, let’s be honest, ever, a second cleaning is definitely a good idea.

How To Clean A Heated Hair Brush

Cleaning a regular hairbrush is simple, but what about a heating hairbrush?

Product build-up on these tools can damage and even burn your hair so it’s just as important as cleaning your regular brush. However, since we can’t exactly dip an electrical device in hot soapy water and call it a day, we’ve looked up the safest ways to clean them that actually get the job done. 

First of all, make sure your heated brush is unplugged and completely cool. Next, dip a cloth in warm water, then ring it out so there are absolutely no drips.

The last thing we want is water making its way inside the brush.  Use the barely damp cloth to gently remove any dirt or product build-up. 

If that doesn’t work, or you need to be a little more precise, try a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad or Q-tip. Just remember to wipe it away and dry the brush off completely before using it again. 

How Often Should You Clean our Hairbrush? 

If you’re worried you now have to add ‘daily hairbrush cleaning’ to your already lengthy to-do list, don’t fret. While those with longer hair will likely need to clean their hairbrushes and combs about every two weeks, most can get away with a monthly clean. 

However, if you happen to use a lot of product, or you notice a build-up forming on your brush more often than that, we do recommend cleaning your hairbrush on a more frequent schedule so that doesn’t happen.

Now you’ve read what happens when you don’t clean them, we’re pretty sure you won’t need convincing anyway!  

How To Store Your Hairbrush

In addition to all of the fallen hair and dead skin cells, your brush is frequently exposed to daily dirt and grime.

We know your favorite paddle and round brushes have been with you for more years than you can remember, living in different draws, the side of the sink, the dresser, the bottom of your handbag, and more.

It’s probably your most well-traveled accessory! That means it needs and deserves a better home that can protect it from dust and dirt. 

So, find a plastic box or bag that’s easily cleanable, and store your brush inside when you’re done using it. If that sounds like too much hassle, at least get into the habit of popping your brush into the drawer after use.

It’ll collect less dust and dirt that way and will save you from having to scrub it as often – it’s a win-win!

Blow drying your hair so you look like you just spent an hour in the salon is no simple task. We all wish we had better shoulder strength and wrists that ‘bent that way’. And, of course, we’d love to be more adept at juggling a dryer and a brush at the same time.

But life doesn’t always gift us everything we want. So, we have to think outside of the box.

Or, better yet, we let other, way smarter folks do all the thinking for us until some miraculous piece of technology helps us achieve the hair we want – without a pricey, lengthy trip to the salon. 

Well, good news people, because when it comes to blow drying your hair, such a thing already exists.

Say hello to the mighty blow drying brush.

One of the best hair tools for anyone who finds drying their hair a challenge, these natty miracle-workers combine a dryer and a styling brush in one handy contraption, making drying your hair a total breeze. They also go easy on your shoulders and your stress levels. So there’s that.

Granted, blow drying brushes aren’t new – you can thank the ‘80s for the OGs – but they’re much neater, lighter and sophisticated than those from decades gone by.

So don’t even think about raiding your mom’s/aunt’s/grandma’s closets for their old and somewhat cumbersome versions. Instead, treat yourself to one of our favorite blow drying brushes below…

1) L’ange Le Volume 2-in-1 Titanium Brush Dryer

With over 65,000 reviews on its website and a rating of an almost unbeatable 4.9 stars, the people don’t lie about this lightweight blow drying brush.

Other than the fact that it’s very pretty to look at, the tug-resistant bristles and simple design are just a few of our favorite things because they mean even the biggest blow drying virgins can practice using the tool without fear of getting the brush caught up in their hair. 

It also comes in two barrel sizes for different hair types and lengths – 60mm for short or shoulder-length hair, 75mm for longer hair – but no other brushes or attachments are included or sold separately.

This might be a negative for some but if you just want a quick and simple tool that gets the job done and gives you an awesome, bouncy blowout, this is your guy. 

2) Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer And Volumizer 

One of the most reasonably priced blow drying brushes out there, the Revlon One-Step does not disappoint. Although, we wouldn’t expect anything less from a tool that’s been around in various guises since 2016!

Great for smoothing frizz and improving shine, this new and improved version of the original has an improved motor life and a much easier to handle 2.8” round brush. It dries the hair quickly and efficiently and is an awesome choice for thick or wavy hair types.

It features three heat/speed settings but can get super hot, however, so be mindful of that if you have thin, fine or fragile locks. That being said, it’s a huge hit on any social media channel you care to peruse and at last count had racked up almost half a million ratings on Amazon. Hard to beat those kind of figures.

3) Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler And Dryer Complete

OK, so the price of this one certainly doesn’t make it the most accessible of blow drying brushes, but if you want to really push the boat out or if you have a special birthday coming up, you won’t regret the investment.

For those of you who are into technology, this little baby is powered by a high octane digital motor which spins at up to 110,000 rpm. And if that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is! It also measures airflow temperatures over 40 times a second, allowing it to control the heating element and stop it from getting too hot for your hair to handle. 

Yes, this one’s a splurge but with three heat settings, three speed settings and a whole bunch of brush attachments (six to be exact) in all shapes and sizes it really does suit your every styling need. It also comes with a fancy storage case if that floats your boat. Think of this one as the Swiss army knife of blow-drying brushes. 

4) Bondi Boost Blowout Brush Pro Hair Dryer

Another good choice for coarse, thick, frizzy or curly hair types, the Bondi Boost drying brush literally glides through your locks with zero effort required. And we love it for that. After all, making your life easier is what hair tools are supposed to do, right? 

This one also gets bonus points for its decent price (usually around $70), its extra long swivel cord and whopping 1200W of professional drying power which dries, styles and volumizes your hair in next to no time. Nice. Another great feature? Its detangling nylon tip which remains cool as it dries your hair and allows the brush to work its way through your locks effortlessly and smoothly. Say goodbye to frizz and hello to a silky blowout – every time.

5) Drybar The Double Shot Oval Blow-Dryer

If you’re looking for a consistently top-rated blow drying brush that’s adored and used regularly by beauty editors and influencers up and down the country, then this has your name all over it.

From the brand behind everyone’s favorite blowout salons, this brush combines tufted and nylon bristles to grab and hold your hair firmly but gently (or is that an oxymoron?!) while smoothing your locks as they dry, giving your finished do major bounce vibes as a result.  

Like most blow drying brushes on the market, this one comes with three heat settings, but it feels much lighter than others and its powerful airflow works well on most hair types. Easy and intuitive, we have a lot of love for this one.

6) Shark Beauty SmoothStyle Heated Comb + Blow Dryer Brush

A viral hit at the tail end of last year (and still going strong, btw!), this is another blow drying brush from one of the country’s favorite vacuum creators. But wait, because this one isn’t just a blow-drying , hair volumizing whizz – it also has ceramic-coated comb plates on its side which allows it to not only blow dry damp hair, but to also straighten your hair when it’s dry. 

Mic. Drop.

Although some reviewers claim this to be louder than other blow drying brushes, it does cut your drying time by a good half and it doesn’t get too hot during use. It also blends nylon with boar bristles for extra smoothing and a whole lot of care.

All this adds up to a big weight off your mind if you’re concerned about hair damage from heated appliances. Which, of course, you always should be! 

7) InfinitPro by Conair The Knot Dr. All-In-One Hot Air Brush

Simple and inexpensive, yet lightweight and effective, this detangling blow drying brush is the ideal choice if you’re a self-confessed drying and styling amateur.

It has a super large, oval-shaped brush to inject oceans of volume into your hair and, while it only features two heat settings (plus a cool shot), it doesn’t get too hot or feel crazy powerful. This makes it a fine choice for, er, fine hair.

Something else this one has in its favor? There are loads of other attachments you can buy separately including a paddle brush, root volumizer and double-row detangling comb for styling curly hair. Who said you can’t please everyone all of the time?

8) ghd Glide Hot Air Hair Brush

Round brushes and big hair aren’t for everyone so if you’re more of a paddle brush, straight hair kinda person, you’ll love this ceramic blow drying brush from hair gurus, ghd.

Granted, this one may be a little heavier to handle than others, but it’s the cats’ whiskers for taming frizz, smoothing strands and even adding a little bounce to the ends if that’s your jam. 

Let’s get one thing straight (no pun intended!), it won’t replace your actual ghds (the straightening irons, that is), but it will help give you a beautiful, natural-looking, smooth blow-dry while minimizing damage thanks to its optimum temperature of 365oF. It’s also pretty neat for smoothing out kinks or re-vamping second-day hair. 

And we’ve all been there.

How To Use Your Blow Dryer Brush For The Best Results

1. Always, without fail, apply heat protection first. This is super important for reducing split ends and minimizing unwanted hair damage from any kind of heated appliance – blow drying brushes included. 

2. Before using your blow drying brush, make sure your hair is about 80-90 percent dry first by rough drying with a regular hair dryer. Use your fingers to rake through your hair as you dry and always point the dryer down the hair shaft to reduce frizz.

3. Once your hair is almost dry, use grips to clip the top of your hair away. This will enable you to work on the underneath layers first. 

4. Grab your blow drying brush and work on small sections at a time. One-inch sections are a good place to start, but definitely go no bigger than the width of your brush. This’ll stop your hair from getting caught up and damaged.

5. Continue sectioning your hair until it’s dried all over, and use the cool shot option (if you have one!) after each section to help hold your style and add extra shine.