I'm pretty much of a germaphobe myself and have never been able to buy a vintage razor, but I was reading an old post here, and some guy bought a brand-new razor, and he said he soaked it in Dawn (I'm assuming antibacterial Dawn) before using it. Are you supposed to sterilize brand-new razors? And if so, how? Like the guy, maybe a ten-minute soak in one-quarter Antibacterial Dawn and three-quarters water?
Do you sterilize brand new razors?
- Thread starter 100pctFragranceFree
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No I don't.
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Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
All razors get a bath in Scrubbing Bubbles — coming in or going out.
No, I just run them under hot water. The shaving soap does all the cleaning!
I never have, but now that you mention it...
No
It´s your razor and your face, Dawn or an autoclave... whatever makes you comfortable using it.
Cheers
Cheers
I've never sterilized any razor, new or old.
I've washed all of them.
Some required a soak because they were particularly grubby, but my intent was never sterilization.
You should do what makes you comfortable.
I've washed all of them.
Some required a soak because they were particularly grubby, but my intent was never sterilization.
You should do what makes you comfortable.
Flintstone65
Imagining solutions for imaginary problems
I give it a hit of Dawn....specifically, I apply the Dawn to a well-worn soft-bristle toothbrush and just give the razor parts a once over. I do a bit more for the vintage stuff, but honestly, I started out this hobby as a certified Germaphobe, but now I've either gotten more tolerant or lazy....either way, I think using Dawn like you would on an utensil would be sufficient....at least it is for me.
I don't see any reason to sterilize a brand new razor. But some of them may still have the "shelf dust" on it, so I just wash them under running warm water, load the blade and enjoy.
I sterilize a razor before I send it to someone else. I use Salon Care, a product of the Barbicide persuasion.
Incoming? Unless it requires cleaning, just hot water on the razor, lather on my face.
Least sanitary experience? I have too many Schick injectors loaded and ready for use. Somehow a vintage acquisition got in the ready queue, so I started a shave with a used vintage blade. I'm pretty sure I soaked it in Dawn and toothbrushed it first. Pretty sure....
Incoming? Unless it requires cleaning, just hot water on the razor, lather on my face.
Least sanitary experience? I have too many Schick injectors loaded and ready for use. Somehow a vintage acquisition got in the ready queue, so I started a shave with a used vintage blade. I'm pretty sure I soaked it in Dawn and toothbrushed it first. Pretty sure....
EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
In my experience if someone is so inclined to ask the question if it is necessary to sterilize a razor, or anything else, then they will never ever be convinced that it is not. It doesn't matter what anyone else does, just do what you want and what you feel happy with, there is no right and wrong here.
I Barbicide all razors I receive, new or used, and I Barbicide them when I give them to someone else.
You know, Barbicide as a verb looks kind of funny, like it should refer to killing a barber.
You know, Barbicide as a verb looks kind of funny, like it should refer to killing a barber.
I never sterilized any razor, new or used
Why?
I would think our recent unpleasantness would have taught folks something about the limits of longevity of germs, specifically, viruses.
Initially, scientific experiments showed that the Covid-19 virus could survive outside the body for up to about three days, I believe, on some surfaces under some conditions. Under real world conditions, it turned out to be less, which was not surprising given that surfaces can range from cotton to wood to plastic to steel. And conditions vary be temperature, humidity and exposure to UV in sunlight.
Most bacteria and viruses can be preserved by deep cold, but die eventually at room temperature, either within hours or a few days. Fungi and some bacteria like warm, humid conditions though, like athlete's food and staph. This perhaps should be a concern for someone using the same razor and brush every day in conditions like a monsoon or New Orleans.
However, most razors have spent months in their package before reaching you, especially razors from China, which travel by container ships. And all the new razors I have seen have been spotlessly clean, though this does not include razors from India or Pakistan, which may have experienced more handling in manufacture.
Normal warmth, dry air and sunlight all help kill most germs naturally. (That doesn't stop NASA from worrying about extraterrestrial germs in Moon soil, asteroid dust, or, perhaps the most worrisome, Mars soil. So if you are getting a used razor from another solar system (especially Andromeda), please be careful.)
Polished metal is not a surface that would support the reproduction and survival of germs; it is perhaps the least likely to, at least when it comes to three-piece razors.
On the other hand, TTO and adjustable razors have internal surfaces that might not be visible. But they are also the ones that we might not want to sterilize in boiling water or heat because they might have lubricants.
I mention all this not to comment on new razors but because I think people need to have a better understanding of the reality about germs. If anything, I would be more worried about the shaving gear you use every day, if you live in a warm, humid climate.
Yes, there are "super bugs," particularly staph found in hospitals. Hospitals typically use UV light to sterilize hospital rooms and surfaces.
What is the minimum temperature you need?
If you have ever wanted to make homemade mayonnaise, it helps to "pasteurize" eggs - not "sterilize" so you kill the germs but don't cook the eggs. This can be done by keeping the eggs in a pan of water at 140 F degrees for five minutes, enough to heat the yolk. Unless you are canning food or are worried about giardia, etc., you generally do not need to heat it to boiling and above. Mayo made with pasteurized eggs can last a month in the refrigerator.
Pasteurizing milk uses higher temperatures, which vary with time:
"For low-temperature or VAT pasteurization, you need to keep milk at 63oC (145oF) for 30 minutes. This approach allows you to retain the texture and taste and is best for batch pasteurization. You could use a double boiler for this method, but it’s better to invest in a pasteurizer that will keep milk at the required temperature without needing you to watch over it. Advanced models will even cool the milk down after it’s processed.
HTST is the most common technique. It requires you to keep milk at 72oC (161oF) for just 15 seconds. This approach is feasible for home use and can be executed without any additional tools other than a cooking thermometer."
milkyday.com
This information may be useful for those using shaving brushes, as most should not be subjected to boiling water.
Whether shave creams would kill germs would depend on whether they are an alkaline soap; my guess is canned shave mousse or gel is a neutral pH.
Should we worry? My concern is that in shaving (particularly aggressively close shaving every day) we are opening up the surface of the skin, which is apparent from the skin irritation produced by many shave soaps, as well as an aftershave. This could, I suspect, allow germs into our system. Anyone get skin infections from shaving?
The other ways germs get inside us is through breathing or ingestion. However, most of you do not actually eat razors, razor blades or shaving brushes, I presume, though some shave creams do sound delicious.
-=-
lancre:
"I Barbicide all razors I receive, new or used, and I Barbicide them when I give them to someone else.
You know, Barbicide as a verb looks kind of funny, like it should refer to killing a barber."
Actually, it does: The guy who invented it hated barbers, and the name does, etymologically, infer killing barbers.
This business of using Barbicide on razors and blades is questionable, from what I've read. Perhaps it needs a new thread.
I would think our recent unpleasantness would have taught folks something about the limits of longevity of germs, specifically, viruses.
Initially, scientific experiments showed that the Covid-19 virus could survive outside the body for up to about three days, I believe, on some surfaces under some conditions. Under real world conditions, it turned out to be less, which was not surprising given that surfaces can range from cotton to wood to plastic to steel. And conditions vary be temperature, humidity and exposure to UV in sunlight.
Most bacteria and viruses can be preserved by deep cold, but die eventually at room temperature, either within hours or a few days. Fungi and some bacteria like warm, humid conditions though, like athlete's food and staph. This perhaps should be a concern for someone using the same razor and brush every day in conditions like a monsoon or New Orleans.
However, most razors have spent months in their package before reaching you, especially razors from China, which travel by container ships. And all the new razors I have seen have been spotlessly clean, though this does not include razors from India or Pakistan, which may have experienced more handling in manufacture.
Normal warmth, dry air and sunlight all help kill most germs naturally. (That doesn't stop NASA from worrying about extraterrestrial germs in Moon soil, asteroid dust, or, perhaps the most worrisome, Mars soil. So if you are getting a used razor from another solar system (especially Andromeda), please be careful.)
Polished metal is not a surface that would support the reproduction and survival of germs; it is perhaps the least likely to, at least when it comes to three-piece razors.
On the other hand, TTO and adjustable razors have internal surfaces that might not be visible. But they are also the ones that we might not want to sterilize in boiling water or heat because they might have lubricants.
I mention all this not to comment on new razors but because I think people need to have a better understanding of the reality about germs. If anything, I would be more worried about the shaving gear you use every day, if you live in a warm, humid climate.
Yes, there are "super bugs," particularly staph found in hospitals. Hospitals typically use UV light to sterilize hospital rooms and surfaces.
What is the minimum temperature you need?
If you have ever wanted to make homemade mayonnaise, it helps to "pasteurize" eggs - not "sterilize" so you kill the germs but don't cook the eggs. This can be done by keeping the eggs in a pan of water at 140 F degrees for five minutes, enough to heat the yolk. Unless you are canning food or are worried about giardia, etc., you generally do not need to heat it to boiling and above. Mayo made with pasteurized eggs can last a month in the refrigerator.
How to Pasteurize Eggs | Frugal Farm Wife
Ever wondered how to pasteurize eggs? This tutorial step-by-step tutorial couldn't be easier! Just a few simple steps is all it takes.
www.frugalfarmwife.com
Pasteurizing milk uses higher temperatures, which vary with time:
"For low-temperature or VAT pasteurization, you need to keep milk at 63oC (145oF) for 30 minutes. This approach allows you to retain the texture and taste and is best for batch pasteurization. You could use a double boiler for this method, but it’s better to invest in a pasteurizer that will keep milk at the required temperature without needing you to watch over it. Advanced models will even cool the milk down after it’s processed.
HTST is the most common technique. It requires you to keep milk at 72oC (161oF) for just 15 seconds. This approach is feasible for home use and can be executed without any additional tools other than a cooking thermometer."
Methods, Time and Temperature for Pasteurizing Milk
In many countries, it’s mandatory even for small farms to pasteurize their dairy. That’s why — it’s important to know all the details about the process, time and temperature for pasteurizing milk.
milkyday.com
This information may be useful for those using shaving brushes, as most should not be subjected to boiling water.
Whether shave creams would kill germs would depend on whether they are an alkaline soap; my guess is canned shave mousse or gel is a neutral pH.
Should we worry? My concern is that in shaving (particularly aggressively close shaving every day) we are opening up the surface of the skin, which is apparent from the skin irritation produced by many shave soaps, as well as an aftershave. This could, I suspect, allow germs into our system. Anyone get skin infections from shaving?
The other ways germs get inside us is through breathing or ingestion. However, most of you do not actually eat razors, razor blades or shaving brushes, I presume, though some shave creams do sound delicious.
-=-
lancre:
"I Barbicide all razors I receive, new or used, and I Barbicide them when I give them to someone else.
You know, Barbicide as a verb looks kind of funny, like it should refer to killing a barber."
Actually, it does: The guy who invented it hated barbers, and the name does, etymologically, infer killing barbers.
This business of using Barbicide on razors and blades is questionable, from what I've read. Perhaps it needs a new thread.
Last edited:
ylekot
On the lookout for a purse
I use scrubbing bubbles on used/vintage
It does.
Maurice King, the inventor of Barbicide hated barbers.
It was his inside joke.
PDF link to the story from NYT
LOL! I use Arko. That stuff kills healthy skin cells!
I don't even clean used razors. I'm mucho macho like that.
Glad I'm a Cosmetologist doggone!
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