Cleaning/Sterilizing an EBay razor

[farangzookzon]

I recently won a few auctions for two EBay razors and was wondering what the best way is to clean and/or sterilize them. I know this might seem like common sense to many but here is what I did.

1.) I took a cotton ball that had been dipped in alcohol and basically rubbed the heck out of the razors.

2.) I then placed them into a pan of boiling water. After they were boiled for about 10 minutes I noticed a bunch of gunk in the bottom of the pan.

3.) I then let them cool for a few minutes and then put them into a second pan of hot soapy water. This time I let them soak in the pan of hot warm with soap for about 10 minutes.

4.) I then took a toothbrush and some Qtips and basically rubbed the heck out of the razors again. Washed them off and then placed them back into a pan of boiling water.

5.) I let them boil for 5 minutes or so and again there was some gunk at the bottom of the pan. At this point I was a bit frustrated not sure of what I should do.

6.) I then decided to let them soak in a pure alcohol solution for the time being. This is where I am at now. What suggestions if any can you give me??

Thanks!


Joe

[DoubleE]

Joe:

Your routine is very similar to what I've done in the past. I boil the razor for around 10 minutes, then take a toothbrush and soap and give it a good scrubbing. I then soak it in alcohol for an hour or so. I figure if anything can survive this, it deserves to live!

Jerry

[farangzookzon]

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for the positive reply, it made me chuckle! Did you notice the gunk at the bottom of the pan as well? I guess if I keep cleaning them the way I am doing it the gunk will continue to be at the bottom of the pan so I might as well just suck it up and accept this fact. They are both pretty nice razors and I am happy with the condition they are in.

Cheers,

Joe

[DoubleE]

Hi Jerry,
Did you notice the gunk at the bottom of the pan as well? I guess if I keep cleaning them the way I am doing it the gunk will continue to be at the bottom of the pan so I might as well just suck it up and accept this fact.

Cheers,

Joe

Joe:

There was always gunk in the bottom of the pan after boiling the razors. I assumed it was old soap residue. I only boiled mine once so I don't know if anything else would have come off with another boiling.

I forgot, I also polished them with Flitz metal polish to bring back the shine. Just don't try it on a gold razor. Learned that lesson the hard way!:mad:

Jerry

[rtaylor61]

Also,

Don't soak them in bleach. A 10% bleach solution is okay, straight bleach will eat the finish.

Randy

[Kyle]

Ditto on the treatment of gold plated razors. I haven't found anything besides boiling, soap scrub, and alcohol soak for the gold plated ones that works without damaging the razor.

Kyle

[Scotto]

If it's an injector, I had some cleaning info here (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=322).

[farangzookzon]

If it's an injector, I had some cleaning info here (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=322).

They are both Gillette DE/Safety razors. What do most members like to call them?? DE or Safety razors? Does it really matter?

Can someone tell me what the markings on the back of the razors mean? The first one reads J 4 and the second one reads D 3, the J 4 is adjustable while the D 3 is just a normal razor. Are these markings significant in any way?

Cheers,

Joe

[DoubleE]

Joe:

Check out this link (http://www.geocities.com/safetyrazors/gil_ser2.htm)

Jerry

[rschul2]

Joe,
The boiling is ok....you should only dip the razor in 70% alcohol. Anything more than 70% (what you get at your drugstore) and the alcohol is not nearly as effective. No need to soak your razor in alcohol. The alcohol does not kill any bacteria or inactivate viruses. Rather it is the alcohol evaporating that destroys the bacteria. The best thing to do is give them a nice soak in 10% bleach (9 parts bleach to 1 part water). I'd say 5 minutes is plenty. Let the razor air dry, and rinse with water. This is the most effective way to take care of bacteria and viruses.

[DoubleE]

Joe,
The best thing to do is give them a nice soak in 10% bleach (9 parts bleach to 1 part water)

Randy:

I know what you meant but that mixture might completely dissolve the razor!:001_tt2:
Jerry

[Cliff]

All I do is give them a solid brusing with a good cleanser like Fantastic or Simple Green or something simliar and then when they 'look clean', I suspend them in a solution of (can't remember the name offhand) xxx'cide for twenty minutes. This stuff says it kills everything (HIV/etc) in five minutes...so I give it twenty and then I figure it's OK to use. :shaving:

[guenron]

If your local physician or dentist has a bit of Cydex available, it is FAN-DAMN-TASTIC! It'll kill even 50000-year old bacteria!!! 20 minutes at between 25 & 35 C and watch the bad things go away...:laugh:

[Rik]

If your local physician or dentist has a bit of Cydex available, it is FAN-DAMN-TASTIC!
This is what I use (Cydex Plus) and it's amazing. If you think you'll frequently purchase used razors, you can pick up a gallon at a medical supply house or on-line. Be forewarned, it must be used outside - nasty stuff.

[Rik]

David Uthe from SRP clued me into this method:

Take an old pot in the kitchen, line the bottom inside with aluminum foil about half-way up the sides. Fill the pot with water about two-thirds up the side and heat on a high burner. As the water warms, add one teaspoon of baking soda and one-half teaspoon of salt. When the water boils, drop in the open or disassembled DE into the pot and simmer for ten minutes.

Then run the pot under the cold water faucet for a bit any you have a shiney, sterile razor. The aluminum foil blackens with the tarnish from the razor. This works for other metals as well. You may still need a little metal polish to finish things off perfectly.

[EdinLA44]

Are you guys talking about DEs or straight razors? I don't think straight razor scales would survive being in boiling water.

I had a couple of eBay straight razors arrive in the mail today and they're pretty gross. I need to give them a good cleaning but I'm not sure where to start.

[DoubleE]

We were discussing DEs so hopefully one of the str8 users will chime in here. I know many of them have purchased razors just like you. If they don't see it, I'd post the question in the straight razor forum. I'm sure some of the suggestions here would work on a str8 but I probably wouldn't try boiling water on most scales.

Jerry

[rtaylor61]

Are you guys talking about DEs or straight razors? I don't think straight razor scales would survive being in boiling water.

I had a couple of eBay straight razors arrive in the mail today and they're pretty gross. I need to give them a good cleaning but I'm not sure where to start.

Ed,

I have a link at home that I'll post later (if I don't forget) that shows how to give a straight a good cleaning. No, the scales won't survive boiling. I spray the razor itself with Clippercide, and wipe it down with alcohol. I also polish out the blade with Maas, but I still disinfect before the polish.

Randy

[ERIC]

If I wasn't a Dentist I would go to my dentist or someone elses dentist and ask them to autoclave them. This is what we do to our instruments. If you send them to me I'll do it for you. It would be no problem. Eric

[rschul2]

Randy:

I know what you meant but that mixture might completely dissolve the razor!:001_tt2:
Jerry
OOPS...thanks for catching that Jerry... should be 9 parts water to 1 part bleach.

[Rik]

If I wasn't a Dentist I would go to my dentist or someone elses dentist and ask them to autoclave them. This is what we do to our instruments. If you send them to me I'll do it for you. It would be no problem. Eric
Be very careful with the autoclave. I ran a few experiments with razors I didn't care about and the high temps will dull certain finishes like the colored metal handels on Gillette razors. This is why I now use Cidex Plus.

[letterk]

Here's a link (http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bleachiv.htm)stating household bleach is an effective germicide at the dilutions stated previously.

[Kalypso]

I worked off shore for a year or so & we ran a seawater distillation room that basically made fresh water from seawater. The thing was, it wasn't totally sterilized and each water fountain (& kitchen dispenser) had a syphon unit attached to it to pull drops of chlorine into any water that was for drinking/cooking...we used Clorox (& didn't drink shower water).

[cooncatbob]

I had a damaged Fatboy that I disected (it gave it's life for the cause) The deep recesses of the hallow handle blocked by the bottom retaining nut was full of blueish green old soap scum. I've thought of using a water pick with a mouthwash hotwater mix to blast out the handle after the boil. Unfortunately old Gillettes were relatively cheap items that weren't designed to be disassembled, too much force can damage pressed together flanged fittings.
Anyone need silo doors and the stem for a 58 Fatboy?

[ouch]

Me? I just spit on it and rub it on my pants. Then again, I set my own bones and stiched up my brow a couple of times.:eek:

Where have all the men gone?:lol:

[rtaylor61]

Me? I just spit on it and rub it on my pants. Then again, I set my own bones and stiched up my brow a couple of times.:eek:

Where have all the men gone?:lol:

I'm guessing you stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night?

Randy

[Rik]

I'm guessing you stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night?

Randy
:biggrin:

[ouch]

If you want, I have a really nifty UV flashlight (another ridiculous, expensive hobby of mine) I can lend you. I guarantee you'll never stay in any hotel again.:lol:

[BDK80]

I usually boil razor for 10 minutes and give a good scrub with soap and hot water afterwards. Then spray with Scrubbing Bubbles and let that soak for 20 minutes. Afterwards, I use Barbicide which can be purchased at a beauty suppy shop such as Sally Beauty supplies. I usually soak the razor for 10 minutes, per reccomendation on bottle, up to 1 hour. Barbicide kills everything you could imagine, or at least thats how the bottle reads.

[fatpig]

I have this idea buzzing in my head (but maybe it's not a good one).

What about using a small electric frier instead of an autoclave?

I see brand new smaller ones selling for about 15$ , and they should be able to get the oil and the submersed razor well above 150°C.That should work ok to get rid of all germs.

What are the possible shortcomings that i'm not considering?

[teamacacia]

The injectors I picked up at the antique shop are pretty dirty around the blade opening and I'd like to see if anyone has some good ideas about getting them clean. I have used softscrub and a toothbrush and am considering using the skewers to prop it open, but is there any other way to take it apart for cleaning (none of my razors have the u-shape metal thing to release the head)?

Also, can I use Maas on the gold head an not mess it up??? If not, any suggestions....this thing would look really good if polished up.

[finegelernt]

David The from SRP clued me into this method:

Take an old pot in the kitchen, line the bottom inside with aluminum foil about half-way up the sides. Fill the pot with water about two-thirds up the side and heat on a high burner. As the water warms, add one teaspoon of baking soda and one-half teaspoon of salt. When the water boils, drop in the open or disassembled DE into the pot and simmer for ten minutes.


I tried it on Gillette Fat Boy and it works great. However, this mixture is a lot more nasty than I imagined. I tried it with Gillette Super speed which is very light, so it is not made from stainless steel like Fat Boy and within a minute I noticed that the water was boring holes into the body of the handle and the blue painted tip was shedding paint. I immediately removed it.

Now, I am trying to clean Gillette Ladies razor and I wonder if this mixture would remove the bluish color from it? Has anybody tried to do that?

[mrob]

If the razor is made of light-weight materials or painted I'd go easy on the boiling water or chemicals.

I'm reminded of the time I immersed my trumpet in steaming hot water in the landlord's bathtub to clean the instrument--I'm betting there is still a ring of lacquer around that tub. She was not happy.:redface:

[With The Grain]

.....

[Tito]

Gents,

What about finishing things off in the dishwasher? Mine's got a sanitze button... I put my toothbrush in there about once a week or too. I've been thinking of adding my razors also.

Tito

[finegelernt]

Gents,

What about finishing things off in the dishwasher? Mine's got a sanitize button... I put my toothbrush in there about once a week or too. I've been thinking of adding my razors also.

Tito

Do instructions that come with your toothbrush and razor say "dishwasher safe" ? :lol:

[rtaylor61]

Do instructions that come with your toothbrush and razor say "dishwasher safe" ? :lol:


Just the ones sold as "better than new"!

Randy

[guenron]

Just the ones sold as "better than new"!

Randy
Do "Very Rare" and "Mint Condition" qualify?:001_rolle

[gzb10]

Here in Canada we've got a household cleaner called "CLR" it's used for descaling kettles, humidifiers etc. Have any of you folks used this as the first stage in cleaning an old DE razor? Thanks.

gzb10

[Leisureguy]

I've used vinegar water to descale stuff. Works quite well...

[finegelernt]

I've used vinegar water to descale stuff. Works quite well...

Could you please specify the exact proportion of water to vinegar and how long you were soaking the razor.
All those things make a difference.

[Leisureguy]

I change the proportion depending on how calcified the thing is. I had a ball-joint showerhead that was totally frozen by calcification, and I soaked it in pure vinegar for quite a while. It did come free. Vinegar is not all that acid, so it's unlikely to do damage (IMHO) if you are just soaking for an hour or so. Try half vinegar and half water and see how that works. I use white vinegar, but I doubt that it makes much difference---though I would hesitate to use balsamic or any of the sweetened rice vinegars...

[Leisureguy]

I tried the baking soda, salt, and aluminum foil method, but I didn't like the outcome all that much. I think I prefer 4 parts water to 1 part white vinegar, boil for 10 minutes, then rinse. The mildly acidic solution will indeed remove any calcification and so far has left the razors shiny bright.

[TheYoshi]

Also,

Don't soak them in bleach. A 10% bleach solution is okay, straight bleach will eat the finish.

Randy

You should never ever use bleach to clean anything steel, any homebrewer knows this!

Star-San is a steel safe sanitizer however which is commonly used in the brewing industry and kills all sorts of nasties, I believe it can be purchased from any homebrew store or from http://www.homebrewadventures.com/shopping/index.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=homebrew&Product_Code=STAR-08

you mix it with water so for cleaning razors that should last a LONG time.

[NMMB]

Here in Canada we've got a household cleaner called "CLR" it's used for descaling kettles, humidifiers etc. Have any of you folks used this as the first stage in cleaning an old DE razor? Thanks.

gzb10

Hey, another Canadian... cool.

I haven't started restoring razors yet (but I anticipate getting a couple that once belonged to my grandfthers over the next couple of months), but I think that I would only hesitate to use CLR if it was a gold razor or if it was in near perfect condition and I was planning on keeping it as a "show-razor", not a to-be-used- razor. Otherwise, why not give it a go (just make sure that you rinse it well before you use it else you may end up with some CLR getting in/on/under your skin and I doubt that would be much fun).

[Dennis]

Well I just cleaned my first vintage razor a 1960 Fatboy from here at B&B (beautiful razor - looks brand new and never used). I used the autoclave at work because, well, I just can you never know whose parts it was on previously. This was followed by a nice scrubby brush and liquid lab soap and then some Maas and a soft cloth polish. The only thing I have not done is a mineral oil soak, and I may get around to that. It cleaned up excellently - bright and shiny and all of this did nothing the the paint in the numbers or the red marker indicator. I will shave with it maybe over the weekend or next week.

Dennis

[mrob]

Jeez, I've tried to clean up 2 old Gillettes via the bay and didn't get em very shiny at all. I used everything you did--except for the autoclave! We don't have one of them over at the School of Music!

[Tito]

The dishwasher works... I picked up a Gillette last week. Put in the top rack opened up. Hit the sanitize button and tada... looks brand new.

[Dennis]

Jeez, I've tried to clean up 2 old Gillettes via the bay and didn't get em very shiny at all. I used everything you did--except for the autoclave! We don't have one of them over at the School of Music!

Ben's trusty Maas didn't do it for you? It seems to work really well for me. The autoclave does get up to some serious temperature and pressure so maybe that helped loosen up the grime.

Dennis

[finegelernt]

Well I just cleaned my first vintage razor a 1960 Fatboy from here at B&B (beautiful razor - looks brand new and never used). I used the autoclave at work because, well, I just can you never know whose parts it was on previously. This was followed by a nice scrubby brush and liquid lab soap and then some Maas and a soft cloth polish. The only thing I have not done is a mineral oil soak, and I may get around to that. It cleaned up excellently - bright and shiny and all of this did nothing the the paint in the numbers or the red marker indicator. I will shave with it maybe over the weekend or next week.
Dennis

What does mineral oil soak do exactly and how long should I keep my razor in Johnson's baby oil? One of my Ebay razors was very tight, I had to use pliers to turn the handle and open the silo but after a couple of hours in the oil it is much better. Thanks for the tip.

[Holyhabanero]

Hey Gents,

Just a little heads-up for you. I had some old Gillette's I got on eBay and at Goodwill. I boiled them with water and some vinegar the other day to clean them up. Unfortunately, one of the old razors was a 1930ish gold Gillette (not Aristocrat), and when I was finished, some of the gold color came off and reattached to the silver gillettes, giving them a nice rosey color.

If you are cleaning up older gold Gillettes, make sure you clean them separately.

[finegelernt]

Hey Gents,

Just a little heads-up for you. I had some old Gillette's I got on eBay and at Goodwill. I boiled them with water and some vinegar the other day to clean them up. Unfortunately, one of the old razors was a 1930ish gold Gillette (not Aristocrat), and when I was finished, some of the gold color came off and reattached to the silver gillettes, giving them a nice rosey color.

If you are cleaning up older gold Gillettes, make sure you clean them separately.

Better yet, clean it in such a way as not to remove the nice gold color in the first place.

[Kyle]

Better yet, clean it in such a way as not to remove the nice gold color in the first place.
Where's the fun in that?

[jduffy]

The gold color was coming off on my Gillette Tech even before I disinfected it. It's now coming off all over. I think I'm going to take a cleaning pad to it and get rid of all of it. I don't mind if it doesn't look like the original as it was already peeling to begin with.

[Leisureguy]

What is the step-by-step cleaning method for gold razors? I did boil a couple of gold Gillette adjustables and did no harm to them that I can see, but now I'm feeling uneasy. Anyone have a complete cleaning routine for gold-plated razors?

[kenxxxxxx]

Get this - in a 50/50 white vinegar/water solution, I boiled a '58 adjustable. it came out great but has a slight copper tint now. upon closer inspection, it looks like the ring just under the adjuster dial might be copper. i wonder if this is where the copper tint came from? at any rate, it looks really cool with the tint. I was not able to capture the tint with my camera, otherwise i'd a posted the pic.

i'm no chemistry star, does this make sense to anyone else?

[_C_]

I have an early Tech razor that, after boiling, gave off the same appearence. It's even more noticable around the threads where the head screws onto the base. I don't suppose that this would have something to do with the plating process that was used?

[sparky5693]

What about good ole spray lysol. It hasnt hurt any of mine, and the label says it kills just about everything.

[olkev]

FOR STERILIZATION: I have bought some items on eBay and went and invested about $3.99 in Hydrox Hydrocide (http://www.hydroxlabs.com/msds_forms/msds_23_hydrocide_germicide.pdf) at one of the barber/beauty supply houses. Barbicide was twice as much for the same 16 oz. I compared the two and they are virtually the same.

They both are effective against HIV-1 (AIDS virus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella cholerausus, and Stapholococcus aureus. The mix is 4oz/gal for about 10 min.

I work in surgery and we autoclave stuff all of the time. Unless you really know what you are doing and are used to working with hazardous chemicals, I would stay away from Cidex. Don't get me wrong. IT WORKS but, I think there are other things that will do the same without the cost or hazards, and then you have to be able to properly dispose of the stuff as well. We now use Steris equipment more than Cidex. I honestly can't remember the last time I used Cidex. Steris is a bleach based cold sterilization technique.

Why don't I simply use alcohol? I can't give you a technical reason but, I know we don't STERILIZE surgical instruments for use with patients with it so logic would suggest that it is lacking in some way.

I use Simple Green with a toothbrush to clean them before I dunk them in the Hydrocide.

Just my .02 worth.

[rtaylor61]

If you have a razor (NOT gold plated) that just won't pick up a shine, and you don't have a Dremel, pick up a can of Brasso. Dilute it 50/50 with water and LIGHTLY work the razor. I've done this with well over a dozen with great results. I don't always get a "brand new" look, but it makes a difference.

Remember, you do this at your own risk!

Randy

[thatbrian]

I boil for 20 min and then clean with an electric toothbrush and dish soap then use Flitz polish.

Has anyone used an ultrasonic cleaner (jewelery cleaner)?

[rschul2]

FOR STERILIZATION: I have bought some items on eBay and went and invested about $3.99 in Hydrox Hydrocide (http://www.hydroxlabs.com/msds_forms/msds_23_hydrocide_germicide.pdf) at one of the barber/beauty supply houses. Barbicide was twice as much for the same 16 oz. I compared the two and they are virtually the same.

They both are effective against HIV-1 (AIDS virus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella cholerausus, and Stapholococcus aureus. The mix is 4oz/gal for about 10 min.

I work in surgery and we autoclave stuff all of the time. Unless you really know what you are doing and are used to working with hazardous chemicals, I would stay away from Cidex. Don't get me wrong. IT WORKS but, I think there are other things that will do the same without the cost or hazards, and then you have to be able to properly dispose of the stuff as well. We now use Steris equipment more than Cidex. I honestly can't remember the last time I used Cidex. Steris is a bleach based cold sterilization technique.

Why don't I simply use alcohol? I can't give you a technical reason but, I know we don't STERILIZE surgical instruments for use with patients with it so logic would suggest that it is lacking in some way.

I use Simple Green with a toothbrush to clean them before I dunk them in the Hydrocide.

Just my .02 worth.
The reason you don't use alcohol to sterilize surgical equipment is because alcohol is not an antibacterial in and of itself. Rather it is a dehydrant (removes water) as it evaporates. So it does work for lots of bacteria, but some bacteria are dessication resistant. Mostly the endospore formers, ie. anything from the genus Bacillus or Clostridium. Many of the bacteria from these genuses can cause major problems with surgical patients. Particularly Clostridium tetanii=lockjaw or Clostritidium perfringens=gas gangrene. Also alcohol does not work against all viruses.

[olkev]

Thanks Randy . . . I was hoping somebody would post with all of that. I was afraid I was going to have to dig out the books . . .

[moses]

This is all very well, but noone has yet explained to me why we need to be the hyper about sterilizing our razors? After all, they just plained aren't surgical instruments. At least I certainly hope not. :eek: The odds of a used razor that has been sitting around for months, or more likely years, carrying any nasty human pathogens seem to be basically nil. I can't see any reason why simply a good cleaning is insufficient. Frankly, in my former (non NYC) life, I drew small amounts of blood much more often with other tools, etc., than I ever have with a razor. And I certainly wouldn't try to sterilize my tools, my firewood, or the undercarriage of my car.

[letterk]

You have a point there. I've read that HIV/Hep/etc... can't live outside a host body in dry blood for more than a couple days, sometimes hours. However, they can live longer in contained blood that doesn't dry out as fast. That said, a razor from 40 years ago probably isn't carying much more than dirt and grime. Personally, it just makes me feel better even though I know it's probably irrational.

[kenxxxxxx]

Get this - in a 50/50 white vinegar/water solution, I boiled a '58 adjustable. it came out great but has a slight coppoer tint now. upon closer inspection, it looks like the ring just under the adjuster dial might be copper. i wonder if this is where the copper tint came from? at any rate, it looks really cool with the tint. I was not able to capture the tint with my camera, otherwise i'd a posted the pic.

i'm no chemistry star, does this make sense to anyone else?

Brasso and a sock took the copper tint (which had been looking lately more and more tarnished) right off. Both my razors look as good as they ever have. I hope it does not return. No more vinegar for my razors.

At closer inspection post-Brasso, there is for sure a brass or copper ring under the adjustment dial on my '58 fatboy. Here's a picture showing the ring.

There are experiments kids do with boiling pennies and a nail in a vinegar solution that give the nails a copper coating. I really think that is what happened with my vinegar boiling attempt.

Has anyone else had these results? I assume that all the early Gillette adjustables have this same brass/copper ring.

[pellicle]

Has anyone else had these results? I assume that all the early Gillette adjustables have this same brass/copper ring.

Because I read this whole thread but somehow skipped your original post, I did the exact same thing just the other day on the thoroughly gunked-up 1965 Slim (K3 date code) that I picked up on eBay last week. Boiled in about 1:10 vinegar:water for 10 minutes.

It cleaned up the gunk very well, but now the razor has a copper hue. While the Slim does not have a visible ring like your Fatboy does, there is now some oxidized copper "leaking" out from underneath the adjustment collar:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=3481

The razor opens, closes, and adjusts very nicely; the color just doesn't coördinate well with my Merkur HD or 1956 Super Speed. :mad3: But hey, it was pretty darn cheap anyway...

I will give the Brasso a try in the next few days and will report back.

Seth

[TakeTheCann0lis]

Has anyone found a FAQ for cleaning gold razors? I picked up a gold, or gold toned, 3 piece gillette from a thrift store a week ago, and I'm noticing that it's starting to turn red. I boiled it when I first brought it home as it was in decent shape. (no gunk at least)

[With The Grain]

...

[With The Grain]

...

[letterk]

as a general note on this thread, guys should really hit their local sally's beauty supply and buy some barbercide+ or marvcide, it kills herpes, aids, kudies everything and it saves you the PITA of mixing these vinegar, bleach, water, garlic and chive cocktails that are just as likely to ruin the finish of the razor as sterilize it.

That's what I use now. The hospital grade is $5-6 and is concentrated. One ounce barbicide to 32 ounces of water.

[TimmyBoston]

Be very wary of bleach in general, I soaked an old Gilette in a very light bleach dilution and it destroyed the finish. It looks all rusted and the bleach actually destroyed an old pot that I was soaking it in.
The razor was a gift for my dad so I've had to start looking for another one again. If I boil the new one in salt and baking soda or if I boil it in a vinegar dilution will this sterilize the razor? I feel better with bleach because I know it will be sterile, but if its ruined who cares.

[Gatorade]

Be very wary of bleach in general, I soaked an old Gilette in a very light bleach dilution and it destroyed the finish. It looks all rusted and the bleach actually destroyed an old pot that I was soaking it in.
The razor was a gift for my dad so I've had to start looking for another one again. If I boil the new one in salt and baking soda or if I boil it in a vinegar dilution will this sterilize the razor? I feel better with bleach because I know it will be sterile, but if its ruined who cares.


Boiling in straight water for 10 minutes will pretty much kill anything. If you want to feel better then boil, clean, polish, boil again and clean again.

[With The Grain]

....

[Magruder]

How would you clean the black-handled Gillette adjustable, with the rubberized handle?

[guenron]

Be very wary of bleach in general, I soaked an old Gilette in a very light bleach dilution and it destroyed the finish. It looks all rusted and the bleach actually destroyed an old pot that I was soaking it in.
The razor was a gift for my dad so I've had to start looking for another one again. If I boil the new one in salt and baking soda or if I boil it in a vinegar dilution will this sterilize the razor? I feel better with bleach because I know it will be sterile, but if its ruined who cares.
Tim,
Please tell me what constitues a light bleach dilution? One part bleach to ten parts water is the suggested solution.. So you made one with less bleach and it destroyed the finish?:confused:

[rtaylor61]

Be very wary of bleach in general, I soaked an old Gilette in a very light bleach dilution and it destroyed the finish. It looks all rusted and the bleach actually destroyed an old pot that I was soaking it in.
The razor was a gift for my dad so I've had to start looking for another one again. If I boil the new one in salt and baking soda or if I boil it in a vinegar dilution will this sterilize the razor? I feel better with bleach because I know it will be sterile, but if its ruined who cares.

Boil the razor in water. Nothing added. Temperature is what you are after at this point.

Randy

[vinny1957]

Preil has a hand sanitzer that kills 99.99% of germs. After cleaning thae razor, I wonder if that would work?
Vinny

[Duggo]

Hiya,

Although the razor may be 40 years old, what if s/he used it recently?
Even though I'm new to Double Edge (DE) shaving, I cut myself the other day. Sub grade minor stuff. but a cut, just the same. I think there is reason to be cautious.

On a Cartridge Razor (CR) I'd still be trying to stop the bleeding.

Kudos to DE!!

Duggo.....




You have a point there. I've read that HIV/Hep/etc... can't live outside a host body in dry blood for more than a couple days, sometimes hours. However, they can live longer in contained blood that doesn't dry out as fast. That said, a razor from 40 years ago probably isn't carying much more than dirt and grime. Personally, it just makes me feel better even though I know it's probably irrational.

[icecow]

I don't endorse bleach. even if it doesn't ruin the finish, it eats away at it. If you do, I'd do it briefly. Give it a min or two of 'kill time' then rinse well and soak it in fresh water.

I use a dremel with a nylon brush tip and some walnut shell powder based facial exfolient to remove the surface grit.

Then I get water/vinegar up to boiling and turn it off. Add the razors and wait about a half hour.

then I spray them down with clippercide. I got it from Sallys.

who knows what I'll be doing next month, but that's what I'm doing now.

[Gatorade]

How would you clean the black-handled Gillette adjustable, with the rubberized handle?


Well if I had one that needed to be cleaned, I would clean it with scrubbing bubbles. Then do an alcohol dip and a germicide dip. You don't need to soak them in the solution, just dip and allow to air dry or rinse. I would say you will be pretty safe with that.

[icecow]

Originally Posted by Magruder
How would you clean the black-handled Gillette adjustable, with the rubberized handle?

............

Oh, according to an old entry by shaveblog.com guy, boiling water will deform the black plastic handle of those razors so be carefull.

Maybe get the water boiling then spike it with some cold water. Wouldn't try using the boiling water to sterilize it, just to losen up the inside buildup.

proceed with your judgement

[Magruder]

Oh, according to an old entry by shaveblog.com guy, boiling water will deform the black plastic handle of those razors so be carefull.


Sounds reasonable. I had soaked it in a mixture of *warm*, not hot, water and vinegar for awhile -- vinegar is a great cleanser -- and then scrubbed with a toothbrush. It´s pretty clean now.

I´m leary of boiling any of my razors. Any damage could be mighty hard to undo.

[Paul10]

I´m leary of boiling any of my razors. Any damage could be mighty hard to undo.

I just got a Gillette SS from eBay which stated in the desc that it was disenfected and cleaned. I got it and it looks mint. I dont feel like boiling it either..would just soaking it in Alcohol and a soapy scrub be enough?

Thanks

[Gatorade]

I just got a Gillette SS from eBay which stated in the desc that it was disenfected and cleaned. I got it and it looks mint. I dont feel like boiling it either..would just soaking it in Alcohol and a soapy scrub be enough?

Thanks


I would be fine with that. Soap scum remover usually has a little bleach in it so you are getting a good disinfection with both.

[rickw]

Hi guys,
In your conversations about bleach concentrations you should start with the percentage of calcium or sodium hypochlorate in the container. Pool bleach is usually about 10% and household laundry bleach runs about 6%. The pool stuff is strong enough to turn black levis white with one drop splashing back out of the pool. Bleach is also what is used to clean dialysis machines.


Rick

[astrilt1]

I'm a paranoid person, so I had my father run it an autoclave at his dental practice. He seemed to think boiling it would accomplish the sterilization I desired. To remove built up gunk and rust, I've had surprising success with a dremel and a vinyl brush bit. After that, I tried to polish it using the dremel and it's polishing bits, but didn't get that brand new look. I'm going to try the foil with baking soda and salt trick mentioned above. If that doesn't do it, I'll try the brasso.

-Andriy

[scruffyv]

OK, so I get it in terms of cleaning options, but what about polishing options. I am a little fanatical about cleaning my car. I have Mother's metal polish for mag wheels in my garage. Supposedly it will not hurt any metal finish. I use it on my titanium bicycle as well as the wheels on my car. It is amazing stuff. Think it is OK to use on my razor, or are there other alternatives?

Thanks,

Vin

[Gatorade]

I have not used the Dremel because mine only has one speed, fast. Also I have heard that it can damage the finish of some of the razors that don't have very good plating, like gold. I have heard of others that have used buffing wheels with good results.

Go on ebay and win a beater of a razor and try the methods out. Please post results as we are always looking for ways to make them shine and stay minty!

[_JP_]

Wow, a lot of ideas here on cleaning our tools!

Somebody mentioned using a deep fry with oil. Don't. Oil will get inside places you can see, sit there, and eventually gum up the works. It might steralize , but then you'll have to clean the oil off. Doesn't matter what type of oil.

Bleach. At strenghts suggested for sanitation purposes it is safe to use on anything that would be in touch with food, and that goes the same for your shaving gear as well. Bleach in strong concentrations or by itself can cause stainless steel and some other metals to corrode (it looks like rust). When you do use it, don't soak for long periods of time and be damm sure to rinse the item thoroughly with water. As a suggestion of bleach to water ratio for sanitation purposes, what is recommended for RV plumbing is 6 ounces of bleach per 10 gallons of water. That's way less than 10% strength.

Because of another thread, I've tried an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Plain water with a drop of dish detergent in the tub. Worked well on several old multible blade razor handles, some of which are plastic. They now are free.

[RazrBurn]

Though I first learned to shave with a Shick bakelite handle injector razor (yikes.. that was 40 years ago!) I eventually devolved into a twin-blade user until earlier this year. After some serious lurking on these forums, I eventually purchased two Gilette adjustable DE razors on eBay and have been a happy wet shaver for several months. Along with three additional Gilettes acquired from my father-in-law, all of my razors were initially sterilized and cleaned using various procedures and materials detailed in these forums. Good advice, and thanks to all.

However, I recently discovered that one of the commercial bathroom "soap scum removers'" effortlessly removes soap scum and rust stains (transferred from blades in use). I know... others have suggested products of this sort (usually mentioning "Soft Scrub" or "Scrubbing Bubbles" brands). However, the specific product that I am now using is "Tilex Soap Scum Remover" (a description of the product can be seen at www.tilex.com) and it cleans so effortlessly that I felt obligated to suggest it for routine razor cleaning.

I have no idea whether Tilex works any better than competing products for razor cleaning (this just happened to be in my wife's arsenal of cleaning supplies) but it certainly is marvelous for this purpose. Little if any scrubbing is necessary, and no abrasives are involved so it should be safe to use on any razor. It really made my gold Gilette Tech shine like a jewel. I have been using Tilex on my razors after 2-3 weeks of daily shaving, and the inevitable buildup of soap scum is instantly replaced with a gratifying shine. Wish I had known about Tilex when I gave my razors their inaugural post-acquisition de-crudding! This product is readily available in the USA.

[Tanizaki]

You should never ever use bleach to clean anything steel, any homebrewer knows this!

Star-San is a steel safe sanitizer however which is commonly used in the brewing industry and kills all sorts of nasties, I believe it can be purchased from any homebrew store or from http://www.homebrewadventures.com/shopping/index.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=homebrew&Product_Code=STAR-08

you mix it with water so for cleaning razors that should last a LONG time.
I wish I'd read this far in the thread before deciding there were a consensus on the 10% bleach solution in a number of other threads. Tonight I had the pleasure of corroding the handle of the formerly pristine 1951 Super Speed that arrived from eBay today.

You bleach recommenders are top notch! :thumbup:

[_JP_]

I wish I'd read this far in the thread before deciding there were a consensus on the 10% bleach solution in a number of other threads. Tonight I had the pleasure of corroding the handle of the formerly pristine 1951 Super Speed that arrived from eBay today.

Bummer! :sad:

Hopefully others will see this and gain from your experience.

[rhinoyahoo]

Two new acquistions...Gillette Adjustables. One is black-handled with a date code of O2 and another long, black handled, plastic base on bottom of head with E3, viewable inside w/ silo doors open.

I read through this thread, while cleaning them...Good & Bad News! Good News...the razors are nice, shiney, and clean and the soap scum is gone. Bad News...the letters on my keyboard are gone, too!! :eek: :eek: :scared: :scared:

Peace,
Jim

PS: Not really...keyboard's fine...just a funny throught. Safe Computing, Everyone!

[gman]

in terms of sanitizing, i boiled in water for about 20 minutes than scrubed a bit nothing too major as there wasnt much to clean and then boiled for another two minutes again. Do you think that was enough? I didnt use any bleach or anything, but just wanted to make sure all the virus/bacteria are out.

I would say boiling it would be pretty safe.

[TENroaches]

Hmmm. Moses sent me a razor (thanks again!) and I got it today. It was cleaner than I was expecting, but not as shiny as many of the ones I've seen. I can see some gunk up under the head. This thread is tempting me to try to get it sparkling. It's also a little scary. I guess I'll try.... Let's see. I've read bleach, I've read don't do bleach, I've read boil it, I've read don't boil it, I've read vinegar, I've read don't use the vinegar.... Oh heavens. I'll figure something out.

[Christoph]

I would imagine that any or all of the above mentioned sterilization techniques work quite well. I think that there is often a temdency to engage in massive overkill here. But then, one naturally wants to completely clean something that has (perhaps for many years) been used in another persons home and on other people's faces.

A while back I got a 60s Gillette Adjustable. I boiled it in water for about 20-30 minutes. I soaked it in rubbing alcohol, then soaked it it a mild bleach solution. I think I also used a soft brush and Scrubbing Bubbles. After this, the razor looked great, showed no signs of any harm due to the sterilization, and worked perfectly.

[vuelamanuel]

I was just at an OSHA training. Lads (& lassies), I assure you, there are some nasty blood germs out there...Hep B lives for up to 3 weeks, TB only gets tickled by Alcohol. None of those 2 are really curable & either can kill you...slowly but surely if not managed. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/images/smilies/various2/a51.gif

According to OSHA, the 2 best ways of sanitizing (without autoclaving your butterscoth bakelite handles to real Taffie) is to use Citrace Solution for 10 minutes or 10% Chlorine Solution...I feel that the chlorine will probably damage/induce corrosion so I am sticking with the Citrace. Lysol was also a good germicide but for some reason it did not got mentioned...

Hot water is not enough, vinegar is for dressing and better drinks...think about it, if you can consume any of those, why would a tough bug fear any of them...http://badgerandblade.com/vb/images/smilies/various2/a54.gif

Hope this helps some!!!

P.D. Target's "Method" cleaner works well for the soap scum, it's probably similar to the "scrubbing bubbles"...it didn't damage Chrome Gillettes, GEM or a bakelite Injector...any experiences with it?

[Rufus]

I'm confused now and this is an important issue for me. I am meticulous in disinfecting any used razor I purchase, as I have a close friend who contacted one of these blood-borne diseases (not from shaving) and now has a new liver. I've been following the guidelines established by the public health officials in Canada regarding the proper disinfecting of razors, scissors, tweezers, etc (e.g. ref. www.wdghu.org). They don't require that such instruments be sterilized, as they are classified as semi-critical, but do require that they be disinfected ( which is the the step between cleaning and sterilization) with an intermediate to high-level disinfectant. In this regard they recommend complete immersion of the instrument for 10 minutes in a solution of 70% to 90% ethyl or isopropyl alcohol, or a solution of 1:100 to 1:10 dilution of bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) to water, for example. As the bleach solution could be corrosive to metals I've opted to use 99% isopropyl alcohol. From what vulemanuel says it appears that OSHA does not think that alcohol is adequate. As I am a complete layman on these matters, could any of our members who are public health professionals qualified in such matters provide further guidance or direct us to a definitive source? I know that may members use Barbicide to disinfect razors, but according to the source I have cited this is not acceptable for such instruments. Finally, may of the postings I see on ebay advertising razors for sale say that they are "sterilized"; I wonder if they really are: have they been autoclaved or treated with a chemical sterilizer, e.g. Cidex?

[polod]

Guys, guys, guys....all you have to do is spray Scrubbing Bubbles, scrub the razor a few times with tooth brush, soak in a diluted solution of Lysol/Mr. Clean, (you know, the concentrated yellow cleaner) maybe 1 part Lysol to 6-10 parts water, soak them for 10 minutes, then boil razors in water for 10-15 minutes, more Scrubbing Bubbles, rinse, then final step of soaking them in Mouth wash, i.e. Listerine for 5 minutes (if you really want to make sure everything is dead). I'm 99.9999% sure, everything that was living will be dead. If you're worried about Hep B, C just wait an additional month before using them, it should have died off on the surface after 3 weeks. If everybody is still worried about germs, then the safer alternative would be to not buy used razors and buy new ones, like Murkers.

[vuelamanuel]

DON'T PANIC (as per Douglas Adam's instructions...)

Alcohol doesn't kill spores. Bacteria & Fungi can go into a spore form and become pretty resilient...

But they are not invulnerable, nor you need an autoclave.

Citrex, Cidex or Lysol should do the trick. Remember, at least 10 minutes. Rinse it well. If you do use chlorine (10% in H20) be careful not to combine it with acids (ammonia or vinegar).

DO ENJOY YOUR pre-hobo-owned razor but just make sure you soak it in a something more effective than salad dressing or a Margarita...replacement livers have limited mileage when compared to Factory equipment.
If you do decide to go hard on your liver, it should be because of something more fun than saving a couple bucks/few minutes desinfecting your newfound aquisition...

[Rufus]

Vulamanuel, please clarify: are you saying that plain, garden-variety Lysol is an acceptable disinfectant? Cidex is a very potent chemical steriliser, which is difficult to use and to dispose of, but are you saying Lysol is just as good? If so, what authorities can you cite to support this?

[polod]

...replacement livers have limited mileage when compared to Factory equipment.

Well at least if you die from Hep B or C from your razor, you sure will have a nice shave for the funeral.

[vuelamanuel]

Thanks for bringing that up, Rufus. As always, trust your own research. I quoted OSHA on Citrace (http://www.caltechind.com/msds/CITRACE-MSDS-FPH300-05.pdf) & Chlorine because they are available options and according to EPA they work well (http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/chemregindex.htm.

I was wondering about LYSOL myself(I've seen it in a lot of clinics). Looking at the EPA site, it seems that its approved for TB & HIV-1 but I couldn't find it in the list that includes Hep B or C. Neither on the Lysol site. That's probably why it didn't make the OSHA list. Still, is a decent cleaner and if didn't have Citrace/Citrex available I would at least use it (just not as a douche or a form of birth control, as LYSOL used to be advertised in the 20's).

You mentioned CIDEX, an sterilization product. If you have access to it and have been trained on how to handle it, sterilization is the highest standard (absolute vs. 99.999% if sanitized). However, according to it's data sheet (http://www.safety.vanderbilt.edu/pdf/hcs_msds/CidexOPA_06_05.pdf) any trace of it left in the razor could potentially trigger a sensitivity reaction (not the Oprah type) so I guess it could be impractical for some.

I hope this helps. I am not a doctor, I am just working hard to become one. I can't give validation, but I can point you where to look for the info. SO, GO READ & PICK THE ONE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. I think OSHA is good enough for me: Citrace ($ 6.13 in the big internet retailer).

Also, cleaning all the soap scum & other residues before sanitizing will make your efforts more effective (by exposing germs to the sanitizer).

PS Iodine does destroys spores but it's an irritant & stains more than getting caught praising a FUSION in this site...
PS II IF you were planning on using a straight razor, then you would definetly want to use something like CIDEX or an autoclave . The handle is not as critical as the blade. Generally speaking, anything that might pierce the skin (blade)should be sterilized, for the carrier sanitized is enough.

[final_id]

I've refitted many metal items, though never a vintage safety razor. Here are some observations.

De-scum: I'm a big advocate of CLR for removing soap scum. CLR is an over-the-counter brand of scum dissolver, and it's readily available at Walgreen's etc. The letters in the name stand for "calcium, lime, rust."

I laughed to watch my mom arrive at a home we were re-fitting for sale, as she dove into the elbow grease and abrasive pads to get all the gunk off the old shower stall. You could literally scrape a ball of soap scum off of the plexiglass door with your fingernail, and she was anticipating a two-day scrubbing chore. I just sprayed the CLR on directly and used A PAPER TOWEL ten seconds later to wipe off the scum. Like new! Tilex brand soap-scum remover is a similar product, and depending on the hardness of water, lime content, that sort of thing, in your location, you might find it equally effective.

So, my first recommendation is, de-scum your razor. Soak it (disassembled / opened) for five minutes in a glass of CLR, jiggling gently and moving parts about. That will get most of what has dried up inside it to simply dissolve. Rinse thoroughly with plain water. Repeat if necessary. I haven't ever had trouble with CLR ruining a metal finish, but see "trick" below about chrome.

Sterilize: Now that you've gotten down to real metal, sterilize as you see fit. I'd say a gentle bleach or germicide bath, lots of boiling water, and careful thorough air drying. Visual inspection should assure that gunky parts aren't remaining. In fact, to me it's probably more important to use sterilized razor blades than to use a sterilized Gillette razor-blade-holder-device, a.k.a. Fat-Boy.

Finally, protect: The mineral oil that so many people announce as "cleaning" is more about metal protection. Nice metal (guns, knives, etc.) should be "oiled" to keep water and humidity apart from it, so that it won't rust. Oil creates a "protective layer." Different oils for different uses. Guns have gun oil, knives have knife oil. (Oddly, razors might be used in close proximity to water regularly. Hence, the oil is a bit of a red herring. Herring oil maybe?) Oil is all about having something "museum quality," looking nice and shining prettily and maintaining its austere status for the ages. You might even consider a hard wax, such as carnauba or related buffing compound (visit a Harley dealer for S-100), applied warm (120 F?) and then buffed and shined. Metal rusts (or corrodes) in contact with spare oxygen, as is available in water and other substances. Keep the spare oxygen away.

Trick: some metals aren't metal at all, but simply shiny paint. Old "chrome" does have chromium in it, and chromium steel is a real metal. But new plastic chrome isn't metal and therefore doesn't benefit from oiling. Worse, it can be flaked off of the underlying structure of the object quite easily, since the application process is rather less adhesive than typical paints. If you've got a "chromed" object which is really just painted with shiny chrome-colored paint (especially one from the late 60s through to about 1985, when chroming got a significant boost thanks to new adhesives), I wouldn't mess with it. You'll get flakes, and nothing you do will make the "fake chrome" any shinier than it already is.

So, those are my thoughts. Glad to share, hope others have smart thoughts too. I'll be receiving my first vintage Gillette in the mail soon, I'll let you know how the cleaning goes!

[ranwill]

I just bought a few razors on Ebay, and immediately boiled them to clean them up. Just like some of the others above, I must have had copper in one of them because they all came out pink.

Has anyone found a way to remove this discoloration and return them to silver? I'm afraid to use a polish because it may remove the silver too.

Any help?

Randy

[kslar8]

I bought a black handle Gillette razor on ebay. I have been reading about autoclaves for sterilizing. Has anyone ever tried placing their razors in the cook stove oven to sterilize? Any opinions.

[paydepst]

I bought a black handle Gillette razor on ebay. I have been reading about autoclaves for sterilizing. Has anyone ever tried placing their razors in the cook stove oven to sterilize? Any opinions.

Wouldn't do that kslar8! Welcome to the forum!!

[momo360]

tried that boil in salt and baking soda thing, killed the numbers on the fatboy :frown:

should have just boiled then scrub-bubbled...

[paydepst]

If I'm wrong about this someone will correct me but Hydrocide can be had as a concentrate mix from your local beauty supply and kills more stuff more effectively than the similarly priced Barbicide on the shelf next to it. Just remember to wash it off!

[gse123]

doesn't boiling it for 5 mins kill all the bacteria etc? or is that not enough?

[fritz]

doesn't boiling it for 5 mins kill all the bacteria etc? or is that not enough?
Bacteria, yes. Viruses, no. Hospitals don't just boil stuff for 5 minutes, it goes to 125 C in an autoclave. Since it's tough to get that kind of temperature/pressure at home, just use something like Barbicide.:cool:

[kslar8]

Again, I purchased a Gillette Black Hande DE Razor on ebay and when I receive it, I want to feel safe after I clean and sterilize it. Plus, I am looking at buying a Fatboy Razor.

There has been so many different opinions stated in these threads regarding cleaning and sterilization that I started reading different websites regarding the cleaning of instruments and steam sterilization of instruments.

I found a couple of websites worth reading.

http://www.chaseunion.com/documents/safety/sterile1.htm
- I like the info in sterile1.htm regarding pressure cookers.

http://www.chaseunion.com/documents/safety/sterile0.htm
- I am a little concerned about bleach attacking metal.

Any comments?

[Rufus]

Wouldn't use bleach as this would attack the metal. Seems like over kill to go the pressure cooker route. Disinfecting is as far as I go: first I thoroughly clean the razor and then I soak it in 70% to 90% isopropyl alcohol for 30 minutes. This is what the Public Health authorities here in Ontario require barbers to do with their razors.

[VR6ofpain]

I destroyed a plastic/bakelite handled injector doing this. It was very sad, since the razor was in excellent shape. I was watching it, and all looked fine till about the 3rd time I pulled it out to inspect. I noticed the handle (white) looked distorted and was "peeling back" from the razor head. I gave a little tug and the whole head pulled out. the handle had fatigued from the heat and bent. it was a real bummer. tossed everything for it and got really bummed. a great razor taken away from this world to become landfill. :frown:

[Drano]

Pressure cooker sounds interesting. My wife has a couple for food preperation. Maybe I should give it a shot w/ that Gillette Slim L3 on its way from an ebay seller.
Any one know if the pressure cooker would damage the black paint in the adjuster ring?
And I can always go to Sally Beauty . Their web site says one is 1/2 mile away.

[mrcleanhead]

I was curious, has anyone had a problem with Scrubbing Bubbles and the paint on the numbers of an adjustable? I'm a noob and bought a Fatboy that needs a little cleaning. Also they say on the can don't use it on acrylic or brass so has anyone tried it on a razor that has heavy "brassing"? Or is it truly brass beneath the plating?

Someone suggested Marvicide which has twice the amount of disinfectant (10%) than Barbicide (5%). Sally's had it on sale for $3.99. It's usually at $6 something and more than Barbicide.

John

[Patman]

I was curious, has anyone had a problem with Scrubbing Bubbles and the paint on the numbers of an adjustable? I'm a noob and bought a Fatboy that needs a little cleaning.

I cleaned up my Fatboy using Scrubbing Bubbles and didn't have a problem with the numbers. I used an old toothbrush to do the cleaning- did scrub a little lighter on the area with the painted numbers. If you use a metal polish on the razor you may want to avoid getting it on the painted numbers. I lost some paint due to my overzealous use of Maas.:mad:

As with all things, YMMV.

[Magnulus]

I don't think overcleaning a brush is all that necessary. I just use barbicide for ten minutes followed by a rinse off with water, a light polishing using a fine chrome/metal polish like Turtle Wax Nano-Polish (not as aggressive as MAAS), and maybe another barbicide bath to put some corrosion inhibitors on the metal. For corrosion they have liquid jewelry cleaners that probably will work, just don't overdo it you don't need to strip every bit of metal off.

[Junkets]

Hi guys,
Seeing as I'm in the UK, and half these products mentioned are either very difficult or impossible to find, you reckon a good soak in Barbicide would be sufficient? The literature I can find on the internet claims that it's effective againts HIV, Hepatitis B and C etc. etc.

Thanks!

[Rufus]

Junkets, according to the Public Health authorities in Canada, Barbicide is not acceptable for a razor used by a barber/hairdresser. Inter alia, they require that the razor be soaked in 70%-90% isopropyl alcohol for 30 minutes follwing cleaning and allowed to air dry. See:

www.wdghu.org/_wellnet/Manuals/HealthProt

[fritz]

Junkets, according to the Public Health authorities in Canada, Barbicide is not acceptable for a razor used by a barber/hairdresser. Inter alia, they require that the razor be soaked in 70%-90% isopropyl alcohol for 30 minutes follwing cleaning and allowed to air dry. See:

www.wdghu.org/_wellnet/Manuals/HealthProt (http://www.wdghu.org/_wellnet/Manuals/HealthProt)
But of course, in your own home you can use Barbicide, or alcohol, or both, or nothing, as you see fit. :cool: I'm not ready to believe that alcohol will kill HVB and HVC. The ingredients in Barbicide will.

[Nick75]

For anyone cleaning/sterlising ebay razors, I found a nice, straightforward article on an Australian health advice website that is well worth reading:

http://www.nt.gov.au/health/healthdev/environ_health/environmental/legislation/hair2ah.shtml#Disinfecting%20equipment

Basically, from what I gather from this article, the following procedures with regard to sanitizing safety razors could be applicable in our case:

1. WASHING in cold water with soap or a suitable detergent
2. DRYING with a clean cloth
3. DISINFECTION (maybe boil first, then soak in disinfectant?)

To expand on point 3, it mentions 70% Isopropyl alcohol as being a suitable disinfectant for non-penetrative instruments, i.e. razors themselves that only hold blades (i.e. the blade being the skin penetrating item in our case).

It states that autoclaves are used for penetrative instruments such as needles etc., and also advises that pressure cookers are NOT a suitable means of sterilising and should not be used.

Naturally, when we buy our blades they are already sterilised, so surely paragraph 2.1 & 2.2. in the article dealing with the cleaning and disinfecting of equipment is what we should be referring to when cleaning up safety razors themselves? The procedures for sterilising are only apparently necessary for items that actually penetrate the skin, or have the possibility of doing so.

However, with the razor, the blade, and the possible nick/cut in the person's skin all being in such close proximity to each other whilst a person is shaving, is sterilising and not just disinfecting the razor itself maybe an idea after all??

I think that point is where a lot of the confusion about sanitzing old razors seems to lie?

[fritz]

<snip>
To expand on point 3, it mentions 70% Isopropyl alcohol as being a suitable disinfectant for non-penetrative instruments, i.e. razors themselves that only hold blades (i.e. the blade being the skin penetrating item in our case).
<snip>
However, with the razor, the blade, and the possible nick/cut in the person's skin all being in such close proximity to each other whilst a person is shaving, is sterilising and not just disinfecting the razor itself maybe an idea after all??

And there you have your answer. For instance, a lot of modern scalpels are just a holder for snap-on disposable blades. After use, the blade is disposed of, but the scalpel handles are autoclaved, not just soaked in alcohol!

While I prefer that the instruments used to perform surgery on ME be autoclaved, I think from what I've read that Barbicide and similar solutions of the same active ingredients are sufficient for a razor. HIV, HVB, HVC, and staph are the main worries for a razor, and none of them will survive Barbicide.

[WithTheGrain]

Ok, so after 7 pages without a single definative answer, can someone answer this. If I use CLR to degunk the razor, then boil, then barbarcide overnight and then use mineral oil, can I assume this is a relatively clean razor that is sterille but not pink?

[fritz]

Ok, so after 7 pages without a single definative answer, can someone answer this. If I use CLR to degunk the razor, then boil, then barbarcide overnight and then use mineral oil, can I assume this is a relatively clean razor that is sterile but not pink?
YES (for sufficiently liberal definitions of "sterile").
But. I think that's way overkill. And it still may not look nice.

You don't need to boil for sanitizing, but might want to after the CLR for cleaning gunk from hollow handles. (But don't boil gold plated razors or razors with plastic parts.)
Also after the CLR (and maybe boiling) you may need some work with a soft toothbrush and washing-up liquid soap. Then, you might need some polish like Maas or Flitz on nickel plated or chrome plated razors, but NOT on gold plated razors.
Then use the Barbicide (or Mar-V-cide), an hour is more than plenty.
You only need a little mineral oil, and soaking is also overkill, just apply some drops in the places that need lubrication (down the hollow handle of TTOs, adjustment knobs, silo door hinges). A drop or two on the threads where the top plate screws into the handle, anyplace that metal turns against metal.

Gold plated razors have a lacquer coating, which may be good still. If it's flaking off or heavily discolored (orange) you may need/want to remove it completely with nail polish remover, and then very lightly polish the gold plate with a jewelers' rouge cloth. Then, it's OK for display, but for shaving use you need to restore the clear protective coating, which is best done by a jeweler, or someone skilled in this. Sometimes, people who deal in brass furnishings (lamps, etc.) can do the protective coating also.

[WithTheGrain]

Yes. But. I think that's way overkill. If you use the Barbicide, an hour is more than plenty. You also don't need to boil. You only need mineral oil on TTO or adjustable razors, and soaking is also overkill, just apply some in the places that need lubrication. After the CLR, you might need some polish like Maas or Flitz on nickel plated or chrome plated razors, but NOT on gold plated razors. Gold plated razors have a lacquer coating, which may be good still. If it's flaking off or heavily discolored (orange) you may need to remove it completely with nail polish remover, and then very lightly polish the gold plate with a jewelers' rouge cloth. Then, OK for display, but for shaving use you need to restore the clear protective coating, which is best done by a jeweler.

Thanks for the response. Based on your advice, I think I am going to Barbicide (if I can find some), CLR, and mineral oil it. Then polish it as necessary. It is nickel, so I hope that is all it will take. Mine was a later slim (1973) and its dirty, but all the parts move. Hopefully it won't take too much work.

[Drano]

Since Barbicide, Hydrocide and Mar-V-cide are mentioned as disinfectant options in this thread, here is some info I got from Hydrocide.

I got a bottle of Hydrocide before I carefully read the label to see what it kills. So I emailed the company and asked if it kills hepatitis B or C, and herpes type 1 or 2. Here was the response:

“Hydrox has performed testing to make sure Hydrocide is effective against the organisms stated on the label. Hydrox cannot make claims against other organisms without testing to support such claims. At this time that is all Hydrox can guarantee.”

The Hydrocide label says it is effective on HIV-1, pseudomonas aeruginosa, salmonella cholerausuis, staphylococcus aureus.

Since the ingredient list is very similar on all 3 products, they all may be effective on bad critters, but if I had to do it over again, I’d most likely grab the Mar-V-cide bottle.

Here are the 3 companies web pages:
http://www.hydroxlabs.com/products.htm
http://wmmarvyco.com/fr_sanitizing.htm
http://www.king-research.com/productdetail.asp?ID=51762

[Magnulus]

Just my 2 cents but don't polish nickle, at least not heavily. Just wipe it with a soft toothbrush or cloth. You can remove mineral deposits with scrubbing bubbles. Old razors tend to have thinner coatings and nickle is highly polishable, but the outer layer of tarnish is actually protective and many collectors will consider it a patina and not actually remove much, if any of it. I have polished an old Superspeed up a bit too much and it wore through to brass, fortunately I restored it with a home electro-plating kit that I bought to touch up razors (I plan to buy up lots of old razors, fix them up and sell them to fund my addiction to shaving gear :smile: ).

[atskuv]

I have a product called " PDI Super Sani-Cloth " germicidal disposable wipes.NICE-PAK PDI SUPER SANI-CLOTH LINK (http://www.nicepak.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.details&id=70)

Do you think that it is overkill?It is also posted on school kids healthcare so it would seem safe.Definitely not for use on gold tone razors with the high alcohol content though!!!

Highly effective in high-risk situations

Features:

For use in hospitals and other critical care areas where control of the hazards of cross-contamination is of prime importance Use on surfaces and equipment such as stainless steel, formica, glass, carts, baskets, counters, cabinets and other hard non-porous surfaces Ready to use, requires no mixing or measuring Eliminates the hazards of airborne sprays.

Super Sani-Cloth® kills bacteria and viruses including:

TB (Mycobacterium bovis) • Hepatitis B (HBV) • Hepatitis C (HCV) • HIV-1 Herpes Simplex Type 2 • Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) • Influenza A2/Hong Kong Escherichia coli (E. coli) • Pseudomonas aeruginosa • Salmonella cholerasuis Staphylococcus aureus • Klebsiella pneumoniae • Vaccinia Virus Candida Albicans • Rhinovirus • Adenovirus Type 5

High Alcohol Formula (55%)

• Bactericidal, tuberculocidal, and virucidal
• Tested effective against 17 microorganisms* including TB, HBV and HCV
• Contact time is 5 minutes or less*

If anyone else thinks this is something they would like to use and it would make them feel better about using their used razor and wants one or two PM me so we can work something out.

[mulepackin]

I just perused nearly all 120 posts in this thread as well as others on cleaning and restoration, and noted the great concern about disinfecting and sterilizing these razors. Interestingly the use of Scrubbing Bubbles to clean and remove mineral deposits is widely accepted practice, but no mention made of the fact that, at least according to the can, Scrubbing Bubbles kills 99.9% of "common bacteria". Now granted it doesn't say all bacteria, or even touch on viruses (few if any of which survive on surfaces) but I think this is good enough for me.:001_smile

[Christoph]

As for what this original poster did with his DEs, I'd say they're perfect. That's pretty much what I have done too. I would not think twice about shaving with them after what has been done to them. And yes, Scrubbing Bubbles are great. I believe they contain some bleach to disinfect, and they also bring out a nice shine. Use a very soft bristled old tooth brush. Happy shaving!

[doc]

I spoke with my doctor yesterday and told him that I was cleaning old used straight razors and that the process I am using is 1. A good wash down in anti bacterial soap followed by a 20 min bath in chlorohexidine solution. then dryed and sprayed with clippercide. He said that this was fine if not a little overkill. He said the same thing a lot of you guy's have said that most of this stuff can't live outside the body for long and the fact that we were paying attention to cleaning and disinfecting our older used blades should be enough to keep us safe.

[cvixx]

This topic interested me and I did a search on the internet. Barbicide is evidently considered a mild antibiotic and the only way it should be used on anything which may cut the skin is by first cleaning the instrument thoroughly. I do not think this is a problem for us, more of one for salons which do not clean their clippers and nippers between customers.

Bleach is good in a diluted form but there were warnings that it corrodes metals. Lysol is also good but semi-toxic to us. It almost seemed that mouthwash is as good and is not harmful to humans, which hopefully, most of us are. Therasol was the preferred brand, followed by Scope, with Listerine bringing up the tail end of the list.

Interesting what you can find out there, but the Barbicide bottles are still cooler than a Scope jug.

[countryjoe]

Was just reading through this thread and noticed no one mentioned using an ultra sonic cleaner that works for jewelry, watch parts and dentures etc. Haven't tried it yet, but sounds logical.

See ya, Country Joe

[northmendo]

Wow what a long tread. I must say I read the entire thing. I must say though that I am a Fire Fighter and in some of my training I have heard that Hep C can live for several months outside the body. Now that said, I think I will use Clipperside, then Barbicide and some lysol for good messure.

Thanks to all

P.S.

All my ebay razors are gold and have not been deliverd yet I will report back with the results.

[Bluestaco]

Really is a long thread.

Outside one person's mention of a pressure cooker, I haven't seen any other mention of the idea. I found this: http://www.chaseunion.com/documents/safety/sterile1.htm

I don't know much about it, but I do recall overhearing a conversation about it once upon a time. The owner of a tattoo studio was talking with a colleague about having worked with a university microbiology lab to test pressure cooker sterilization. They determined that he could use a pressure cooker in some way, well exceeding legal standards, if ever his autoclave went down.

I was deeply traumatized by the great pot roast disaster of 1972 and am deathly afraid of pressure cookers, but I might man-up and try it next week when some eBay stuff arrives.

[merwtje]

May I conclude that everyone has his own method of cleaning and desinfecting.

But I´m asking myself is there is anyone who had a real problem with his skin due to insufficient cleaning/desinfecting?

[puzle]

Just read all the pages in this thread. Seems that autoclave (sp) is the best thing to do. Not sure if I show up at the dentist for an appointment and as if they can do this also if that would work out or not.

I guess the main thing these days is that lots of bad stuff is around and we need to be careful when we bleed. I have two old DE that I took out of the garage that I believe have been in their plastic boxes for the past 30 years.

I think that I will take the 59 Fatboy to the dentist. The other is a 40 Gold rocket and I'm not sure of the Autoclave would kill it.

[Moufflon]

Just read all the pages in this thread. Seems that autoclave (sp) is the best thing to do. Not sure if I show up at the dentist for an appointment and as if they can do this also if that would work out or not.

I guess the main thing these days is that lots of bad stuff is around and we need to be careful when we bleed. I have two old DE that I took out of the garage that I believe have been in their plastic boxes for the past 30 years.

I think that I will take the 59 Fatboy to the dentist. The other is a 40 Gold rocket and I'm not sure of the Autoclave would kill it.

Sorry to revive the old thread, but I was curious how the autoclave turned out? I have access to one in my labs and I was wondering what it would do to a razor at the extreme dry heat it gets up to? I want to put a 1912 GEM into it but I don't want to risk it melting or something ridiculuous like that hehe

How did your fatboy find the heat bath?

[AsylumGuido]

An autoclave is not necessary, nor is it anywhere near the best method for cleaning a razor.

[Gunky]

I just purchased my first vintage razors on ebay, all I plan on doing in is a rinse in hot water and some simple green, then a soak in barbacide, plus im getting them replated so no point in doing anything else

[Moufflon]

An autoclave is not necessary, nor is it anywhere near the best method for cleaning a razor.

I know, I just want to sterilize it after I clean it, like a final precaution.
Also I have one on hand .... and well you know the thing they say about curiosity and cats..... well its like a man with a dirty razor and an autoclave..... :blushing:

[AsylumGuido]

I know, I just want to sterilize it after I clean it, like a final precaution.
Also I have one on hand .... and well you know the thing they say about curiosity and cats..... well its like a man with a dirty razor and an autoclave..... :blushing:

I would be more concerned with damaging it.

[Noebie]

i pretty much followed the advice in mantic59's videos for cleaning - don't have an ultrasonic, so i've been soaking in boiling water with vinegar

and then i also used rubbing alcohol as sort of the final sterilization step

my son is apprentice at a tattoo shop and they have an autoclave there, but it seems like that is way, way overkill to me

perhaps i ought to buy a bottle of barbicide at least

[Moufflon]

damaging the razor is the only possibility thats keeping me from trying it out at the moment...
Well I am goig to boil and scrub the thing to remove the dirt. Then I will sterilize it with alcohol.

My only concern is that there is a definite spot of blood inside the razor.... wanna be extra sure I have a safe and clean razor to use.

[Chevyguy]

damaging the razor is the only possibility thats keeping me from trying it out at the moment...
Well I am goig to boil and scrub the thing to remove the dirt. Then I will sterilize it with alcohol.

My only concern is that there is a definite spot of blood inside the razor.... wanna be extra sure I have a safe and clean razor to use.

Boiling and scrubbing will loosen and remove the soapy encrusted gunk. Boiling also sanitizes the razor. You are not sterilizing it. The Alcohol soak is also only sanitizing the razor which you've already done when you boiled it. I agree with Guido I think you are going overkill if you autoclave it, and I'm glad you're not due to the damage the high temperatures might cause.

Clayton

[kingfisher]

I'm an infectious diseases physician and this is all I do:

1) Clean with scrubbing bubbles and a toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly.

2) Apply rubbing alcohol with a cotton swab and allow to dry.


Done.

After that I just load a blade in it and shave away. I don't understand the need for boiling, etc.

Viruses can be WASHED away. They don't need to be KILLED. For example, common cold viruses go away from your hands if you wash them properly with plain old soap and water, but they sometimes survive Purell. Same for Clostridium difficile spores; they are not harmed at all by Purell, but they cannot survive a good hand-washing.

When you are washing and scrubbing your razors, you are washing cooties down the drain (if they are on there at all).

[Chevyguy]

i pretty much followed the advice in mantic59's videos for cleaning - don't have an ultrasonic, so i've been soaking in boiling water with vinegar

and then i also used rubbing alcohol as sort of the final sterilization step

my son is apprentice at a tattoo shop and they have an autoclave there, but it seems like that is way, way overkill to me

perhaps i ought to buy a bottle of barbicide at least

Don't use vineger if you are boiling an old fatboy. It will remove the copper from the ring below the adjustment dial and it will give your razor a patina bronze type color. Just boil in water and keep the razor off the bottom of the pan. I use a veggie steamer basket as a shelf and then cover that with water and then boil. The basket keeps the razor away from the direct heat of the burner.

Clayton

[Chevyguy]

I'm an infectious diseases physician and this is all I do:

1) Clean with scrubbing bubbles and a toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly.

2) Apply rubbing alcohol with a cotton swab and allow to dry.


Done.

After that I just load a blade in it and shave away. I don't understand the need for boiling, etc.

Viruses can be WASHED away. They don't need to be KILLED. For example, common cold viruses go away from your hands if you wash them properly with plain old soap and water, but they sometimes survive Purell. Same for Clostridium difficile spores; they are not harmed at all by Purell, but they cannot survive a good hand-washing.

When you are washing and scrubbing your razors, you are washing cooties down the drain (if they are on there at all).

I agree with you. I just boil my metal razors the first time to remove any dried on stuff and to sanitize them, after that they just get lysol disinfectant when I clean them.

Clayton

[phutshave]

I recently purchased a gillette from ebay. The guy said he cleaned it (barbicide and steam) and it looks very good, but I just want to give it a once over myself. Has anyone tried soaking in Andis cool care 5 in 1 to sterilize? I have it for my hair clippers and it says it kills everything similar to Barbicide and it has some lubricant in it, which I would say is not a bad thing. Just a though.

[Protocol]

As a tattoo artist, I always just toss old razors in my autoclave along with my gear.

I'm kidding of course, but I'm pretty sure a tattoist's autoclave would be the single most effective way to sterilize a razor.

[OneRand]

chlorohexidine solution is used in ER's to disinfect skin area prior to inserting IV.

I clean rasors as necessary, lately with scrubbing bubbles and CLR, soak in hospital grade barbicide and then polish.

Anything that lives through that deserves to have a shot at me.

[Grace]

I just bought my first used razor on eBay. It was a really gunky but perfectly-functioning Slim adjustable, 1966 (L4). When I recieved it, it was covered in what appeared to be tarnish, although I figure it was just a dirt build-up/patina. At any rate, the whole razor was a dark gray color. I first scrubbed it in hot, soapy water, rinsed thoroughly, then went to town on the thing with a toothbrush and toothpaste (a very decent metal polish, by the way). I repeated the toothpaste scrubbing 3-4 times (scrubbing every cranny, then rinsing thoroughly). I then dipped in rubbing alcohol and let it dry. Voila! The tarnish came right off to reveal a shiny razor with some brassing on the handle, for the low cost of $13 shipped and some elbow grease.

[Protocol]

I just bought my first used razor on eBay. It was a really gunky but perfectly-functioning Slim adjustable, 1966 (L4). When I recieved it, it was covered in what appeared to be tarnish, although I figure it was just a dirt build-up/patina. At any rate, the whole razor was a dark gray color. I first scrubbed it in hot, soapy water, rinsed thoroughly, then went to town on the thing with a toothbrush and toothpaste (a very decent metal polish, by the way). I repeated the toothpaste scrubbing 3-4 times (scrubbing every cranny, then rinsing thoroughly). I then dipped in rubbing alcohol and let it dry. Voila! The tarnish came right off to reveal a shiny razor with some brassing on the handle, for the low cost of $13 shipped and some elbow grease.


Be careful with the toothpaste. It is abrasive (mildly, but still abrasive). It's also not a good idea to brush with toothpaste more than twice/day if you want to keep your tooth enamel.

[Nassrasieren]

Junkets, according to the Public Health authorities in Canada, Barbicide is not acceptable for a razor used by a barber/hairdresser. Inter alia, they require that the razor be soaked in 70%-90% isopropyl alcohol for 30 minutes follwing cleaning and allowed to air dry. See:

www.wdghu.org/_wellnet/Manuals/HealthProt

Just to update the url because I had trouble finding it from above: http://www.wdghu.org/page.cfm?id=153 Then scroll down for the Barbicide pdf.

Cheers!

[Grillslinger]

I do harmonica repair and customization and often have to sterilize and clean harmonicas and their different parts. I have an ultrasonic cleaner I use for this. Would this work for razors as well?

[Robcat2012]

SPOILER ALERT: THIS POST CONTAINS SOME SCIENCE AND MAY BORE YOU


Joe,
The boiling is ok....you should only dip the razor in 70% alcohol. Anything more than 70% (what you get at your drugstore) and the alcohol is not nearly as effective. No need to soak your razor in alcohol. The alcohol does not kill any bacteria or inactivate viruses. Rather it is the alcohol evaporating that destroys the bacteria. The best thing to do is give them a nice soak in 10% bleach (9 parts bleach to 1 part water). I'd say 5 minutes is plenty. Let the razor air dry, and rinse with water. This is the most effective way to take care of bacteria and viruses.


Actually, both isopropyl and ethanol you buy at the local drug/liquor store are quite effective at killing bacteria and inactivating viruses (that are enveloped). Anything between 50-95% is effective, the stronger it is the quicker it will work. Alcohol/ETOH dissolves bacterial/viral cell membranes (the "armor") allowing it to denature its proteins (DNA/RNA), effectively killing/inactivating it; a little water is needed for the denaturing process, so any concentration >95% is less effective. 70% ETOH is more effective only on dry surfaces (i.e. wiping counter tops, skin, etc.), because the excess water prevents the ETOH from evaporating too quickly - allowing more time for denaturing, thereby killing/inactivating more microbes. You are correct that dipping a razor in 70% ETOH and allowing it to air dry does a fine job of sanitizing.

SANITIZING - Microbes (bacteria/viruses/endospores/prions/protozoa) react differently to different methods/chemicals - some bacteria are resistant to bleach, most (endo)spores can't be killed by boiling, and no matter what method you use some microbes will inevitably survive (sanitizing≠sterilizing). A multi-method/chemical system is best. Boiling in water for +30 minutes is going to take care of most microbes except the really hardy ones like spores, prions, and non-enveloped viruses. Soaking in dilute bleach (1:9 or 1:10) for 10 minutes or longer will take care of most bacteria not killed by boiling as well as spores and non-enveloped viruses, although bleach is corrosive and should be used with caution on plated razors. If you're afraid of using even dilute bleach on your razor, Lysol is "broad" sanitizer (kills lots of different microbes) and is commonly used to clean surgical equipment (not sure on concentration). High concentration ETOH also kills bacteria and enveloped viruses, although bleach is a "broader" sanitizers and arguably more effective. Autoclaving is the gold standard for sanitizing medical/lab equipment and is basically "pressure-cooking", not even prions (rogue proteins, cause of Mad Cow) can withstand the high heat and pressure (121 Celsius @ 15psi). Unless you have easy access to an autoclave like ERIC, a combination of 1) boiling, followed by an ETOH soak, a dilute bleach soak, and finally an ETOH dip and air dry is you're best bet.

WHY BOTHER SOAKING IN ETOH? - While a quick dip in 70% ETOH is sufficient for sanitation, I recommend a soak in 70-95% for 10-30 minutes. Grime/residue is split into two different categories: stuff that's polar and stuff that's non-polar. Water and bleach are polar solvents, and will loosen any polar molecules from the razor...but I'll bet that most of the gunk collected on your ebay razor is non-polar (oils, soaps, dirt), which is why soaking in high concentration ETOH is beneficial. 30 minutes should be plenty, although overnight can only help dissolve more residue. Alternatively, you could use 100% acetone (used as nail-polish remover) in place of ETOH as your non-polar solvent, but it may eat away at plating and is a little more costly than ETOH by volume. Then go to town on that bad boy with a toothbrush until satisfied, maybe slap a coat of polish on, and admire your handiwork. :001_cool:

[dubby]

Oh no,all i do is soak them in boiling water,clean with a toothbrush and soap then wd40 all over,dry,then set to work with brasso.perfect every time.

[Robcat2012]

I do harmonica repair and customization and often have to sterilize and clean harmonicas and their different parts. I have an ultrasonic cleaner I use for this. Would this work for razors as well?

Those ultrasonic are pretty sweet. If I remember correctly, they're basically a bowl-like contraption filled with liquid that you place objects in and it uses ultrasound waves to "vibrate" the object clean while immersed. Unless I'm thinking of some other cleaning device that uses sound.... I think it depends on what solvent you're using in the ultrasonic cleaner, but I think some of them use plain old distilled water. If they're good enough to clean fine jewelry or a harmonica, it should be plenty safe for a razor as long as you're using a solvent that wont strip off plating.

[alex2363]

http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad50/alex2363/245669d1335851188-hayabusa-back-bei.jpg

[cryhavoc]

it's alive!!!!!

[BBrad]

Oh no,all i do is soak them in boiling water,clean with a toothbrush and soap then wd40 all over,dry,then set to work with brasso.perfect every time.

WD40 contains a light oil and an alcohol solvent and is mildly corrosive. Razors do not need to be lubricated, but WD is good for dissolving gunk inside TTO handle assemblies. Wash the razor thoroughly after using WD40, as you really don't want the corrosive properties to dull the finish of the razor. If you really feel the need to lubricate your razor, just a plain mineral oil (sold in drug stores as a laxative) will not harm the razor.

Brasso is also not recommended for razors, as it is surprisingly aggressive and will remove gold plating. Of course, if you have a razor that is already down to its underlying brass, the Brasso is an acceptable choice.

For polishing only when needed, I have had great results from MAAS and Simichrome, two very similar products.

[alex2363]

it's alive!!!!!

its still good advise....but dayum, old posts

[BBrad]

Those ultrasonic are pretty sweet. If I remember correctly, they're basically a bowl-like contraption filled with liquid that you place objects in and it uses ultrasound waves to "vibrate" the object clean while immersed. Unless I'm thinking of some other cleaning device that uses sound.... I think it depends on what solvent you're using in the ultrasonic cleaner, but I think some of them use plain old distilled water. If they're good enough to clean fine jewelry or a harmonica, it should be plenty safe for a razor as long as you're using a solvent that wont strip off plating.

Ultrasonics designed for jewelery cleaning are fine for razors, but still may remove paint from adjustable index numbers. Industrial-grade units made for heavier use can vibrate the plating right off (as I understand) and would not be recommended

[BBrad]

its still good advise....but dayum, old posts

:lol:

(But nice to see advice from AsyulumGuido, even if it is a "rerun!")

[alex2363]

:lol:

(But nice to see advice from AsyulumGuido, even if it is a "rerun!")

Asylum is on Twitter, i cant explain why he abandon us and the shave world with all his knowledge. He is into New Orleans st Football and other topics on Twitter.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Not to sound ungrateful to the many people who posted in this thread, but with so many saying this works, and then others saying no it doesn't...I almost feel like I am not sure what to do should I get an old DE. Do I boil it? Will Barbicide kill everything? Bleach? Alcohol? It seems each one of these was said to work great, and then others said that it either was not enough to kill everything, or it will damage the razor. I guess I will try Google to see what I need to do.

[BBrad]

Not to sound ungrateful to the many people who posted in this thread, but with so many saying this works, and then others saying no it doesn't...I almost feel like I am not sure what to do should I get an old DE. Do I boil it? Will Barbicide kill everything? Bleach? Alcohol? It seems each one of these was said to work great, and then others said that it either was not enough to kill everything, or it will damage the razor. I guess I will try Google to see what I need to do.

Not to be rude, sir, but . . . many folk here post based upon their own personal experiences, or based upon what they have learned by reading the posts of other members. Sadly, some of the knowledge shared here has come at the expense of ruining (or at least cosmetically damaging) razors.

So please, since the collective wisdom of B&B membership has apparently not satisfied your quest for a correct answer, please Google this issue and see what comes up. (That was how I found Badger & Blade in the first place.) I would also suggest that you invest your money in only new razors that you feel comfortable using, and not bother with vintage razors since it seems the only way to be sure any and all cooties are dead is to kill the razor.

[Haggises]

Not to sound ungrateful to the many people who posted in this thread, but with so many saying this works, and then others saying no it doesn't...I almost feel like I am not sure what to do should I get an old DE. Do I boil it? Will Barbicide kill everything? Bleach? Alcohol? It seems each one of these was said to work great, and then others said that it either was not enough to kill everything, or it will damage the razor. I guess I will try Google to see what I need to do.

Put it in just boiled water, but do not boil it.
Barbicide will kill most things, but what exactly are you trying to kill?
Don't bleach it.
Use alcohol if you want. It's not likely to hurt. But again, what are you trying to kill?

If you'd rather use google than the collective wisdom here, you're a braver man than I. You're going to find a lot more
"boil in vinegar" advice out there than you are here.

[luvmysuper]

I'm just going to say again that I am frequently amazed at the lengths that some folks will go to to "sanitize" a razor, and yet feel no qualms at all about putting restaurant silverware in their mouth, or filling up the Big Gulp cup at the local fast food ice machine and soda dispenser.

[Hoss75]

Anyone use Percarbonate-based cleaners? I'd think they'd be perfect for dissolving old gunk while not being corrosive?

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Not to be rude, sir, but . . . many folk here post based upon their own personal experiences, or based upon what they have learned by reading the posts of other members. Sadly, some of the knowledge shared here has come at the expense of ruining (or at least cosmetically damaging) razors.

So please, since the collective wisdom of B&B membership has apparently not satisfied your quest for a correct answer, please Google this issue and see what comes up. (That was how I found Badger & Blade in the first place.) I would also suggest that you invest your money in only new razors that you feel comfortable using, and not bother with vintage razors since it seems the only way to be sure any and all cooties are dead is to kill the razor.
I assure you I meant no disrespect, and value the opinions/thoughts/help of the collective members here. If anyone took offense to my post, I sincerely apologize for any miscommunication on my part.


Put it in just boiled water, but do not boil it.
Barbicide will kill most things, but what exactly are you trying to kill?
Don't bleach it.
Use alcohol if you want. It's not likely to hurt. But again, what are you trying to kill?

If you'd rather use google than the collective wisdom here, you're a braver man than I. You're going to find a lot more
"boil in vinegar" advice out there than you are here.
I would not rather use Google. I greatly respect the knowledge that so many impart on here. Very sorry.

[anaguma]

I recommend doing a web search for "sterilizing medical instruments at home." Yeah, I know it sounds bizarre, but you will come up with something. The consensus I found was this: put the razor in a pressure cooker for 15 to 20 minutes. Then you'll be ready to operate!

[Borked]

I'm an infectious diseases physician...
...who hopefully can confirm a rumour I've heard.

Are bacteria/diseases killed with ultra-violet light within 5 minutes of exposure ?

[oldbluelight]

I recommend doing a web search for "sterilizing medical instruments at home." Yeah, I know it sounds bizarre, but you will come up with something. The consensus I found was this: put the razor in a pressure cooker for 15 to 20 minutes. Then you'll be ready to operate! The pressure cooker is the almost the equivalent of an autoclave but keep in mind that the internal temp will reach about 245 F so make sure all the components of the razor will not be affected by that temp. Follow the directions for properly venting the cooker before and after the process.

[Puerco]

What a bunch of paranoid people around here.... All I do with vintage DE razors is soak them in hot water from the tap with some dish soap, scrub them with more dish soap (the "extra hygiene" kind that's supposed to have some antibacterial stuff in there) and a toothbrush, then I pour some cheap Turkish lemon cologne in/on there (60% alcohol) and let dry. A couple drops of ballistol or mineral oil will keep the TTO mechanism lubricated.
If tarnished a LITTLE brasso will do the job, that's all.
On straight razors a quick wipe with alcohol (again cheap Turkish cologne), followed by some polishing compound and a honing is all I do.
The polishing and honing will remove the outer layer of steel anyway along with anything on it.
If it's clean it's clean, I just shave with it, I don't intend to cut myself open with it and I never had a problem with it.
There's more danger catching anything contagious riding public transportation, going to work, using a public restroom, having dinner in a restaurant, etc.

[fadridrocky]

Ultrasonics designed for jewelery pest control brisbane (http://www.pestcontrolling.com.au/pest-control-brisbane/) are fine for razors, but still may remove paint from adjustable index numbers. Industrial-grade units made for heavier use can vibrate the plating right off (as I understand) and would pest control gold coast (http://www.pestcontrolling.com.au/pest-control-gold-coast/) not be recommended
This is pretty long discussion about razor cleaning. We just to do bit of Google search and find right cleaning solution. I think it is not a difficult task at all

[luvmysuper]

This is pretty long discussion about razor cleaning. We just to do bit of Google search and find right cleaning solution. I think it is not a difficult task at all

Google is chock full of advice that is wrong and may result in a destroyed razor.
This thread is long, but contains the experience of people who have actually tried and succeeded, or tried and failed.

[Lockedin]

I'm just going to say again that I am frequently amazed at the lengths that some folks will go to to "sanitize" a razor, and yet feel no qualms at all about putting restaurant silverware in their mouth, or filling up the Big Gulp cup at the local fast food ice machine and soda dispenser.

So true!! :lol:

That said - I just received a 'bay '68 Slim Adjustable (M4). I'll be visiting a local tattoo artist / neighbor to borrow his autoclave tonight. Not because I'm paranoid, but because it's safe, effective and expedient.

[luvmysuper]

So true!! :lol:

That said - I just received a 'bay '68 Slim Adjustable (M4). I'll be visiting a local tattoo artist / neighbor to borrow his autoclave tonight. Not because I'm paranoid, but because it's safe, effective, expedient and excessive.

FTFY :lol:

[urkel]

i just bought some scrubbing bubbles to try out. haven't ever used it and hope it does the trick. i just want to clean up the "scum"

[Lockedin]

FTFY :lol:

Thanks Phil! :biggrin1:

[Galhatz]

1 hour soak in 5% Lysol is hospital grade dissinfection for medical equipment. It would also remove the green corrosion as an added bonus.
It is has some pretty nasty fumes so i either handle it in the garage ir outside and i wear gloves. After a good rinse, most of the smell is gone, and ccompletely gone after a few uses.
I bought some *nasty * looking razors that came out quite presentable after that.
It might be extreme but its the only path that pacifies my ocd side...

[JustJeff]

I've heard of people using scrubbing bubbles to clean a razor, I'm jut not urge I want that kind of chemical on something I ill use on my face

[luvmysuper]

We've got both ends of the spectrum here anyway - Guys who are seriously worried about not being able to kill germs, and guys who are worried that what will kill 'em is bad for you! :lol:

My advice would be, after you use the scrubbing bubbles, rinse the razor in clean water. It's metal, so the chemicals can't "soak in" to the razor, it's only on the external surface. Once you rinse it off, there's nothing there to get on your face.
Strongly recommend not using the razor immediately after a scrubbing bubbles bath without rinsing it, if for no other reason than it may be irritating to some peoples skin.

[flm0210]

I heard scrubbing bubbles does a fine job,but which flavor do you use?? ANY HELP would be appreciated.




FRank M.

[brooks_bro]

I heard scrubbing bubbles does a fine job,but which flavor do you use?? ANY HELP would be appreciated.




FRank M.


I use lemon