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How do you sanitize your used razors.

I have my first used razor coming in the mail and was wondering how every one sanitizes theirs before use. I was thinking of boiling for 3-5 minutes but I don't know if this will damage it. Any suggestions?
 
To be honest, Scrubbing Bubbles sanitizes as well as cleans.
BUT...
When my used razors were new to me, I let them soak in 70% rubbing alcohol afterward for about 20 minutes.
 
Don't boil them. Not good.
I won't be the only one to tell you that.
I use scrubbing bubbles to clean them and then a quick 10 -15 min dip in Barbicide.
 

BigFoot

I wanna be sedated!
Staff member
I do the scrubbing bubbles, and then I spray them with Marvicide. You can get it at Salon stores, it is similiar to Barbicide but in an aerosol can. This is also what I use every 3rd day or so, just to keep my razor I am shaving with disenfected.
 
First thing I do is soak them in a mixture of simple green, dawn dish liquid and goo gone and then scrub them with a nylon brush. Before I shave with them I let the head sit in a tub of 91% isopropyl alcohol.
 
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Safety_razor_maintenance

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Razor_cleaning_and_restoration

Cleaning is probably more important than sanitization. Very few bugs can live more than a few hours on a clean metal surface.

A soak in hot water should be fine, but actually boiling a razor seems like a bad idea to me. The bottom of the pot can be significantly hotter than boiling, and the razor may get banged around by the water movement from a nice rolling boil. Some folks do boil razors, but I think it's too extreme. Referring to the wiki pages above, I mostly use scrubbing bubbles. One exception is gold plating, where I use a windex bath. When a razor has painted parts, or plastic or resin parts, I try to mask those off from the bubbles. Usually I'm not worried about bugs on a resin handle.

I don't have a good solution for an all-plastic razor like the Merkur 45, though. None of the usual techniques seem like a good idea. I might just give it a soak in a dilute vinegar solution and then leave it in a dry, sunny spot for a day or two.
 
Boiling is unnecessarily hard on razors.

I recommend a soak in water and dish soap, then a scrub with a toothbrush dedicated to cleaning (this can be an old, retired brush or a new one) Your razor should be quite clean now. If you have funk inside a TTO then soaking for several days may be in order, changing the soapy water as it gets cloudy until the water says clear for a day.

Follow up with barbicide per the directions, available at barber and beauty supply stores like Sally Beauty for about $10 for a lifetime supply.

If you insist on boiling put a basket or trivet in the pan to suspend the razor in the column of water OR pour water off the boil over the razor in a separate container.

Phil
 
I've never used alcohol. Not sure why, just haven't. For me it's just a thorough cleaning with Scrubbing Bubbles, then a good polishing. That's it. I've not ever worried about contracting a disease.


Now if you all will excuse me, I need to run to the pharmacy for my hepatitis medication.




DL
 
Soaking in alcohol doesn't do anything. It is the drying action of alcohol that kills germs.

As already mentioned, scrubbing bubbles followed by polishing will take care of anything.

Also, in before comments about the quality of sanitation of restaurant silverware.
 
Nothing bad lives ON metal for more than a couple hours, all the buggies live in the crud sitting on the metal. Knock the crud off via your favorite method of choice, hot soapy water to rinse the surfaces clean, you the razor is as sanitary as you'll ever need it to be.
 
Don't boil them. Not good.
I won't be the only one to tell you that.
I use scrubbing bubbles to clean them and then a quick 10 -15 min dip in Barbicide.

Don't boil them. Not good.
He won't be the only one to tell you that . . . :thumbup:

Certain razors will be damaged by boiling, although some will not.

Boiling does not do anything that hot water won't do in terms of cleaning. Several razors rattling around in a pan of boiling water can be scratched and gouged. Pan can be ruined in the process, making SWMBO unhappy.

Scrubbing Bubbles (the original S.C. Johnson product, not the dollar store copies) contains the same germicide agent as Barbicide, and will kill anything residing on the razor that time hasn't already killed.

Dawn dish soap, very hot water, toothbrush scrub, Scrubbing Bubbles.

Repeat as needed and buff with soft cloth.

Shave and enjoy!!

Remember, you are shaving with the fresh new blade and not the 60 year-old cleaned razor.
 
Unlike everyone else I do boil mine... I boil them for 10 to 15min which is what is actually required to sterilize something. I did learn the hard way not to boil a razor that has paint on it like a red or blue tip... It can damage the paint on them.
 
Unlike everyone else I do boil mine... I boil them for 10 to 15min which is what is actually required to sterilize something.


Do you then remove the razor from the pan wearing latex gloves and insert it into a sealed bag or container? Cause if not, the second it touches your hand or gets laid on the counter, it's not sterile anymore.
 
You know that moist hole you shave around every morning or so? That's far dirtier than vintage razors!

Scrubbing bubbles and a soak in hot water and antibacterial soap is good enough for me.
 
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