Disinfecting new razor
- Thread starter kmain
- Start date
+1 I don't think there's any need to do anything else. But what I always do, is just put it in the sink with the stopper in and spray it with Lysol. I read on B&B Wiki that that kills everything known to man. After 10 minutes, wash it off and let it soak in mild dish detergent and water to remove any gunk, and clean with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Works for me every time.
At any rate, I soaked it in Barbicide as the second to last step in my cleaning process. No need to worry.
All of this is overkill. And much of it can damage the razor. Rinse. Maybe a shot of scrubbing bubbles, and a quick gentle scrub with a toothbrush. Then another rinse, load up a blade and shave.
My new (to me) Aristocrat came in today. All I cleaned it with was hot water/dish soap and toothbrush. Followed that with hot water and toothpaste and then gave it a quick dip in 70% iso. Let it air dry and be using it tomorrow. Pretty much all I've ever done to my razors unless they are really gunky - then they get the boiling water poured on them for a loosening soak followed by the same regimen as stated above. Yours is clean and ready to go to enjoy they new toy. They give great shaves.
This.
Many detergents and cleaners, including Barbicide/Marvicide, have a Ph that is strongly alkaline or acidic and anything more than a quick dip CAN etch the plating.
The restoration forum has more than a few "I soaked my razor in vinegar and now it's black, what do I do?" threads.
Read the instructions... particularly Barbicide/Marvicide. If the instructions do not indicate specifically how to clean the specific metal/plating that you have, it is best to avoid use.
Even scrubbing bubbles can damage a vintage razor if allowed to soak for too long.
When I buy a used razor, I go through the following process;
24 hour soak in scrubbing bubbles
2 hour boil in CLR
Soak in Barbicide for 2 days
Scrub with toothbrush, toothpaste, alcohol and MAAS for at least 60 minutes
48 hours in the Autoclave
Another 1 hour boil in CLR and Vinegar
Just to be safe, I hit it with a Propane Torch with a full Rosette Tip.
I've done this with the 376 Razors I bought.
I now have 2 razors in my collection, but they don't seem to shave worth a darn.
24 hour soak in scrubbing bubbles
2 hour boil in CLR
Soak in Barbicide for 2 days
Scrub with toothbrush, toothpaste, alcohol and MAAS for at least 60 minutes
48 hours in the Autoclave
Another 1 hour boil in CLR and Vinegar
Just to be safe, I hit it with a Propane Torch with a full Rosette Tip.
I've done this with the 376 Razors I bought.
I now have 2 razors in my collection, but they don't seem to shave worth a darn.
I adhere to the "shot of Scrubbing Bubbles" and a hot-water rinse immediately, to avoid staining. I also do that to my razors when I change blades.
But... I hate to upset anyone but I also do this with brand-new razors. My daughter used to do "compliance audits" in Chinese factories for the foreign owners. I also spent some time in China and Vietnam in recent years. I would not trust ANYTHING new coming out of some of these countries to be clean. Even if the factories appear clean, you can not be certain of the habits of the workers.
I wouldn't buy a set of dishes and immediately eat off them, even if I bought them from an expensive store. A used razor may (or may not) have soap or other crud on it. At the microscopic level, a new razor might be as contaminated as a used one.
I'd wash them all and then relax and let my immune system do it's job.
But... I hate to upset anyone but I also do this with brand-new razors. My daughter used to do "compliance audits" in Chinese factories for the foreign owners. I also spent some time in China and Vietnam in recent years. I would not trust ANYTHING new coming out of some of these countries to be clean. Even if the factories appear clean, you can not be certain of the habits of the workers.
I wouldn't buy a set of dishes and immediately eat off them, even if I bought them from an expensive store. A used razor may (or may not) have soap or other crud on it. At the microscopic level, a new razor might be as contaminated as a used one.
I'd wash them all and then relax and let my immune system do it's job.
Hey all.. been lurking for a while and wanted to throw my .02p into the mix...
There is a lot of concern for what is potentially on the razor but what about your hands, face, and bathroom?
Typically there are 3 microbes for every skin cell on a healthy normal person and this population can include some really nasty stuff. Staphylococcus is a given and depending on where you work/live it could be MRSA or VISA but even non drug resistant strains could kill if they infect a cut. Bathrooms are full of fecal microbes (E. coli, Clostridium difficile, Rotovirus) and mould spores including Aspergillus (black mould). Your hands are likely a cess pit of pathogens esp if you've spent time on public transit or in a kitchen (Salmonella, Clostridium tetani (tetnus), Rhinoviruses, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Compared to you and your bathroom the razor is immaculate and even if you could practically kill every microbe on it it would be quickly reinfected when you removed it from it's sterilized container for use...
So long as there are no crusties on it you're fine.
There is a lot of concern for what is potentially on the razor but what about your hands, face, and bathroom?
Typically there are 3 microbes for every skin cell on a healthy normal person and this population can include some really nasty stuff. Staphylococcus is a given and depending on where you work/live it could be MRSA or VISA but even non drug resistant strains could kill if they infect a cut. Bathrooms are full of fecal microbes (E. coli, Clostridium difficile, Rotovirus) and mould spores including Aspergillus (black mould). Your hands are likely a cess pit of pathogens esp if you've spent time on public transit or in a kitchen (Salmonella, Clostridium tetani (tetnus), Rhinoviruses, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Compared to you and your bathroom the razor is immaculate and even if you could practically kill every microbe on it it would be quickly reinfected when you removed it from it's sterilized container for use...
So long as there are no crusties on it you're fine.
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Disenfecting a razor? Where do you store your toothbrush and what do you do it before you stick it in your mouth?
Barbicide works well IMHO. I have also heard that steam is effective, and I believe that surgeons use steam to sterilize their instruments. But you are shaving with it, not taking out an appendix. Barbicide should more than suffice. Hell - boiling it for 15 minutes will probably suffice.
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Hell - boiling it for 15 minutes could kill the razor sufficiently . . . then we won't worry about any cooties remaining since we won't be shaving with it anyway!
Nope.... I assume that blades are made in an automated process and are sanitary.
Look... in downtown Saigon, there's a street-corner with very high-end, Western shops. It's across from probably the most famous western-style hotel. My wife and I always called it "rat-corner." Can you guess why?
I'm am not phobic about germs but I wouldn't unpack a set of dishes for silver-ware from Asia and use it without washing it either.
I don't care where an item comes from - everything used in or around our bodies should be washed before its first use! That's wise, not phobic.
Some folk, either phobic or misinformed, believe that vintage razors must be sterilized to surgical-grade standards before being safe to use when in fact all that's required is a proper surface cleaning to reasonable sanitary standards. Modern ultra-concentrated dish detergent, along with hot water and an old toothbrush is all that is needed.
We read here of many razors damaged or destroyed in the quest to "sterilize" razors . . .
We read here of many razors damaged or destroyed in the quest to "sterilize" razors . . .
Yup!
I would put vintage razors in the dishwasher, but I'm not sure what it would do to the plating. As it is, hot water, dish soap and a nailbrush gets them clean enough to make me happy.
What a great post!
I'm expecting a 1966 Gillette in the next few days, it's getting hot water, soap and a toothbrush.
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