Would you use a second hand brush - just curious.

Recently I got a vintage Ever Ready boar brush as an extra with a razor I bought on the bay.

It looks in reasonable condition although the bristles stick straight up ie. it doesn't fan out much.

I'm not really game to use it since it's second hand.

Am I being ridiculous about it?

I would probably throw a new knot in it but I think you can sanitize it and use it.

Many members of the board use second hand brushes as is evident from the sales on B/S/T. Personally I wouldn't consider using anything other than a new brush. I really can't see how it would be possible to come close to sterilizing it without ruining it.

If hand washing your flatware and plates, etc after guests eat off of them is good enough for you, the same dishwashing detergent should be good enough to thoroughly clean your brush. But, it's your face you're applying the brush to, so do what you must.

Nothing in our homes is sterile.
Very few human pathogens can survive more than 2 weeks outside of the body. The possibility of running into those is so remote that if you are concerned about it, then you likewise should never eat anywhere but home and should never come into physical contact with another living being.
You are not using the brush to perform surgery.
It is not being applied to open wounds.
It is applying SOAP!

Give it a good cleaning in Dawn, allow it to dry for 2 weeks if you REALLY want to be OCD about it.
Enjoy your brush.

I have bought and used many used brushes and I'm still alive and healthy. Wash with shampoo and then rinse with vinegar and your good to go.

What does a barber use to sterilize, brushes, razors, clippers, scissors etc.

Rem700 said:

What does a barber use to sterilize, brushes, razors, clippers, scissors etc.

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Razors are no longer reused.
Brushes are likewise no longer used except the powdered whisk used to brush stray hair from the back of your neck and forehead.
Clippers, scissors, and combs are dipped in Barbicide... a natural hair brush will not likely survive that treatment.

I personally don't feel there is anything on a second hand brush that is worse than what might have been on the hair of the boar or badger before it went to the first user.
They managed to clean that hair pretty well and you'll use it even though while on the animal the hair was exposed to bugs, lice, ticks, blood, feces, bodily fluids etc.
I'm thinking it's probably less of a chore to clean a second hand brush because it's been exposed to soap and water more frequently than a new brush was.

I have about 30 brushes, three of which were new when I acquired them. You will be fine. The whole "sterilized" thing printed on vintage brushes came about because there was an anthrax brush scare which may or may not have been a real thing... In the 1910's.

You would be several orders of magnitude more likely to get sick eating at a restaurant, or handling currency. (Or handling currency in a restaurant.) And if you're worried about currency, I can send you my address in a PM, and will gladly dispose of all that germy, filthy, disgusting currency for you. =D

Right now, in your body, (assuming you're a healthy human) the bacteria cells outnumber your own by over 10-to-1. There are way more of them than there is of you. On the surface of your skin, there are more living (foreign) organisms than there have ever been humans on the Earth.

I used one today.

I use a vintage Ever Ready Boar brush every day. It belonged to SWMBO's grandfather. (MIL found it at their cottage) Considering it hasn't been used since he passed sometime in the late 60's, I lathered up some williams sitting around, and rinsed in hot water. I did that one more time. and it was good to go. been using it for almost 3 mos. now without issue.

Good question, and there are definitely some good points here, but the one pre owned brush I have, I have not used just for that reason. What do you guys suggest is the most sterile way to clean it? The thing that worries me about used soaps and brushes is the fact that they often touch blood. Nick yourself, and run that brush right over it for the next pass... Can you dip a brush in alcohol? Does vinegar sterilize?

I guess I'm one of the non paranoid ones only a couple of mine are new and never had an issue.

k9ted said:

Good question, and there are definitely some good points here, but the one pre owned brush I have, I have not used just for that reason. What do you guys suggest is the most sterile way to clean it? The thing that worries me about used soaps and brushes is the fact that they often touch blood. Nick yourself, and run that brush right over it for the next pass... Can you dip a brush in alcohol? Does vinegar sterilize?

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A good lather and rinse with dish soap or shampoo will do the job just fine. Assuming that you have had the brush for a while, anything that can be transmitted via blood will be long dead by now.

k9ted said:

Good question, and there are definitely some good points here, but the one pre owned brush I have, I have not used just for that reason. What do you guys suggest is the most sterile way to clean it? The thing that worries me about used soaps and brushes is the fact that they often touch blood. Nick yourself, and run that brush right over it for the next pass... Can you dip a brush in alcohol? Does vinegar sterilize?

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Your dinnerware when you eat out has touched blood.

Just wash it with soap and hot water.

Most of my dinnerware has touched blood... I have some crazy dinner parties. =D

Would use and do use.

You don't touch doorknobs, keyboards, and seats in public transport? I don't see any problem in using a second hand brush after it's been cleaned.