Brushes - standing upright or hanging?

[blade08]

This comes from one of our 'brothers' over at SMF. Check the 4th post from the top; very interesting.

http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/vie...30c61039004b70

[1969Fatboy]

Interesting conclusion and it really sums it up! I have them hanging and standing. As long as they get a good rinse and a good shakin' then they seem to be fine:) That was a pretty extensive project though!

[Seraphim]

Excellent!!!!!!

[The Zook]

To think I wasted $4.99 on one of those hangers too!

[talibeard]

I know that Simpson advices to let them dry standing upwards but most manufacturers don't. I don't believe there is an essential difference as long as you rinse them properly and shake off what you can.

[The Zook]

The Art of Shaving brush I have recommends it, but they also make a stand.

Coincidence?

[blade08]

The Art of Shaving brush I have recommends it, but they also make a stand.

Coincidence?

Some manufacturers also recommend using their brushes with the creams they also make, to obtain "the best possible results"....

[drP]

I put them away standing upright....(little bit redundant remark, but nonetheless...)

[huntmol]

Yeah, I used to use a stand. Sold it, haven't noticed a difference

[labrat_333]

I've had the same question. However my main concern is long term effects on the brush.

I've only been using a brush for a couple of weeks so I don't have a lot of experiance. However it would seem to me that standing a brush up after shaving would encourage mold, bacteria, yeast, water, or left over soap in the brush to migrate down to the lower thicker part of the brush where it would be harder to notice and clean.

If you hung the brush bristles down it would seem to allow things to move to the ends of the bristles where they will be easier to remove during cleaning.

Not to mention if the water runs down to where the bristles are glued wouldn't it shorten the life span of the brush (even though this dose give a good excuse to go buy a new brush)

[New2DEShaving_Montreal]

If you give it a good shake, there won't be enough water left to actually make it all the way down the bristles if you were to hang the brush. The water would just hang out in the brush until it dries off. Give it a good 10 second shake, should be all you need to do.

[mdunn]

I've had the same question. However my main concern is long term effects on the brush.

I've only been using a brush for a couple of weeks so I don't have a lot of experiance. However it would seem to me that standing a brush up after shaving would encourage mold, bacteria, yeast, water, or left over soap in the brush to migrate down to the lower thicker part of the brush where it would be harder to notice and clean.

If you hung the brush bristles down it would seem to allow things to move to the ends of the bristles where they will be easier to remove during cleaning.

Not to mention if the water runs down to where the bristles are glued wouldn't it shorten the life span of the brush (even though this dose give a good excuse to go buy a new brush)

Im pretty sure the thinking is that (regardless of the way the brush is facing, because its wet hair, rather than pooled water so gravity can be ignored) the tips of the hair dry first/fastest because theyve got more exposure to the air, and the capillary effect then draws water up to these faster drying tips. Thus sucking all the water from the bottom of the brush to be evaporated away.

[momo360]

To think I wasted $4.99 on one of those hangers too!

To think I wasted $45.00 ...

[labrat_333]

If you give it a good shake, there won't be enough water left to actually make it all the way down the bristles if you were to hang the brush. The water would just hang out in the brush until it dries off. Give it a good 10 second shake, should be all you need to do.

Thanks for the tip I wasn't shaking it out near this much. I went and tried it and it really did make a difference.

Im pretty sure the thinking is that (regardless of the way the brush is facing, because its wet hair, rather than pooled water so gravity can be ignored) the tips of the hair dry first/fastest because theyve got more exposure to the air, and the capillary effect then draws water up to these faster drying tips. Thus sucking all the water from the bottom of the brush to be evaporated away.

Since I wasn't getting enough water out of the brush that was why I was worried about pooling and afraid capillary action wouldn't be enough.

Though thanks to both of you fine gents I think I got it now. Not mention you saved me a lot of work on the bathroom cabinet I plan on modifing for my shave stuff. Don't have to make the brush racks just the razor racks.

[Mr. Beaver]

Thanks for the tip I wasn't shaking it out near this much. I went and tried it and it really did make a difference.



Since I wasn't getting enough water out of the brush that was why I was worried about pooling and afraid capillary action wouldn't be enough.

Though thanks to both of you fine gents I think I got it now. Not mention you saved me a lot of work on the bathroom cabinet I plan on modifing for my shave stuff. Don't have to make the brush racks just the razor racks.

I shake my brush out at least 10 times vigorously, more like 20 times. After hanging upside down approximately ten minutes later, there is a considerable amount of water that has run down to the ends of the hairs. I then shake it out again (if I'm around) and a lot more water comes out. Therefore, I disagree that is does not make a difference whether the brush is upside down or not. I think it is better to hang the brush with hairs pointed downward.

Whether you hang the brush upside down or not, you should not keep your brush wet inside a cupboard. It needs air circulation.

[drP]

I shake my brush out at least 10 times vigorously, more like 20 times. After hanging upside down approximately ten minutes later, there is a considerable amount of water that has run down to the ends of the hairs. I then shake it out again (if I'm around) and a lot more water comes out. Therefore, I disagree that is does not make a difference whether the brush is upside down or not. I think it is better to hang the brush with hairs pointed downward.

Whether you hang the brush upside down or not, you should not keep your brush wet inside a cupboard. It needs air circulation.

Never saw this phenomenon before in one of my brushes, rather strange....
Imo it doesn't matter at all in what position the brush is after it has been dried thoroughly. So i put all my brushes standing upright after use.

[Bruce]

I think that this is one of those abracadabra physics things. Clouds float, right? And rain falls out of them, right. So to get the cloud up into the sky water has to float, right? So you store your brush bristles up, right? Then it rains and the water falls out of the clouds, right? So you store your brush bristles down, right?

My head hurts now. I just figure it's easier to use the flat bottom of the handle than to try to squeeze that fat handle into a hanger that was ordered too small. Yup, didn't read the fine print. I do have some (that are sized right) hanging from clear acrylic holders on my bathroom mirror, that done in an effort to add a bit of class to an otherwise ordinary water closet. Others get stored on shelves. All seem to be content with their fate.

[EXEA]

Still a newbie and learning, but it seems to me that when the brush dries with the bristles upward, any residue, however slight would flow to the knot where with time it could build up. When dried bristles down any residue would gravitate to the tips of the brush and hopefully be washed away with next use. That said, it seems that either method is ok and I'm not going to worry too much one way or the other.

[Stauff]

A brush standing on the handle willd dry faster because the whole knot is pointing upwards thus facilitating evaporation. In a stand, drying will take longer because the moisture can't evaporate as fast (that is, vertically). With very dense brushes this makes a lot of difference. My old chubby didn't dry properly when hung in a drip stand.

After shaking my brushes 10-15 times, I give 'em a gentle one-over with a towel. Then place on handle and forget...

[jmh86]

Aside from the drying factor, I could see storing them standing up causing the hairs to "bloom" more. Since they are being able to be pulled downward by gravity. Whereas hanging gravity pulls them back together "tighter" I doubt this actually causes any effect at all, but something to think about.