Dust in my hair - keeping your hairbrushes clean

[Morgan]

Hi all!

A longtime lurker here that now want's to share a hair problem.

So, I've been wondering for years why my brushes get all dusty even if I try to clean them regularly. I think I've got the reason now. Yesterday I bought a brand new boar bristle brush but didn't try it until this morning because it was washday yesterday. After a few strokes I noticed there were dust particles all over the bristles and the only place they could have come from is my hair. Also, now that I started to think about it, I've noticed dust in my hair when S&Ding.

I don't really mind the dust itself, although it makes me think if i should clean my room more often... What bothers me is the difficulty of keeping my hairbrushes clean. Even my Tangle Teezer has recently started to gather dust. That one is easy to wash with soap and water but I really don't like to spend an hour picking dust from "inside" the boar bristles with a needle.

Has anyone else noticed this and how do you deal with it? Do you have a super convenient way to clean your brushes or a solution to keep the dust from getting into your hair in the first place?

[spirals]

Occasionally when washing my hair I'll run my brush through it while all soapy, and then rinse the brush. It helps somewhat. But usually I just live with the lint/dust. It doesn't bother me.

[auburntressed]

The only way I know to get dust out of boar bristles quickly is to brush the hair brush with some kind of cleaning brush in a quick motion. Then, too, using a bit of water and soap with a cleaning brush every week or so is helpful to stave off too much build up.

[Carolyn]

I do the best I can by using the little cleaning tool thing that came with my MP brush or a fine toothed comb. I don't worry about it otherwise. I am the only one who uses my brushes and I never use anyone elses brushes. So I don't really have a reason to care about the dust and lint.

[jacqueline101]

I have dust in my boar bristle brush I use soapy water to clean and tool to pick out the hairs.

[Morgan]

Thank you for all the replies! I think a cleaning tool will be my next purchase as soon as I can find one. Also, I will try to keep the brush in a drawer where the dust in the air won't fall on it.

I have yet to figure out how to reduce the amount of dust in the hair. I'm wondering whether oiled or static hair attracts it more...

[lydiajo]

OMG, I thought my dd was the only one who got dust in her hair. I've noticed it since she started using a tangle teezer.

[DarleneH]

I use a pick to rake the majority of hair and stuff out, then wash it in shampoo. I haven't found a better way yet.

[spidermom]

Yes - oiled hair attracts dust, also lint and pet hair.

One method I've used to keep my BBB clean is to press cheesecloth through the bristles to the base of the brush. After I brush my hair or once per week or so, I pull out the cheesecloth and everything else comes out with it.

I also comb through my BBB with a fine tooth comb. And every once in awhile, I wash it with shampoo, water, and a nail brush or the fine tooth comb, then lay it on a clean dry washcloth, bristles down, to thoroughly dry.

[Naiadryade]

Yup, I have this experience. Soap and water helps some, but I recently started using a toothbrush to clean my BBB, which isn't perfect but works better than anything else I've tried... though I've never tried this tool people speak of.

One method I've used to keep my BBB clean is to press cheesecloth through the bristles to the base of the brush. After I brush my hair or once per week or so, I pull out the cheesecloth and everything else comes out with it.

This is brilliant! I think I'll have to do this in the future. Thanks, Spidermom! You are so smart.