If you’re using any form of disposable or cartridge razor then you’ll know how expensive they can be. It can often seem that even the higher-quality razors can dull after even just a couple shaves, this cost quickly begins to accumulate. Follow this guide to learn how you can take care of your razors and extend their lifetime.
Clean As You Shave
Almost all of us understand that you should be regularly rinsing and cleaning the razor as you shave, but most of us also don’t do it often enough. You should try running the blade under a warm water after just one or two swipes, this will prevent any hair from getting stuck in the blade. If you don’t, this hair will cause friction along the cutting surface of the blade and quickly dull it. By just simply rinsing your shaver as you go you’ll be able to keep the blades sharp for longer.
Clean After You’re Finished
Similarly, once you are finished shaving you want to ensure that every single hair is removed from the blade. You should be able to remove the majority by rinsing the blades under high pressure hot water at a range of different angles until clean. If you struggle to get the hair out you can very carefully use a fingernail to scrape the hair out - do be extremely careful when doing this (we will not accept responsibility for any injury!)
Dry the Blades Off
This is one of the biggest improvements you can make. Many men leave their blades damp or wet after use and this can cause serious rust as the water begins to oxidize. Once you’ve finished cleaning the razor you should very carefully towel the blade off. After, you can blow strongly on the blades to displace any water and then again dry with a towel ( follow the grain , to ensure that you don’t cut yourself).
Use Alcohol or Oil
If you ever pay attention at the barber you’ll notice that they store a lot of their razors in an alcohol solution. What this does is prevent any water from being oxidized on the surface of the metal and ensures that it is sterile. While you don’t have to store it fully in alcohol you can apply a rubbing alcohol or a performance enhancing oil to the blades. This will clean the blade of bacteria and ensure that the blades don’t rust .
Store Your Blades Safely
How often have you simply left your razor on the side of the sink? Well, there’s a very high chance that it’s going to get wet again either because of splashes or humidity condensing on the blades. Instead, you should store it in a container and within a drawer if possible.