I use a toothbrush and dish soap. Toothpaste can be good for little tea stains if you have a blade rust.
this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2024
10 points (100.0% liked)
WetShaving
713 readers
10 users here now
This is a community of enthusiasts, hobbyists and artisans who enjoy a traditional wet shave: brush, soap, and safety or straight razor. We are a part of the WetShaving community found on Reddit, Discord, and IRC.
New subscribers welcome!
Please visit our wiki, which is always and forever a work in progress.
Check out these alternative front-ends for this server:
https://gem.wetshaving.social - a nice modern interface
https://old.wetshaving.social - designed to look like old.reddit.com
Our sister Mastodon instance is https://wetshaving.social.
Community Rules
Rule 1 - Behaviour and Etiquette
-
Be Respectful. Do not bully, flame, or harass others.
-
Malicious comments are not allowed but heated discussion and salty banter is okay.
-
Low effort replies and complaints about content will be removed.
Rule 2 - Content Guidelines
-
Mail Calls, Simple Questions, and SOTD posts belong in the recurring weekly threads.
-
Posts must have sufficient content to generate a meaningful discussion.
-
Images, links, or videos must include additional text that summarizes the topic.
Rule 3 - Reviews and Disclosure
-
Use [First Impressions] in the title if your experience with the product is limited.
-
Use the [Review] in the title if you can provide comprehensive details with enough familiarity to answer follow-up questions.
-
Disclose how the product being reviewed was acquired (e.g., PIF, loan, or purchase). If the product was provided to you directly by the maker or vendor free of charge or at a discount, you must disclose this fact even if the item will later be returned to the maker or vendor.
Rule 4 - Advertising
-
Vendors are to keep marketing within the biweekly Deals/New Products threads.
-
Non-vendors may post topics about products if it will foster a compelling discussion.
-
Do not solicit donations or share fundraisers without mod approval.
Rule 5 - Inappropriate Content
-
All NSFW/L content must request mod approval and be flaired appropriately.
-
Non-shaving related NSFW/L content is not allowed.
Rule 10 - Moderator Discretion
- The rules may not apply perfectly to every situation. The mods have final discretion.
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
This. Once a week I leave the razor to soak briefly in hot soapy water while I give my brush a bit of a clean, then I come back to it and give it a once over with a toothbrush. It's shiny and clean and ready for the week ahead.
I mostly just rinse mine when I'm done so there hasn't ever really been soap scum stuck to it.
I've used IPA to clean/disinfect, it's fine.
If in doubt, test it on a small spot first.
What type of metal is your piece? The best cleaning routine will depend on this.
I've got a Wolfman WR1 in stainless steel. I've never had to do more than disassemble and buff with a microfiber towel, but I have no ides why a normal steel cleaner like Barkeeper's Friend wouldn't do the trick.
I use hot water to rinse the soap off the razor as I'm shaving. There might be a little bit of residue that builds up, I try to hit it with some hot water. If it's my straight razor I sometimes carefully wipe the blade with a towel before stropping (this helps dry it and prevent rust, as well as remove any remaining soap scum).
On DE safety razors I take a q-tip and sterilize the blade with 70% isopropyl alcohol which happens to also clean the soap scum off. I sterilize before shaving to help prevent infections to the follicles that can be caused by bacteria that start to live on your razor. Another recommendation I've heard is just to store your razor in 70% alcohol, but I prefer my way.
Seconding toothbrush+dish soap.
But you shouldn't need to do this every shave - if your lather is good, you should be able to rinse it with water, and it should be gone. Otherwise, your lather is too dry.
Even good wet lather leaves soap scum, though, especially if you have hard water.
I rinse mine under the faucet, take the blade out and wipe it by pinching it between my fingers and wiping perpendicularly and AWAY from the cutting edge while holding it under running water. If you're not comfortable with touching the blade I'm sure an old toothbrush can do the same. Then I reassemble it, swirl it in a container of isopropyl alcohol, shake the excess off and set it to dry.
I have found that the last step with iso alcohol makes the blades last much longer. Probably because it helps prevent corrosion of the cutting edge.
Like others said dish soap and toothbrush after every shave but for your current dilemma you should add what underlying metal and finish it has to get the answer you're looking for