The Best Way to Clean a Boar Bristle Hair Brush: 4 Steps

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Plus, how often to clean boar bristle brushes & why it’s important

Co-authored by Devin McSween Reviewed by Jasmin Todd

Last Updated: August 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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Cleaning a Boar Bristle Brush

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How Often to Clean the Brush

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Why Cleaning is Important

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Why use a boar bristle brush?

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Things You'll Need

Boar bristle brushes are amazing hair tools for cleaning, hydrating, smoothing, and styling your hair. But, because these brushes absorb and redistribute your scalp's natural oils, they can get dirty quickly. Luckily, it’s easy to clean your brush by soaking the bristles in warm, soapy water. Keep reading to learn the best way to clean your brush, how often to clean it, and why cleaning it is so important!

How to Clean Your Boar Bristle Brush

Use a comb to remove hair, dust, and oil buildup from your brush. Then, fill a container with warm water and a few drops of shampoo or dish soap. Swirl the bristles in the soapy water and let them soak for 10 minutes. Then, rinse the bristles in clean water and let the brush air dry face down on a towel.

Section 1 of 4:

Cleaning a Boar Bristle Brush

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Remove hair and debris from the bristles with a comb. With regular use, boar bristle brushes accumulate hair, oils from your scalp (called sebum), dust, lint, and other debris. To clean out the hair and gray, dusty debris, pull a fine or wide-tooth comb through the bristles.^{[1]
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- Run the comb horizontally through the bristles as well as vertically across them to remove as much hair as possible.
- Alternatively, use your fingers or an old toothbrush to work out the hair and debris.
- If the hair is tangled in the bristles, use scissors to snip it out.
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Soak the bristles in warm water and shampoo for 10 minutes. Fill a shallow container or dish with warm water and add a small squeeze of shampoo. Then, insert the brush face down into the soapy water so only the bristles are submerged. Swirl the brush around and then leave the bristles soaking in the water for 10 minutes.^{[2]
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- The shampoo helps to clean off the oily residue on the bristles and loosen any leftover debris.
- If your brush handle is wooden, make sure only the bristles are submerged in the water. Soaking the entire brush can warp and damage the wood.
- If your boar bristles extend from a cushioned padding, place the brush in a container where the water barely touches the cushioned padding—and avoid submerging it.
- If you follow the no ‘poo method (i.e., you don’t use shampoo), use dish soap instead.
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Rinse the bristles in a tub of cool, clean water. Remove the brush from the container and dump out the soapy water. Then, fill the container with cool, clean water. Swirl the bristles through the water for 1 minute to get rid of any loosened debris and to rinse off the soapy residue.^{[3]
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- Make sure you don’t submerge the entire brush in the water if it’s made out of wood or has cushioned padding.
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Let the brush air dry on a towel with the bristles face down. Take the brush out of the container and shake it to remove the excess water. Then, use a soft cloth to pat the bristles and wipe the handle dry. To get the brush completely dry, lay it face down on a towel to air dry.^{[4]
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- It typically takes several hours for the bristles to dry completely.

Section 2 of 4:

How Often to Clean a Boar Bristle Brush

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Wash your brush every 1 to 2 weeks. How quickly your boar bristle brush gets dirty depends on how often you use it, wash your hair, or apply hair products. If you wash your hair 2 to 3 times per week and use your brush daily, aim for a weekly clean. If you shampoo daily, you might only need to wash it every 2 to 3 weeks.^{[5]
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- If you follow the no ‘poo method and use your boar bristle brush to clean your hair, wash your brush daily or every few days.
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Remove hair and debris from the brush daily. Make it a daily routine to clean out the hair, dust, and debris from your boar bristle brush after you use it. Cleaning your boar bristle brush after each use will prevent it from getting clogged with hair and dirt, which can make it tougher to wash when it’s time to deep-clean it.
- Removing the hair from your brush each day doesn’t replace your brush’s weekly or biweekly deep cleans. You still need to regularly wash your brush with soap and water to get rid of dirt and oily buildup.

Section 3 of 4:

Why is cleaning a boar bristle brush important?

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Cleaning your boar brush helps keep your hair and scalp clean and healthy. Your boar bristle brush can only absorb so much oil and dirt before it starts redistributing the debris back onto your scalp and hair. This issue can leave your hair dirtier than before and lead to an oiler scalp. So, washing your brush regularly ensures your hair stays healthy, clean, and shiny.^{[6]
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- Clean bristles also ensure that your brush works properly to distribute your scalp’s natural oils through your hair.
- Washing your brush regularly is especially important if you don’t wash your hair with shampoo and use your brush to clean your hair.
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Cleaning also extends the life of your boar bristle brush. Oil, dirt, and hair product residue can harden onto the brush, making the debris harder to clean off and weakening or distorting the bristles. Your brush may start to lose effectiveness or even lead to hair breakage. When you wash your brush regularly, you keep the bristles healthy and undamaged, too.^{[7]
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- Boar bristle brushes typically last for 6 months to 1 year when you clean them regularly.
- It’s likely time to replace your brush when it snags your hair, the bristles are flattened or missing, or you notice it doesn’t get clean even after washing it.
- Avoid brushing your hair after using products as much as possible to help extend the life of your brush.

Section 4 of 4:

Benefits of Using a Boar Bristle Brush

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Using a boar bristle brush helps clean and hydrate your hair. Boar bristle brushes work by absorbing the natural oils from your scalp and redistributing them down to the ends of your hair. The oils and dirt are thereby cleaned from your scalp while working to hydrate and condition the rest of your hair, helping it look and be healthier.^{[8]
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- When you use a boar bristle brush, brush your hair starting at the roots and work your way down to the tips. Brushing this way ensures that the oils are evenly distributed through your hair.
- Because boar bristles brushes help clean your hair, they’re a great tool to use when transitioning to washing your hair less frequently or getting rid of shampoo altogether.
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Boar bristle brushes help you smooth and style your hair. When you distribute the oils from your scalp through your hair, you smooth and soften your hair. The boar bristle brush is also a great tool for styling your hair into ponytails, braids, protective styles, and other updos.^{[9]
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- Boar bristle brushes work great for all hair types, including fine and straight hair, thick and curly hair, and natural/textured hair.
- While boar bristle brushes are great styling tools, they aren’t great for detangling your hair. Remove tangles with a comb or your fingers before using a boar bristle brush.