If your hair brush has rogue strands wrapped around the barrel, try deep cleaning it with a hairbrush cleaner.
There’s a lot more than just hair that accumulates on your brush or comb — from hair-product residue to dirt and dust, it’s safe to say that the buildup has to go.
To help you find the best hairbrush cleaner, we’ve taken a closer look at popular models to uncover the best features on the market. We’re also including our updated short list for 2020, which highlights a couple of our long-standing favorites as well as one with a new design.
1. Denman Hairbrush Cleaner: This returning favorite remains on our short list for its durable design and three-way cleaning.
2. Scalpmaster Brush/Comb Cleaner: Another returning favorite, this remains a top seller for its affordability.
3. Kent Hairbrush Cleaner: This new addition to our list earns high marks for its reliable scraping action.
For full reviews of these products, scroll to the bottom.
There are countless designs of hairbrushes and combs, all of which have different designs and bristle or tooth arrangements, which is why there’s so much variety with hairbrush cleaners.
While you can choose an effective single-purpose hair brush cleaner for each brush and comb, you might be better off choosing one with a multipurpose design.
Single-purpose hairbrush cleaners tend to have refined, focused designs that excel at cleaning only one or two types of brushes. Unfortunately, these designs can be limiting, especially if you have quite a diverse brush collection.
Multipurpose cleaners, on the other hand, have a variety of bristles, tines, scrapers, and tapered tips to dislodge hair and buildup from brushes and combs. They’re convenient if you want the most bang for your buck, but it’s not unusual for these cleaners to fall short with one or more of their cleaning features.
To narrow your choices, it’s helpful to know exactly what type of hairbrush cleaner you need, which you can do by examining the different types of cleaner ends to find out how they work their magic.
Bristle tips are typically made of nylon or other synthetic materials and may resemble tiny brushes themselves. They’re recommended for cleaning softer brushes, such as those with natural boar bristles. Tines are usually made of metal or hard plastic and resemble tiny rakes. They’re used to scrape hair and buildup from the base of the several types of brushes.
Hairbrush cleaners with tapered tips are dense enough to scrape away tough, stuck-on buildup from brushes. They can remove several layers of hair trapped around curved or round brushes. Comb cleaners have short, flexible bristles that are effective at sweeping away hair and buildup between deep cleanings.
If your hair routine is a top priority, purchase a quality hairbrush cleaner. For the most part, they’re priced between $6 and $20, making them budget-friendly. Single-purpose cleaners cost less than $10 and multipurpose designs come in closer to $12 and above.
A. For the most part, they’re designed to be effective without causing damage. Unfortunately, repeated scraping of your hairbrush may shorten its lifespan. If you’ve spent big bucks on salon-quality brushes and combs, you can minimize damage by using your hairbrush cleaner often enough to where you don’t have to engage in deep, intense scraping.
A. It’s not necessary. Hairbrush cleaners are designed to dislodge hair and buildup. However, it’s important to occasionally clean the hairbrush cleaner. Manufacturers include specific care instructions, which usually include immersing the hair brush cleaner in soapy lukewarm water.
What we like: Incredibly well-made to last through years of use. Designed to be effective without causing damage, with firm bristles that won’t scratch up brushes or combs. Tapered pick tip works to clean round brushes.
What we dislike: It can be somewhat challenging to remove hair from this cleaner, as bristles are densely packed.
Where to buy: Sold at Amazon.
Scalpmaster’s Brush/Comb Cleaner
What we like: Budget-friendly option to clean a variety of combs and brushes. Bristles are attached to a metal core, which adds to the design’s durability. Has a wide-toothed tip that lifts hair from paddle brushes.
What we dislike: While it’s versatile, it could do with better cleaning tips and a stronger plastic handle.
Where to buy: Sold at Amazon.
What we like: Ergonomic handle improves grip, making it easier to manipulate the cleaner. Design is tailored to Kent brushes, but it can be used on any hair brush. Equipped with high-quality nylon bristles.
What we dislike: With only one cleaning tip, some customers considered it pricey compared to similarly priced multipurpose cleaners.
Where to buy: Sold at Amazon.
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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
