How To Clean and Sanitize a Safety Razor (Quick & Easy Steps!)

After a while, your safety razor may start getting grimy or clogged with hair without regular cleaning and it may not shave the way it did when you first got it! In this article, we will be covering how to quickly clean and sanitize your safety razor between shaves as well as how to periodically deep clean every month or two.

Cleaning your safety razor is a simple process that involves using soap, water, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a soft towel. The deep cleaning process involved using vinegar to dissolve minerals and scum. For sanitization, we will be using alcohol, barbicide, or similar disinfectants.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know to get your beloved safety razor back into perfect shape and shaving as it used to when you first got it. Now, let’s get into the process of how to clean and sanitize your safety razor.

How often should you clean your safety razor?

There are three different processes of safety razor maintenance that you should do: regular/ routine, weekly/monthly, and deep cleaning routine maintenance.

My recommendation for cleaning your razor is to thoroughly rinse after every shave, quickly clean when changing the blade after every few shaves, and a deep clean every month or two where you will completely break down, soak, brush, and dry the razor.

So, it is important to clean your razor regularly and to rinse it thoroughly after every shave. When you need to change the blade again, usually after about five shaves, you can really get some more of the grime and clogged up the muck in the blade guard out.

After a month or two of using the razor, you should deep clean and sanitize it to keep it in good condition, so you do not have to go through the process of cleaning off rust or possibly having to buy a whole new razor.

How to clean your safety razor (in between shaves)

In this section, we will cover how to rinse after shaving and the quick clean after changing the blades of the razor.

Regular cleaning is done after you’ve finished shaving and using the razor.

Step 1

Rinse the razor thoroughly using warm water. Be sure to rinse out any clogged hair or gunk. You may want to use a small towel to get off any surface residue.

Step 2

Lightly dab the safety razor on a clean, dry towel. This will help to keep off lather residue and any mineral build-up from water.

Step 3

Store the safety razor in a place that is not overly humid (like the shower) as this will cause it to rust quickly and lose its sharpness. Store the safety razor in a dry place, preferably outside the bathroom in a place that still gets a little airflow.

So, now you know how to clean the razor after you finished shaving and using the razor. Let’s get into the process of how to clean the razor more thoroughly in-between shaves.

What should you use to clean your safety razor in between shaves?

For this process, you should inspect your razor for any white, powdery-looking coating or any build-up on the razor’s surface as you will want to get rid of this. You don’t need much to clean your razor well and it should not take much effort.

Here is what you need to clean the razor:

• Soap (Castile or dish soap works well)
• Water
• Soft-bristled toothbrush
• Cotton swab and toothpick (optional)
• Small clean towel or rag (Do NOT use paper towels)

Now, let’s get into the steps for how to clean your safety razor:

Step 1

Disassemble your safety razor completely as you will need to clean the individual parts.

Fill your sink or bowl with warm, soapy water.

Step 2

Dip your towel into the water and thoroughly clean each part. For the hard-to-reach areas, use the toothbrush to scrub away any gunk. A cotton swab or toothpick may also be good options for tiny areas. Remember to do this part as gently as possible.

Step 3

Once all the gunk on your razor has been loosened up, give it a good rinse with clean, warm water, and lightly dab it dry on a clean towel. Do not use any abrasive cleaners or towels as it could scratch the shiny finish of the safety razor.

How to deep clean your safety razor (once a month)

The process of deep cleaning the razor only needs to be done every month or two, but it is important to do so to keep your razor in great shape. A safety razor that is well taken care of will take care of you!

For deep cleaning safety razors, we will be using vinegar that will help to dissolve minerals and gunk that are set deeply into the razor and scrub that out of any small areas.

Before jumping into the steps on how to deep clean your safety razor, figure out what type of metal your razor is made from. Vinegar at high concentration can corrode stainless steel which is a common metal used for safety razors. Make sure that the vinegar is highly diluted. You can also try testing a small part of the razor first with diluted vinegar.

What should you use to deep clean your safety razor?

For this process, we will be scrubbing out any gunk stuck deeply into the razor, so inspect it for any especially dirty parts so you know where to clean the most.

Here is what you need to clean the razor:

• Vinegar
• Water
• Bowl for soaking the safety razor
• Soft-bristled toothbrush
• Small clean towel or rag (Do NOT use paper towels)
• Cotton swab and toothpick (optional)
• Baking soda (optional)

Now, let’s get into the steps for how to deep clean your safety razor:

Step 1

Mix one-part vinegar with four parts water in your bowl or sink. Disassemble your razor and place it inside the bowl. Soak the parts for at least ten minutes.

Step 2

After the safety razor parts have soaked thoroughly, use your towel or rag to clean the razor. You can use the toothbrush to scrub out any pesky gunk. You can also use a cotton swab or toothpick on the hard-to-reach areas.

If the vinegar itself is not enough to clean the razor, then try adding some baking soda to form a paste. Dip the toothbrush into the paste and scrub away.

Step 3

After you’ve finished cleaning the safety razor, rinse the parts with warm water and allow to dry completely before putting it back together.

For two or three-piece safety razors, scrub off any gunk between the threads on the razor’s top cap with a toothbrush and soapy water, then lubricate the threads with Vaseline, oil, or grease. You can also wrap a single piece of Teflon tape around the threads.

I like to store old toothbrushes after replacing them which then get rotated into razor cleaning duty!

How to sanitize your safety razor

Sanitizing your safety razor is an important process to do in order to keep your razor in great shape. We have an article that goes more into detail on soaking your razor in alcohol.

It is especially important to do for people with acne-prone skin as breakouts may be more likely to happen. If you have acne-prone skin I would recommend doing the sanitization process after every shave

Sanitizing your safety razor is as simple as soaking it in alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or barbicide. Dip the razor blade into rubbing alcohol, or for a more thorough disinfection, disassemble the razor and soak all the parts in alcohol.

Don’t worry, Barbicide isn’t just for barbers – it’s available on Amazon right here!

Soaking the razor in alcohol or barbicide will help to sterilize and clean the blade of any oils or grime. For people who have acne-prone skin, I recommend at least dipping the top of the razor into alcohol after every shave, and then allowing it to dry thoroughly before storing it in a humidity-free area.

If you do not have any alcohol or something similar, you can turn the hot water all the way up and rinse the safety razor under the stream. This will kill a lot of bacteria and remove pesky hairs or skin cells that may be trapped in the blade or blade guard.