How To Clean Your Hair Brush Properly

You wash your hair daily (or every other day, whatever), but have you stopped to consider your hair brushes? Maintaining your hair brushes is actually a key component in keeping your hair healthy and shiny, and I'm pumped to break down exactly how to clean your hair brush and why you should do it, stat. Whip out your makeup brushes, too, and clean everything at once. Woo!

I'll be the first to admit that I am a low maintenance kind of beauty gal. If a look is going to require more than twenty minutes to successfully pull off (I'm looking at you, clown contouring), chances are high I will never, ever try it. But when I noticed my hair was consistently feeling greasy no matter what shampoo I used, I realized an unsuspecting part of my haircare routine needed a makeover.

Thanks to Google, I quickly discovered the cause of my greasy hair woes: the fact I had never cleaned my hair brush (I know, ew). It honestly just hadn't crossed my mind, but beauty expert Michelle Phan explained, "Most people brush their hair at least once a day, and that hairbrush comes in contact with greasy hair follicles, dust particles and as much product buildup as you have in your hair. Just think about brushing your freshly washed hair with a hairbrush that has been collecting dirt and grime for weeks!" Yuck.

Luckily for me (and all you lazy girls out there), cleaning a brush is a breeze. All you need is clarifying shampoo, a clean sink, and a towel. Here's how to clean your hair brush properly.

1. Pull Hair From Brush

Before cleaning, get out all of the hair you can from the brush. You can even use scissors if necessary to cut through tangles!

2. Add Shampoo To Sink Full Of Water

Tea Tree Purifying Shampoo, $27, Aromatica

In a sink full of warm water, add a few drops of clarifying shampoo and swirl until water is barely bubbly.

3. Soak Or Dip Brush

If your brush has a fabric cushion head, dip in the water a few times to clean. If it's metal all the way through, you can soak it for several minutes.

4. Dry On A Towel

Once dipped or soaked, take your brush bristle-side down and lay it on the towel to drip-dry. You can leave it to dry like that overnight, or speed up the process with a blow dryer if necessary. That's it!

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Images: Krista, 4cHairChicks, Andy Rogers, mason bryant/Flickr; Courtesy of Brands