Replacing your hot comb regularly is not easy. Neither is it cheap, especially with the financial constraints hitting everyone in this post-corona period. You might want to save a few bucks by taking good care of your hot comb. But, there is no need to buy a new pressing comb when you can easily wash your current comb clean.
Typically, it would be best if you cleaned your hot comb once or twice a month. However, it depends on the strength of the petroleum jelly products you apply to your hair. In addition, using certain petroleum-based products may require that you clean your hot comb frequently.
Develop the habit of removing physical dirt immediately when you use the comb. That will help reduce the hassle that comes with washing the hot comb. Below are quick steps to follow when cleaning your hot comb.
Why You Should Clean Hot Comb
Cleaning your hot comb is key, and here’s why:
Gunk-B-Gone: Yup, that’s right. Over time, styling products and oils can build up on your pressing comb, turning it into a gunky mess. Clean it regularly to keep it fresh and efficient.
No Burn: A dirty hot comb can actually burn your hair. Ouch! Keep it clean to avoid unnecessary damage and maintain your mane’s fabulousness.
Smooth Operator: A clean hot comb means smoother, silkier hair. So if you want to glide effortlessly through your locks, make sure it’s squeaky clean.
Bacteria, Bye-Bye: If you don’t clean your hot comb, bacteria can join the party. And trust me, that’s a party you don’t want to attend. Keep it clean to keep those pesky germs away.
Comb Longevity: Show your hot comb some love, and it’ll love you back. Regular cleaning helps extend its life, so you can keep styling those gorgeous locks for years to come.
How To Clean A Hot Comb (Pressing Comb)
Remove the Hair Build Up Using Your Hands or a Pen
Removing the hair buildup using your hand or a pen is one of the simplest ways to clean your hot comb. That involves getting rid of the physical dirt- mainly hair- that accumulates on your hot comb. This process will reduce the cost of buying new combs or lower the workload while washing your comb.
Steps of removing hair stuck on the hot comb:
- Use a pen to lift any remaining hair from the hot comb bristles.
- Next, use another comb to get in your hot hair bristles’ space.
- If the hair is stuck or rigid to get rid of, cut the hair with a pair of scissors.
If you cannot reach the other dirt on your hot comb, use hot water and soap to clean the comb, as shown below.
Some of the ingredients used to clean your hot comb are:
- 1-2 tablespoonfuls of soap.
- 1-2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar.
Use Hot Water and Soap
- Put enough hot water in a sink or basin, but ensure it is not boiling. Next, soak your hot comb into a solution formed from water and soap or shampoo. The shampoo used will make sure that it cuts through any hair residue present on your hot hair combs. Leave the comb in the solution for 15-30 minutes to ensure your pressing comb is entirely wet. It will also ensure that any hair dirt product stuck on the hot comb is loosen.
- Next, use a toothbrush to scrub your hot comb to eliminate any remaining dirt. If the hot comb requires extra cleaning, continue scrubbing the bristles using a toothbrush. By doing this, you remove hair and any dirt quickly, making sure you have a clean hot comb after cleaning.
- Use warm, clean water to rinse the comb so that you eliminate any remaining shampoo or soap. Continuously rinse the hot comb to remove the shampoo; it will eliminate the remaining hair dirt. Always ensure that you rinse in a good way and use clean, warm water so that no soap or shampoo is remaining.
- Use a dry towel to dry clean your hot comb. After rinsing your hot comb, use a clean and dry towel to make your comb dry. Doing this will ensure that you remove any remaining water to keep your hot comb cool. If you own a natural hot comb, you can leave the comb on the towel for overnight drying.
- Run out the water from the sink and get rid of any hair dirt products. Draining water from the sink that is remaining after cleaning your hot comb is necessary. First, use a piece of cloth to clean the sink to remove any stubborn hair dirt from your hot comb.
After finishing you should discard the remaining hair dirt products. Ensure that you do not let any big hair remain to go through your sink because the hair clumps can block your sink.
However, if your comb has accumulated a lot of dirt, you will need materials such as a mini wire brush and a solution of vinegar to make a cleaning agent. Insert your hot comb or pressing comb in the solution and ensure complete immersion.
If you own an electric hot comb, do not insert the whole comb into the solution. Otherwise, your hot comb may get damaged permanently. Finally, use a brush to scrub through the entire teeth.
How to Clean a Hot Comb Using Vinegar
The benefits of using vinegar to clean your hot comb are that the solution kills bacteria or viruses, in addition to loosening the hairs stuck on your comb.
- Add a small amount of vinegar to your warm water. The required amount of vinegar is about half a cup, then mix thoroughly to ensure complete mixing.
- Insert your hot comb into the vinegar solution for about thirty minutes. Vinegar removes any hair dirt because it acts as a disinfectant.
- Use warm, clean water to rinse your hot comb repeatedly. It will ensure the elimination of the mixture completely.
- Use a clean, dry towel to dry your hot comb. You will finally notice that your comb is as clean as possible after using the above treatment. Therefore, providing a hot comb that is healthy and hygienic.
Don’ts
- If you have an electric comb, don’t submerge the entire comb into the mixture as it can permanently damage your tool. Then using the brush to go through the comb’s teeth.
- Don’t use a relaxer to clean your comb because at high heat a relaxer can degrade which causes more harm than good.
But relaxers can work on hot combs if you don’t heat them up
How Often Should You Clean Your Hot Comb?
Clean your hot comb once or twice a month. However, those who have long hair should clean hot combs more regularly. Since hair dirt products extracted from the hair are greasy and may get back to the hair during the subsequent use of the hot comb, this is evident for those who use hair products like petroleum-based jelly.
Using a clean hot comb to make your hair clean should be among your to-do tasks because nobody wants scalp and hair residue to go back to their hair. Therefore, it is healthy to use a clean hot comb whenever you want to clean your hair. In addition, you should clean your hair once or twice a week to ensure you maintain stylish hair.
Tips for Maintaining a Clean Hot Comb
Maintaining a clean hot comb is essential for fabulous hair and a long-lasting styling tool. Keep your hot comb in tip-top shape with these easy-peasy tips:
Cool it down: Before you start cleaning, always unplug your hot comb and let it cool down. Safety first, darling!
Wipe it up: Grab a soft, damp cloth (microfiber works great) and gently wipe down the comb’s teeth and spine. This’ll remove any visible residue or gunk.
Mild is wild: For a deeper clean, mix a few drops of mild dish soap with warm water. Dip your cloth in the soapy solution, wring it out, and wipe down the comb. Remember to keep the hot comb’s electrical parts dry!
No more soap opera: Rinse your cloth with clean water and give the comb another gentle wipe-down to remove any lingering soap residue. Dry it thoroughly with a clean towel or let it air dry.
Bye-bye buildup: If you’re dealing with stubborn buildup, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub the comb’s teeth. Be gentle, though! We don’t want to damage the comb.
Regular checkups: Don’t wait for gunk to pile up! Clean your hot comb regularly, ideally after every few uses, to keep it fresh and ready for action.
Storage smarts: When you’re not using your hot comb, store it in a cool, dry place away from moisture and dust. This’ll help maintain its cleanliness and protect it from damage.
Follow these simple tips, and your hot comb will stay clean, efficient, and ready to style your gorgeous locks to perfection.
How Frequently Should You Brush Your Hair?
You do not need to brush your hair several times a day. Therefore, you should not panic because of the gunk on your hot comb. You are required to brush your hair only twice a day, once in the morning and the evening. Do not brush your hair many times in a day because it might damage your hair.
Now that you know how to clean your hot comb, you have a responsibility to ensure it is always clean. Cleaning the hot comb is not as tough as you thought. Obviously, you will gain more experience with time, and it will reach a point where cleaning the comb will be a breeze. In essence, you should clean your hot comb as often as you clean your hair.
