Weekly/monthly brush maintenance

Evening gentleman.

Curious as to what your weekly or monthly brush care regimen consists of? Whether you have a badger, boar, or horse hair brush (synthetics welcome as well but I'm not sure if the maintenance is the same), I'm interested in what you do to keep your shave brushes in top form?

Honestly, all I have ever done is rinse the soap out of the brush completely after each use, clean off the handle, and let the brush air dry. I have never done anything more than that and have never had a problem.

Honestly, all I have ever done is rinse the soap out of the brush completely after each use, clean off the handle, and let the brush air dry. I have never done anything more than that and have never had a problem.

The videos I've seen online talk about soaking the brush in hot water and dish soap, like dawn. Waiting about 10 minutes, then swishing and circles. Following a hot water thorough rinsing. After that you should use some hair conditioner and rub vigorously in the brush. Wait a few minutes and wash out with cold water. Strain out the water, and let it air dry. It was recommend to do it about once a month. So I may have to give it a try later.

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I do yearly maintenance of 50-50 water-vinegar and 5 minutes soak with shampoo rinse.

Honestly, all I have ever done is rinse the soap out of the brush completely after each use, clean off the handle, and let the brush air dry. I have never done anything more than that and have never had a problem.

The videos I've seen online talk about soaking the brush in hot water and dish soap, like dawn. Waiting about 10 minutes, then swishing and circles. Following a hot water thorough rinsing. After that you should use some hair conditioner and rub vigorously in the brush. Wait a few minutes and wash out with cold water. Strain out the water, and let it air dry. It was recommend to do it about once a month. So I may have to give it a try later.

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I don't know who recommended that procedure for monthly brush maintenance, but IMO that is what you do for a new brush to clean the animal scent out of it and help it break in a bit quicker. It's my procedure for new brushes. Once and done. After that, I do what Freddy does.

Honestly, all I have ever done is rinse the soap out of the brush completely after each use, clean off the handle, and let the brush air dry.  I have never done anything more than that and have never had a problem.

Agreed. Keep it simple.

When / if you start to feel your brush gunking up, then maybe should you do a dish-soap or a vinegar rinse

Honestly, all I have ever done is rinse the soap out of the brush completely after each use, clean off the handle, and let the brush air dry.  I have never done anything more than that and have never had a problem.

The videos I've seen online talk about soaking the brush in hot water and dish soap, like dawn. Waiting about 10 minutes, then swishing and circles. Following a hot water thorough rinsing. After that you should use some hair conditioner and rub vigorously in the brush. Wait a few minutes and wash out with cold water. Strain out the water, and let it air dry. It was recommend to do it about once a month. So I may have to give it a try later.

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Frankly, that seems excessive to me, especially the hot water. Depending on how hot the water is, I would be concerned about the water loosening the glue that holds the knot in the brush handle.

Honestly, all I have ever done is rinse the soap out of the brush completely after each use, clean off the handle, and let the brush air dry.  I have never done anything more than that and have never had a problem.

The videos I've seen online talk about soaking the brush in hot water and dish soap, like dawn. Waiting about 10 minutes, then swishing and circles. Following a hot water thorough rinsing. After that you should use some hair conditioner and rub vigorously in the brush. Wait a few minutes and wash out with cold water. Strain out the water, and let it air dry. It was recommend to do it about once a month. So I may have to give it a try later.

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Frankly, that seems excessive to me, especially the hot water. Depending on how hot the water is, I would be concerned about the water loosening the glue that holds the knot in the brush handle.

I'm with Freddy.  Rinse dry done.  The only caveat being that we have really hard well water so,once a year on Christmas Eve after I've had way too many whiskey and cokes and the kids are finally down anxiously dreaming of Santa, I'll wash all my brushes in warm water with dawn dish soap do some lathers on my hand and let them dry.  I've never had a brush go bad or start performing poorly and many are years old.

Im 100% with Freddy. Rinse it clean then dry it a bit on a towel and let air dry. I tried the long procedure once on all my brushes, but don't really think its necessary unless your brush is getting scummy or you forget to rinse it clean.

Synthetic ... no maintenance, just use, rinse and towel dry.

If a brush got to the point it couldn't be used because it was scummed up, worn out, or whatever, I'd get another. It's a shaving brush, not a marriage.