Of all the things that need to be cleaned in your house, you probably don’t think your hairbrush is one of them. I mean, how dirty can it get? The answer is VERY. Considering all the oils, dirt, dandruff, hair, skin, and products that are in and on your hair, you can only imagine what gets transferred to your trusty old brush. Not stuff you want to keep combing through your hair again and again, we’ll tell you that much.

When those yucky things like dandruff and oil cling to a surface and hang out there for sometime, bacteria and yeast tend to grow in their stead. Not only can those organisms have negative health implications, but they do not smell or look very pleasant, either.

According to Allure, you should thoroughly clean your hairbrush once a month. In some cases, you should even give the brush a quick spray cleaning once a week. If you use dry shampoo frequently, use a boatload of product, or brush your hair many times a day, you should consider yourself in that second camp.

Luckily, your hairbrush is very easy to clean. You’d wash it almost as you would the hair it brushes!

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Materials

• Hairbrush
• Pen
• Scissors
• Toothbrush
• Warm water
• Shampoo
• Towel

Instructions

1. Start by running your pen up the center of your hairbrush. This will disrupt all the hair that’s stuck down in between the bristles and make it easier to see.
2. Using your scissors, cut the hair sticking up from the brush in half. This will make it easier to pull the hair off the brush, which you should do next.
3. In a bowl, mix your warm water and shampoo. Stir it with your toothbrush to get the water nice and sudsy.
4. Scrub the hair brush with the toothbrush very thoroughly.
5. Dry the hairbrush off.

Voila! Your hairbrush will be so shiny and new, you’ll be dying to run it through your locks.

When it comes to scrubbing the brush with your toothbrush, be patient. It should take you a few minutes of scrubbing the brush with warm, soapy water to really get it clean. So don’t give it one pass over and think you’re done!

Also, when it comes to your toothbrush, make sure you’ve purchased a new, cheap toothbrush just for the occasion. For somethings (like cleaning the kitchen counter and the stove top, for instance) it’s acceptable to share a cleaning toothbrush – but for other things, like your hairbrush, it’s really not okay. You don’t want the same toothbrush that scrubbed your toilet to get anywhere near something that touches your head every day.

Put your new toothbrush in a bag and label it “Hairbrush” with a marker, so that way you know that those bristles are for your brush bristles only.

What do you think of this cleaning technique? Do you clan your hairbrush regularly? If so, how do you clean your brush? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.