How to Dry a Safety Razor

Cleaning Your Safety Razor

Towel off your razor after every use. Get in the habit of carefully drying both the handle of the razor and the blade after every use. Tap it against the side of the sink to get excess water out of the inside, then rub it down with a clean towel. If you normally dry your hair with a hairdryer, you can use that on your razor as well.

Dip your razor in rubbing alcohol to sterilize and dry it out. After you've used or cleaned your razor, dip the whole head of the razor in a container of rubbing alcohol. Swish it around for a few seconds to make sure the alcohol gets everywhere inside, then pull it out and shake it off. Water droplets can hang out in the nooks and crannies of your razor blade and lead to rust if you're not careful. Rubbing alcohol displaces the water to completely dry out your razor. Barbers sterilize razor blades to avoid cross-contamination because the blades are used on many different people. If you bought your razor brand-new and you're the only one using it, sterilizing it isn't necessary. However, you'll still get the benefit of drying out the nooks and crannies.

Take your razor apart for a good cleaning once a week. At least once a week, or whenever you change your blade, wipe each of the parts down with a cloth or rag dipped in rubbing alcohol. You can use an old toothbrush to get in little nooks and crannies if necessary. Alcohol does a good job of drying your razor out. However, you still want to make sure all of the pieces are completely dry before you put your razor back together. Towel it off well when you're done cleaning it.

Do a deep cleaning once every 3 or 4 months. Every quarter, take your razor apart and lay the pieces on a towel on your counter. Squirt a few drops of dish detergent in a bowl of warm water. Dip an old toothbrush in the soapy water and scrub each of the pieces of your razor. Pay close attention to the tight spots that you can't normally get to. Keep scrubbing until you've gotten rid of all the grime and build-up. Once you're done, rinse your razor thoroughly with water and carefully dry each piece with a towel or a dry cloth. Only reassemble your razor after all of the parts are completely dry.

Storing Your Safety Razor

Pack your razor in a sturdy container. If you're keeping your razor in a drawer or medicine cabinet, pick a sturdy container made of thick plastic, metal, or wood. This not only protects your razor from humidity but also keeps you from getting cut when you reach for it. You can buy a container meant specifically for safety razors, but it's just as easy to find an empty container laying around that your razor happens to fit in. Make sure you keep the blades in a container as well. Although the blades are cheap and easy to replace, you also want to protect them from moisture (and protect your fingers from cuts).

Keep your razor in a dry place. While you likely use your razor in the bathroom, the bathroom is also one of the most humid rooms in your home. A medicine cabinet or drawer will keep your razor drier than leaving it laying on the counter. Even if you shave in the shower, you definitely don't want to keep your razor there. Every time you shower, the water and steam will dampen your razor, making it more susceptible to rust.

Buy a stand to mount your razor. If you like keeping your razor out in the open, invest in a stand designed for safety razors. For ultimate dryness, place your stand on a dresser or shelf in the bedroom, rather than in your bathroom. When you're done shaving, rinse out your razor and return it to the stand. Because it's upright, water can flow out of it and evaporate more easily. If you keep it in the bathroom, make sure your stand is sitting at least 1 foot (0.30 m) away from the sink. Even though it might not be getting any water on it, you want enough of a distance that it won't be affected by the humidity from steam or running water, which can also cause rust.

Getting Rid of Rust

Boil your razor to remove rust and grime. Boiling your razor is a quick and effective way to get rid of rust, especially if you have spots of rust hiding in nooks and crannies that aren't easy for you to get to. Boil a pot of water, then place your razor in a colander in the boiling water. Leave it boiling for about 10 minutes, then remove the water (and the razor) from the heat and let the water cool. The colander keeps the razor away from the hot pot, which can damage the metal of your razor. Avoid pouring cool water into the boiling water to cool it down faster, or taking your razor out immediately and running it under cool water. Rapid changes in temperature can damage the metal.

Try liquid Castile soap to scrub light rust off your razor. Take your razor apart, then dip the parts in a bowl of warm water. Squirt some Castile soap directly on your toothbrush. Scrub each of the parts with rust on them carefully until all the rust is gone. Rinse your razor off, towel it dry, and reassemble it. If you don't have Castile soap, you can buy some online or at most stores that sell personal care products.

Soak your razor in a mixture of white vinegar and water. For more advanced rust, make a mixture of half warm water and half white vinegar in a bowl. Take your razor apart and drop the pieces into the mixture. Let the pieces soak for an hour or two, then take them out and wipe them off. Most of the rust will wipe away. Rinse the pieces in warm water and dry them completely before putting your razor back together. If you notice any more stubborn rust spots, scrub them with an old toothbrush.