Photo: Jupiter Images

I’ve been thinking a lot about brushes since Ron’s post this morning about his shiny, new Mason Pearson and, specifically, keeping them clean. I mean, think about it, when was the last time you cleaned your hairbrush? Never? Me, too. I asked my friend Charles, the hairstylist on a side project I’m working on, how often he cleaned his brushes and he reported, daily! Now, Charles is a pro and I’m (obviously) not, but he did tell me it was a good idea to routinely remove the snarled strands of hair trapped in the bristles (they can interfere with styling) and to give the brush a proper cleaning once a month to get rid of styling product buildup (which, besides rendering bristles stiff, can transfer back to your clean hair making it appear less than fresh). He recommends dipping the bristles of your brush in a shallow bowl of shampoo and water then using a second brush to gently scrub them clean. For really stubborn buildup, dip the bristles in a 1:1 mix of water and apple cider vinegar for a few minutes before moving on to the shampoo and water step. Whatever you do, avoid getting the cushion of the brush (if there is one) wet. It can lead to mold and, ultimately, an end to your brush.