What are the common misunderstandings about looking after a hairbrush?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
The hairbrush is the tool we use every day and almost never wash. "How often should I wash it?" and "how do I wash each material?" are standing questions in overseas communities too. In Japan there is a long tradition of caring for boar-bristle brushes, and this article draws on it.
Care by material
| Material | Removing loose hair | Washing | Drying | Points to note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic (cushion brush, vented "skeleton" brush) | Every time | Once a week, in water with a little neutral detergent or shampoo | Bristles facing down | Water that gets into the holes of the cushion dries slowly |
| Natural bristle (boar) | Every time, with a brush cleaner or comb | About once a month: dip only the bristle tips in diluted shampoo and shake. Do not wet the base | Bristles down, air-dry completely out of direct sun | Water and heat make bristles fall out and crack the wooden base |
| Wooden pins (paddle brush) | Every time | Wipe with a well-wrung cloth. Avoid washing in water | — | Wood swells and cracks |
| Round brush (metal barrel) | Every time | With neutral detergent | Dry completely | Metal rusts |
| Comb | Every time | Once a week with detergent | — | — |
- The dirt on a brush is mainly sebum, styling products, dead skin and dust, and left damp it becomes a cause of mould. Dry the brush after combing wet hair.
- Natural-bristle brushes are generally described as producing less static and spreading sebum evenly along the hair. In Japan they are a traditional tool alongside the boxwood comb (つげ櫛, tsuge-gushi — a wooden comb cared for with camellia oil).
- A brush is for one person only. Scalp conditions (head lice, ringworm) can spread through sharing. Head lice occur among children in Japan every year, and guidance from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and others is to avoid sharing brushes, hats and towels.
[Verify] The care methods are general methods based on brush makers' guidance. Check the head-lice advice against the materials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health.
Misunderstanding 1｜Remove the loose hair and it is clean
Sebum and styling products build up at the base of the bristles as a white, powdery deposit. Regular washing is needed.
Misunderstanding 2｜Soak a natural-bristle brush whole in water
The wooden base cracks and the bristles fall out. Dip only the bristle tips in the washing liquid and keep the base dry. Use a comb-shaped brush cleaner for everyday dirt.
Misunderstanding 3｜A hairdryer is the quick way to dry it
Heat frizzes natural bristles and warps plastic. Air-dry with the bristles facing down.
Misunderstanding 4｜One brush is fine for the whole family
It passes on sebum, dandruff, head lice and ringworm (a relative of the athlete's-foot fungus). One brush per person — the same goes for hats and towels.
Misunderstanding 5｜A brush lasts until it breaks
A brush whose rounded pin tips have come off scratches the scalp. Replace it when the bristles splay, the tips come off or the base cracks. 1–2 years for plastic, and up to 10 years for natural bristle depending on care, are the figures usually quoted.
---
Sources
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health, "Preventing head lice" [アタマジラミの予防]
https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kankyo/eisei/yokuaru_shitsumon/gaichu/
- Japanese Dermatological Association, "Dermatology Q&A: Hair disorders" [皮膚科Q&A 髪の毛の病気]
https://www.dermatol.or.jp/qa/qa17/index.html
- Consumer Affairs Agency, "Household Goods Quality Labelling Act" [家庭用品品質表示法]
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Cosmetics are not medicines and are not meant to diagnose, heal or prevent any condition. If your skin reacts, stop using the product and see a dermatologist.
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