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How to Clean Your Beard Trimmer

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Emily Fazio | Last updated Aug 9, 2024 7:00 AM ET

Do you often forget to clean the head or blades on your beard trimmer? Well, you're not alone, but we think you can do better. People forget that with frequent and repeated use, an uncleaned beard trimmer can become a bacterial hotspot. Not only can it affect your health, but buildup will force you to replace the tool sooner as its performance deteriorates.

A quick rinse under some hot water might remove obvious debris, but the areas we're looking at are deep into the crevices, where bacteria growth, dead skin, and other nasties can start to fester. Would you really want that on your face?

For best practices on deep cleaning a beard trimmer, we tapped Courtney Walsh, an expert cleaner at Homeaglow, a home cleaning platform.

Why You Should Clean Your Beard Trimmer

There are two primary reasons that people should be cleaning their beard trimmers: hygiene and performance.

Practice good hygiene. "As people use their beard trimmer old hairs, skin cells, and the leftovers of beard products or even food, can get caught in the cracks and crevices in and around the blades," shares Walsh. "This debris, if not cleaned properly, can lead to unwanted breakouts, skin irritations, and potentially beard-druff."
Extend the life and performance of your tool. "The same debris and detritus that builds up to create hygiene problems can also impact the longevity and seamless use of your beard trimmer," shares Walsh, as she dives into the biology that supports the need for deep cleaning. Have you felt like you needed to replace your trimmer more often than others? This might be why. "Better cleaning can help you avoid nasty tugs or nicks during use, too," she adds.

Cleaning Frequency

How often you need to clean your beard trimmer mostly comes down to how often you use it and the makeup of your facial hair. "While some should look to clean their trimmer after each use, others are likely to be able to get away with only cleaning it after every second or third usage," shares Walsh. "For most men with beards, a quick trim is often a weekly occurrence, so cleaning your electric trimmers once or twice a month should be sufficient. Deeper cleans? A good rule of thumb is to use mineral oil or trimmer oil every few to six months." Regular oiling is important for proper maintenance.

Tips for Cleaning an Electric Beard Trimmer

Even the most basic trimmer cleaning requires that you detach your trimmer from any power outlets and position yourself in the bathroom over the sink. You'll thank us

For regular cleaning:

Detach from power outlets: To prevent a nasty accident unplug your trimmer and ensure the device is off before starting. If your device uses batteries, take them out and leave them in a dry and safe area.
Brush the visible debris away: Using the cleaning brush that came with your device, brush off the worst of the debris from the head and razor blades of your trimmer. "Always do a “dry-brush” of the trimmer blades, head unit, and body, before looking to use water and/or other liquids," shares Walsh. "Trying to remove damp, clumps of wet hairs with a brush is a lot harder than when they're dry and more loose."
Remove the head of your trimmer: Follow the instructions for your trimmer to remove the head from the body of the device - some have buttons while others pull away - and expose the inside of the blades.
Gently brush the head of the electric shaver and its internal workings: Use the bristle brush and lightly tap away any bits of hair or build-up inside the head unit, avoiding damaging the internal workings.
Rinse the head: If your device is 100% waterproof (wet shaver or not), rinse the head to remove the excess hair and debris from the electric razor. Non-waterproof razors? Skip this step. "Never use piping hot water on any part of the device and this can damage the device or impact the manufacturer lubricants used on some of the parts," adds Walsh.
Leave it to air and dry: After you've washed your hair clipper, pat the areas dry with a soft cloth, then leave to air dry until all the moisture has been removed.
Re-assemble: Follow the instructions on your device to put your trimmer back together. Make sure it's fully assembled before replacing the batteries or charging it.

For deeper cleaning:

Detach the device power outlets: Unplug your trimmer and ensure the device is off before starting. If your device uses batteries, take them out and leave them in a dry and safe area.
Shake and brush: Gently shake and brush your device to remove any loose hair and debris from the blades and top of the head unit.
Remove the head of your trimmer: Follow the instructions for your trimmer to remove the head from the trimmer body — some have buttons while others pull away — and expose the inside of the dirty blades.
Gently scrub the trimmer teeth: Using an old toothbrush or spare beard trimmer brush with some soap and warm water, gently brush between the teeth of your trimmer to help clean and remove any debris.
Soak the teeth: If it’s been a while between cleans you can submerge the blade in a mixture of warm water and anti-bacterial liquid for 10-15 minutes to help kill of any remaining or lurking bacteria. You can also use vinegar, lime or a saline solution in place of an anti-bacterial liquid.
Brush the inside unit: Use a dry brush to remove any hair that is inside the hair capture point of the device’s body. Be sure not to scruff or scratch the internal workings such as the spindle. It’s often best to use your dedicated trimmer brush for this task.
Rinse: Rinse the parts of the head and body that are waterproof and won’t rust to remove any remaining debris or cleaning solution.
Pat and air dry: Be sure to fully dry your trimmer before putting it back together by patting it dry with a clean dry cloth and to air in a clean environment.
Re-assemble: Follow the instructions on your device to put your trimmer back together. It’s also a good idea to follow this by giving your device a quick check before charging it. "Keep your trimmer properly charged and give it at least one full charge per month to improve battery health and performance," adds Walsh.

Using Clipper Oil to Enhance Performance

In addition to deep cleaning your beard trimmer, you can also look to use a clipper oil to improve performance. Some people look to olive oil, vegetable oil, or argan oil, but we favor mineral oil. It's especially useful after cleaning your trimmer as the blades may be drier than usual.

To do this, follow the instructions (or those on your device):

Turn on: Turn on your trimmer and face the blades downwards.
Apply mineral/lubricant oil: While your trimmer is running apply three drops of oil across the front of the blade and one drop on each side of the blade heel.
Wait: Leave the device to run for about five to ten seconds then switch the trimmer off and wipe away any excess with a clean dry cloth.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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