Caring For Your Razor

Since the invention and subsequent rise of plastics most everything in our world has been designed to be disposable and as such we as a society have forgotten how to take care of products that are designed and built to last years or even decades. Such is the case with double edged razors. People need to realize that razors are instruments like a surgeons scalpel and they need to be cared for as such. One of the most common questions I have come across on the online forums is "how do I take care of my razor?" Everyone seems to have a different answer but here are my guidelines for caring for your razor to make it last.

The biggest enemy of the DE safety razor is rust. Whether it is on the blade or the handle, rust is a deal breaker! The best way to prevent rust is to not leave your razor stand in water as water will aid in the oxidation process that produces rust. Adding to the problem is that most tap water is: slightly acidic because of the chemicals added to it, hard which causes a build up of elements like calcium on your razor (and contributes to "soap scum") and slightly salty as salt is added to combat the water hardness but can also lead to corrosion of your razor. The best tip I can offer to add to the longevity of your razor is to put it in rubbing alcohol  after using it and before storing it. There are several reasons to do this.

1) it kills any bacteria growing on it. This is important because most guys will nick themselves at least once a week. Bacteria are very prominent in bathrooms due to the fact that everytime you flush your toilet a small amount of air from the pipes is released into your bathroom. This air contains massive amounts of E. coli and other harmful germs. 

2) it is an excellent solvent. You might read this and think that it is a bad thing because it will damage your razor, but no alcohol does not react with metal. It will however dissolve the soap scum residue on your razor as well as any trace elements left behind from the water. 

3) it is more volatile than water. All this means is that it will evaporate mare quickly than the water would if left wet. 

I would suggest first rinsing your razor and giving it a few solid shakes to remove most i the water. Then rinse your shaving mug/bowl out and put enough rubbing alcohol in it to cover the head of your razor. Then continue with the rest of your clean up as you normally would then remove your razor, shake again, then hang upside down. You will find your razor to be much cleaner if you do this. You can use any concentration of rubbing alcohol, but the higher the concentration the more quickly it will dry. 

Hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any additional cleaning tips or tricks please leave them in the comments section. 

Note: do not wipe down your razor after using this trick as the bacteria are killed by the water being drawn out of them (known as desiccation) as the alcohol evaporates.