We use them every day, relying on them to de-frizz, detangle and generally tame hair, but how much attention do we pay to our hairbrushes?

Recommended Video Whether yours is round, paddle, bristle or boar hair, the reality is that as well as smoothing hair, brushes can also end up collecting spare strands, dead skin, product build-up and oil, leaving them less effective.

Ultimately, this can end up with us distributing dirt or oil back through our hair, resulting in lank locks or hair that lacks shine. Worse still, bristles can become a breeding ground for bacteria or yeast, leading to potential scalp issues.

Luckily, though, keeping brushes clean is one of the quickest ways to maintain hair health. But, what is the best way, and how often should you do it?

Advertisement Read on to learn some tips and steps on how to clean a hairbrush.

The Cleaning Steps

While the exact technique varies slightly with each brush type (see farther down this post for more details.), the steps and tools for cleaning your hairbrush are the same:

1. Remove all the hair

First, manually remove any hair lodged in your brush by pulling out what you can by hand, before using the end of a comb (or something similar like a bamboo skewer or tweezers) to remove any remaining strands. If hair build-up is particularly bad, use a pair of scissors to cut away the excess.

2. Pick your cleanser

Just as it works to clean your hair, a gentle shampoo will also thoroughly cleanse brushes. Avoid any harsh detergents, especially if cleaning a natural-bristle brush, which might damage your hair tools, but do pick a shampoo containing sulphates to thoroughly clean them.

Alternatively, a couple of teaspoons of baking soda will also gently cleanse while lifting away dirt and debris.

3. Use warm water

Using warm, not hot, water, fill a medium-sized bowl and add your chosen detergent.