Look at your comb. Like, really look at it. If you see a gray, linty film hugging the base of the teeth, you’re basically brushing old skin cells and rancid scalp oils back into your hair every single morning. It’s gross. We all do it, though. We focus so much on buying the right sulfate-free shampoo or the most expensive silk scrunchies, yet we ignore the primary tool that touches our scalp daily. Understanding how do you clean a comb isn't just about hygiene; it’s about making sure your hair actually stays clean after you wash it.
Most people think a quick rinse under the faucet does the trick. It doesn't. That gunk is a stubborn mixture of sebum, hairspray residue, dust mites, and shed protein. If you’ve ever noticed your hair looking greasy just hours after a blowout, your filthy comb might be the culprit. You’re essentially "re-infecting" your clean strands with last week’s debris.
The Science of the "Gray Gunk"
That stuff between the teeth? It has a name. Dermatologists often refer to it as a buildup of desquamated epithelial cells and cerumen-like lipid deposits. Basically, it's a bio-film. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, we lose between 50 to 100 hairs a day, but we also shed thousands of skin cells. When these mix with the sticky polymers found in modern styling products—think dry shampoo or pomade—they create a cement-like substance that water alone won't touch.
I’ve seen people try to scrape it out with a toothpick. That’s a bad idea. You’ll likely scratch the plastic or wood, creating microscopic grooves where even more bacteria can hide. You need a chemical breakdown, not just mechanical force.
Why Your Material Matters
How you approach this depends entirely on what you’re holding. A cheap plastic comb from the drugstore can handle almost anything. Throw it in a bowl of boiling water? It might warp, but it won't die. However, if you’re using a high-end Kent hand-sawed cellulose acetate comb or a wide-tooth sandalwood piece, you have to be careful. Wood swells. Acetate can lose its finish.
How Do You Clean a Comb Made of Plastic or Carbon Fiber?
For these workhorses, you can be aggressive.
💡 You might also like: Why the Blue Jordan 13 Retro Still Dominates the Streets
First, get the hair out. Use a tail comb or even a clean toothbrush to lift the matted strands. Don't pull too hard or you might snap a tooth. Once the hair is gone, you need a degreasing agent. Dish soap—specifically something like Dawn—is actually better than shampoo here because it’s designed to strip heavy lipids.
- Fill your sink with warm water. Not boiling, just comfortably hot.
- Add a tablespoon of clarifying shampoo or dish soap.
- Drop the combs in. Let them soak for at least 20 minutes. This is the part people skip. You need time for the surfactants to loosen the "glue" holding the skin cells to the plastic.
- Scrub. Use an old toothbrush. Scrub vertically between every single tooth.
If you see white spots, that’s likely calcium buildup from hard water. A quick dip in a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water will dissolve those minerals instantly.
The Vinegar Myth
A lot of "clean-tok" influencers swear by soaking everything in pure vinegar. Honestly? It's overkill for plastic and can be drying for certain resins. Vinegar is an acetic acid; it’s great for killing some bacteria and removing mineral scale, but it isn't a degreaser. Use soap for the oils and vinegar for the "crunchy" buildup.
Dealing with Specialized Materials
Wood and horn combs are different beasts. If you soak a wooden comb in a bowl of soapy water, it will absorb that moisture, the grain will raise, and it might eventually crack or mold. It's a mess.
For wood, use a damp cloth with a tiny drop of tea tree oil. Tea tree is a natural antifungal and antibacterial agent. Wipe down each tooth individually. If the buildup is heavy, use a dry soft-bristled brush to knock the debris loose first. Once it's clean, rub a tiny amount of jojoba or coconut oil into the wood to seal it. This prevents the wood from becoming brittle.
📖 Related: Sleeping With Your Neighbor: Why It Is More Complicated Than You Think
What about those fancy "unbreakable" carbon fiber combs? Treat them like plastic, but avoid high heat. Carbon fiber is incredibly strong but the binding resins can sometimes react poorly to harsh industrial solvents. Stick to pH-neutral soaps.
The Disinfection Step (The Hospital Grade Method)
If you’ve recently dealt with dandruff, a fungal scalp infection, or—God forbid—lice in the house, a simple soapy soak isn't enough. You need to sanitize.
Barber shops use Barbicide. It’s that blue liquid you see on every stylist's station. It contains alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. It's serious stuff. For home use, you can achieve a similar level of "clean" by using 70% isopropyl alcohol. Don't use 99%—it actually evaporates too quickly to effectively kill all pathogens. 70% stays wet longer, allowing it to penetrate the cell walls of bacteria.
Wipe the comb down with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. Let it air dry. Do not rinse it off immediately.
Common Mistakes That Ruin Combs
One of the biggest mistakes is using a hair dryer to "speed up" the drying process. High heat can cause the teeth of a plastic comb to lose their alignment. Once a comb's teeth are slightly bent, they start snagging the hair cuticle instead of gliding over it. This leads to split ends.
👉 See also: At Home French Manicure: Why Yours Looks Cheap and How to Fix It
Another big one: forgetting the handle. We focus so much on the teeth because that's where the visible "gunk" is, but the handle is where the oils from your hands live. It’s a literal playground for staphylococcus. Scrub the whole thing. Every inch.
How Often Should This Actually Happen?
Honestly, if you use styling products daily, you should be doing a deep clean once a week. If you’re a "wash and go" person who doesn't use much product, once a month is fine.
But here is the real test: if you run your fingernail along the base of the teeth and anything—literally anything—comes off, it’s time.
Actionable Maintenance Routine
To keep your tools in top shape without spending an hour in the bathroom every weekend, follow this simple rotation:
- Daily: Remove loose hair after every use. Just pull it out. It takes three seconds.
- Weekly: Give it a quick "swish" in the sink while you're washing your hands with warm soapy water.
- Monthly: The deep soak. This is when you bring out the toothbrush and the vinegar or alcohol.
- Replacement: If the tips of the teeth feel sharp or if there are visible scratches in the material, throw it away. Those micro-tears will rip your hair out.
Invest in a dedicated cleaning brush. You can buy specialized "comb cleaners" that look like tiny rakes, but a firm-bristled denture brush works even better and costs about two dollars at any pharmacy.
Stop putting a dirty comb into clean hair. It's the easiest hair care "hack" there is, and it costs absolutely nothing. Take your combs to the sink tonight. You'll be shocked at what comes off them.