You ever notice how your clippers start pulling at your hair after a few months? It’s not just annoying. It's painful. Most people think their blades are dull and immediately go out to buy a new pair of Wahls or Andis, but honestly, that’s usually a waste of money. The truth is much grosser. You’ve likely got a microscopic wall of skin cells, dried oil, and tiny hair fragments wedged between the teeth of those blades. This gunk creates friction. Friction creates heat. Heat destroys the temper of the steel and slows down the motor until the whole thing just gives up.
Cleaning them isn't just about hygiene, though that matters if you don't want "clipper rash" or a staph infection. It’s about mechanics. If you know how to clean electric clippers properly, a single pair of professional-grade shears can literally last you a decade. I’ve seen barbers use the same pair of Senior Cordless clippers for years because they treat the maintenance like a ritual, not a chore.
🔗 Read more: Aliens in cave paintings: Why we keep seeing space suits in ancient rock art
The gear you actually need (and what to skip)
Stop using WD-40. Seriously. I see people suggest this on forums all the time because it "loosens things up," but WD-40 is a solvent, not a long-term lubricant. It’ll evaporate, leave a sticky residue, and eventually gum up the internal plastic gears. You need a dedicated clipper oil—basically a highly refined mineral oil—and a stiff nylon brush.
If you’re out of the official "cleaning brush" that came in the box, an old toothbrush works better anyway. The bristles are firmer. You also want a disinfectant spray. Brands like Barbicide or Oster 5-in-1 are the industry standards here. They don't just kill germs; they act as a coolant and a rust preventative. If you're doing a deep clean, you'll need a screwdriver. Usually a Phillips #2. Don't strip the screws.
Why learning how to clean electric clippers starts with the "dry" phase
Before you touch a drop of liquid, you have to get the bulk out. Turn the clippers off. Unplug them if they’ve got a cord. Use that toothbrush to flick away the hair trapped around the blade set. You’d be surprised how much is hiding in the "well" behind the blade. If you have a can of compressed air—the stuff you use for keyboards—give it a few short bursts. Don't hold the can upside down or you'll spray freezing liquid nitrogen into the motor casing, which is a great way to crack a housing.
The wash trick
Some people swear by the "dip" method. You take a shallow bowl, fill it with a bit of blade wash (like BladeX), and run the clippers while just the tips of the blades are submerged. You’ll see a dark cloud of debris float out into the liquid. It’s satisfying. But be careful. If you submerge the clippers too deep, the liquid gets sucked into the motor. That’s a one-way trip to the garbage can.
Deep cleaning: Taking the blades off
Every few weeks, you have to go deeper. Most clippers have two screws holding the stationary blade in place. Back them out. Keep track of them—they are tiny and love to disappear into the carpet. Once the blades are off, you'll see the "hair graveyard." This is the space between the blade and the motor's drive cam.
- Wipe the hair out with a dry cloth.
- Check the "cam follower"—that’s the little plastic piece that moves the blade back and forth. If it’s cracked, your clippers will rattle like a lawnmower.
- Sanitize the metal blades individually. Scrub them with a bit of alcohol or disinfectant.
Reassembling them is where most people mess up. You can't just slap the blades back on and tighten the screws. You have to align them. The top blade (the moving one) must be slightly recessed—about 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch—behind the bottom blade (the stationary one). If the moving blade sticks out past the stationary one, you will literally cut your skin. It’s called "zero-gapping," and unless you’re a pro, you don't want a true zero-gap. It’s too risky for a home haircut.
The science of the five-drop rule
Once the blades are back on and aligned, you need to oil them. This is the most important part of knowing how to clean electric clippers effectively. You don't need a lot. Too much oil attracts more hair and creates a sludge.
Apply one drop of oil to each corner of the moving blade and one drop right in the center. Then, put a drop on the "rails" on the side where the blades rub together. Turn the clippers on. Let them run for about 20 seconds. This allows the oil to distribute evenly across the surface area of the metal. Take a clean paper towel and wipe off the excess. If there’s oil dripping off the blades, you used too much.
Dealing with rust and neglected blades
Sometimes you find an old pair in a drawer that looks like it was salvaged from a shipwreck. If the blades have surface rust, don't throw them away yet. You can often save them by soaking the metal parts (only the blades!) in white vinegar for a few hours. After the soak, scrub them with fine steel wool.
However, if the "teeth" of the blades are pitted or chipped, they're toast. A chipped tooth will snag on hair and pull it out by the root rather than cutting it. At that point, buying a replacement blade set is cheaper and safer than trying to grind them down yourself.
A note on cordless batteries
Since most clippers are lithium-ion now, maintenance isn't just about the blades. If you leave your clippers covered in hair and gunk, the motor has to work harder. A harder-working motor draws more current. More current generates more heat in the battery. Over time, this kills the battery's capacity. Cleaning your blades actually extends your battery life. It's all connected.
Keeping them clean every day
You don't need to do a full teardown every time you trim your beard. Just a quick brush and a spray of coolant is usually enough for daily use. But if you're cutting hair for multiple people in a household, you absolutely must use a hospital-grade disinfectant between uses. Ringworm and other fungal infections are incredibly easy to spread via unwashed clipper blades.
Think of it like a kitchen knife. You wouldn't cut raw chicken and then use the same knife to slice an apple without washing it. Your skin has oils and bacteria that transfer to the metal. Treat the blades with respect, and they’ll stay sharp enough to shave a balloon without popping it.
Your next steps for clipper longevity
Go get your clippers right now. Unplug them. Take a look at the space between the blades. If you see a buildup of gray or brown "dust," that's your sign to act.
- Brush away the surface debris using a firm brush or an old toothbrush.
- Unscrew the blade set if you haven't done it in the last month. Clean the internal housing.
- Check the alignment when you put them back together to ensure the moving blade isn't overlapping the guard blade.
- Apply three to five drops of oil while the motor is running to reduce friction.
- Store them in a dry place. Keeping clippers in a humid bathroom without a protective case is the fastest way to invite rust.
Regularly performing these steps takes about five minutes but adds years to the tool's lifespan. If the motor still sounds sluggish after a deep clean and oiling, check the power cord for frays or consider that the battery might finally be reaching its end-of-life cycle.