How to Clean Hair Brushes and Tools: Top Tips from Olivia Garden Co-Owner Anne Maza
Brushes from Olivia Garden’s OG Collection and Ceramic Ion Straightener
Olivia Garden’s Anne Maza shares game-changing cleaning tips for hairbrushes and tools.
In recent months, we’ve all become more aware of our hygiene and cleaning practices. When it comes to our hair, keeping brushes and tools clean ensures that they give us the best performance possible and last longer. While professional hairstylists followed thorough cleaning practices even before the pandemic, they are now taking even more steps to ensure a clean and comfortable environment for guests.
Along with providing stylists with high-quality tools including flat irons, blow-dryers, and their famous brushes, Olivia Garden offers important cleanliness and safety items, including disposable gloves, capes, chair covers, masks, and more. But what if you just want to take a little better care of your brushes and tools at home? When maintaining hair at home between salon visits, Olivia Garden makes it easier than ever to keep your own brushes clean with their innovative designs and tools.
One of my favorite discoveries from Olivia Garden’s line is The OG Brush Collection, which features a removable cushion for easy cleaning. The collection includes scalp-hugging detanglers and stylers for a variety of hair types with a pop-out cushion that makes it easy to get behind that area, which would normally be difficult to wash.
A removable cushion make these brushes from the OG Brush Collection easy to clean. Game-changer!
Another helpful tool from Olivia Garden’s collection is the Olivia Garden Brush and Comb Cleaners, which are mini brush rakes that help you remove hair from brushes and combs.
These brush cleaners help keep your brushes clean and extend their longevity.
We caught up with Anne Maza, co-owner of Olivia Garden, to get tips on best practices for keeping your brushes and tools clean.
Anne Maza, Olivia Garden co-owner.
What advice do you have for cleaning brushes at home?
Use the Olivia Garden Brush Cleaner to remove any product build-up and hair.
I recommend using warm water with mild shampoo (shampoo is optional) to start the cleaning process. Then let the brush naturally air dry.
If you have a paddle brush with a glued-in cushion (all paddle brushes except the Olivia Garden OG Brush), put the dry cushion face down so that the water drains from the back of it as quickly as possible.
If you’re cleaning real boar bristle brushes, it’s normal for the bristles to emit a smell. Once they are completely dry, the smell will go away.
What are your tips when it comes to cleaning hot tools such as straightening irons and blow-dryers?
It’s so important to keep your blow-dryer clean! The number one problem with blow-dryers is when air intake gets clogged with build-up. The air intake is through the vents that you will find on the sides or the back of the dryer. If they are not kept clean, the dryer will overheat, which will generate heat that is much higher than designed (could be three times the normal limit) and shorten the life of your dryer because the motor and its parts will overheat.
You should clean the air intake either weekly or bi-monthly, depending on the build up that you see. It is a very simple step that takes a few seconds but makes a huge difference in the long term use of your dryer, the maintenance of your hair brushes, and the health of your hair.
If your dryer overheats and emits heat that is possibly three times the designed heat level, it will decrease the life of your hair brushes and damage your hair by exposing it to extreme heat.
What is the best way to clean straightening irons?
Styling products that are used in the hair can easily transfer onto the flat iron plates, so it’s important to keep the plates clean. Once the iron is cool, use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down the plates. Be sure to clean the shell of the flat iron as well. These easy and quick tips when performed regularly will make a big difference in the longevity of your tools, improve the health of your hair, and reduce the amount of overall damage.
Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy