Hi everyone, it’s time again for another exciting barbershop question and answer article! 🙂 Today I will explain just how barbers disinfect and sanitize all their barbershop tools. All barber tools must be sanitized after each use and before being used on a customer.
I often wondered years ago if that comb my barber was using on me was just used on the last customer without being cleaned. Or if those electric clippers cutting my hair had little pieces of hair and blood inside from the guy who just left. Yuck!
Well I, and you, can relax. Barbers are required to clean and sanitize each and every piece of barbershop equipment and tools that are used on customers. That includes combs, brushes, clippers, razors, scissors and more. Here is the basic process.
Disinfecting combs with blue Barbicide
Have you ever seen a round glass container filled with cool blue liquid sitting on your barbers work shelf? Maybe it had a few combs in it. Did you ever wonder what that stuff was? How did it taste? Okay I only wondered that when I was a kid! 😀
That liquid is Barbicide. It is a a hospital-grade, EPA-registered germicide that is made to kill viruses, fungi and bacteria on contact. It normally is sold as a concentrate that has to be mixed with water. It is very toxic, and only a little ingested can be fatal.
It can also damage skin and eyes. So please don’t touch or drink it!! It also has anti-rust ingredients in it to protect metal barber tools. After your barber uses a comb they clean it and soak it in the Barbicide to sanitize it.
They only need to be soaked for 10 minutes before being fully disinfected. Your barber will rinse it with water before using it on you. Some barbers keep several combs and other barber tools soaking in it for a bit.
Disinfecting barber razors
There are several different types of barbershop razors barbers use. Single use disposable razors are thrown out after each use. They put them in a sharps container, otherwise known as a biohazard bin. The razor holder and handle are soaked in Barbicide.
For non-disposable straight razors they are cleaned and then sprayed with disinfectants like Clippercide and wiped down. They have lubricating chemicals in them also. Or they can be soaked in Barbicide or 91% or higher alcohol.
Straight razors are stropped with a leather strop to clean and sharpen them before and after use. Just like you see in those old cowboy western movies! Our master barber Steve is really good with a straight razor! 😀
Disinfecting barber scissors
Barber hair cutting scissors are cleaned with soap and water, then soaked in Barbicide to disinfect them. They also can be wiped with 70% or higher isopropyl alcohol. They are wiped dry to prevent rust. A drop of specialized scissor oil goes on the screw area.
Disinfecting electric clippers or shavers
After each use the head of the clippers or shaver is removed and the buildup of skin and hair is brushed out. Then the head and blades are sprayed with a special disinfectant like Clippercide to clean and sanitize them.
They also have special blade cleaner liquids and containers to run the clipper blades in it to clean and disinfect everything. A deep clean is done every so often to clean out the inner mechanism. A special oil is applied to the blades to lubricate them.
Disinfecting between customers is required
Florida law requires all barbers to clean and disinfect all tools after each customer. Disinfectants must be EPA-registered to ensure they are hospital-grade and effective. All of our barbers and stylist at Conway Village Barber Shop adheres to the law.
So now you know that barbers do indeed clean and disinfect all their tools after each customer. You also know what that cool blue liquid is in that glass container. As tasty as it may look, do NOT try to drink it! 😀
