This common hair care mistake can damage your hair – and many of us make this mistake to our advantage.
Despite using them almost every day, many people don’t know that flat irons should be cleaned to avoid damaging their hair. In a TikTok clip, Sarah Brawley, who offers “easy hair tips and tutorials” to her 405,000 followers, highlighted the consequences of skipping this crucial step in your beauty routine.
She said: “That’s why you get so many split ends and your hair gets greasy. Look at all the dirt. Use hand sanitiser and a cotton pad. Rub the straighteners that are so dirty.” The hair experts at ghd recommend cleaning your straighteners every three months to prevent damage from built-up hair care products.
Steve Elstein, Vice President of Product Development and Research at ghd, noted, “The ceramic plates of straighteners can build up dirt if they are not cleaned properly. Hairspray, oils and other heavy products can build up not only on your hair but also on your tools, in addition to the oils secreted by your scalp, which can damage your locks if the tool is not cleaned regularly.”
However, while Sarah advises using hand sanitiser to clean your stylers, the experts at ghd advise a more cautious approach. Steve from ghd explains: “Unplug the appliance and wait for it to cool down. Wipe the outside of the ghd styler with a damp cloth. Do not use harsh or abrasive cleaners or caustic products and never immerse the appliance in water. Allow it to dry for a few hours before plugging it in and using it and do not do so until it is dry.”
“You should never use water or water-based cleaners to clean your styler. It’s a very dangerous practice. Also, we wouldn’t recommend wipes unless they’re organic and biodegradable, as they usually contain plastic.” The same goes for other styling tools like curling irons, brushes and combs. The advice is: “They should be cleaned regularly to prevent product and oils from being transferred back onto your curls.”
These cleaning tips have taken TikTok by storm. One user reacted: “I’m going to clean mine now.” Another agreed: “OMG I’m doing it this weekend.” Meanwhile, a third user said: “This is why my hair gets greasy when I straighten it.” And another added: “This is awesome! Honestly, I never thought about it.”
