Last Updated on September 24, 2024

Prevent a rusty razor with my care and cleaning tips, which will help your safety razor last forever! No matter the condition, it’s easy to get your razor back in shape.

Leaving my safety razor in the shower finally caught up with me. Alas, rust has taken hold of it. I spent a lot of time learning how to clean a razor so that I’d be able to extend the life of the one I already had. A simple homemade razor blade cleaner can keep your razor healthy to prevent bacteria, in grown hairs, and irritation.

rusty razor: a fear of mine

I had a friend who told me that when her safety razor rusted she recycled it and bought a new one. Looking at my newly rusted safety razor, I really did not want to buy a new one.

This goes so much deeper than zero waste. Recycling isn’t the answer but rather a band-aid, and beyond that… I just can’t fathom buying a new safety razor every time one gets a little rust.

One of the main appeals of zero waste to me is only having to buy something one time.

I have always been very conscious about budget. I want to buy something once and never have to buy it ever again. Zero waste is as much about the environment as it is about my bottom line.

It’s just a little rust, but for some reason, it evoked a deadly fear of tetanus.

I don’t know why my parents liked to frighten me as a child. Maybe they weren’t trying to frighten me, but rather inform me. No matter their intentions, I had a horrible fear of death by tetanus and became convinced my rusty razor was going to do me in.

First, your mouth would slowly stop working until you couldn’t eat or say anything, then you’d silently starve to death. Of course, this is wildly inaccurate, just how I felt as a child. Plus, I haven’t had my tetanus booster to make matters worse…

So, this rust problem. It must be solved ASAP… before I accidentally gave myself tetanus. With a quick search on Google, I came up with numerous ways to clean a razor blade.

Before you recycle or throw anything away, always ask yourself if there’s something you haven’t tried! I would much rather ruin my razor in an attempt to save it than just toss it without ever trying.  

Let’s talk about how to clean a safety razor, including care and maintenance tips.

For more information on how to use a safety razor, please see this post here.

how to prevent a rusty razor

don’t leave it in the shower or tub:

Duh. When the metal is constantly damp, it’s easy for rust to form. Once there’s a tiny speck of rust, it will quickly spread thanks to the oxidation process.                

dry it after each use:

To avoid this, dry your safety razor after every use. While you towel off, towel off your razor too. Dry the body and the blade.

store somewhere dry:

Whether it be a cabinet or by the sink, try and keep the razor someplace dry. Also, make sure you’re storing it someplace sturdy.

The only time I’ve really been cut by my razor is when reaching for it and it fell. In its descent towards the ground, it took a lot of skin with it.

Even if you’re very diligent in your razor care, you can still slip up. Leave the razor in the shower on accident one too many times and rust starts to form.

No fear! There are some really quick and simple solutions for how to clean a razor. I used two different methods to clean up my safety razor.

Rust prevention + a simple razor blade cleaner will = one happy safety blade (and happy, healthy skin, too!)

how to clean a safety razor

Learning how to clean a safety razor really isn’t rocket science, but shockingly, few people do it!

It’s no wonder, though. When I was a pre-teen learning how to shave, no one ever taught me how to clean a razor or how to prevent rust. It was all about disposable blades and how often to replace them. Yuck!

So in my research, I’ve found 2 solid ways to clean a razor blade.

method one:

Castile soap, warm water, and an old toothbrush.

Who says that you have to compost the toothbrush as soon as it’s no longer fit to clean teeth? (remember that question we’re supposed to ask ourselves?)

Old toothbrushes work great to scrub all sorts of small spaces. They’re especially handy to get into the nooks and crannies of a safety razor.

Run the razor under warm water. Squirt some liquid soap onto the toothbrush and scrub away. I got great results with my Fillaree dish soap, but any liquid castile soap would do.

The rust on my razor was pretty persistent, so I needed to do something a little more heavy duty, but I think this homemade razor blade cleaner would do wonders if I had caught it before it became a real issue.

method two:

Soak the razor in a mixture of half warm water and half white vinegar. Add 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda. It will get super fizzy and start attacking the rust. Let it soak for an hour or two, but don’t let it soak too long.

Grab a rag and most of the rust will wipe away. For hard-to-reach places, use the toothbrush.

The thing about rust is that ALL of it has to be gone. If any is left, it will come back almost instantly. Make sure to be thorough. Better to clean it once very thoroughly than to keep having to do it.

faqs about how to clean a razor

why is bad to have a rusty razor?

Rusty razors (as well as dull razors) can increase your chances of skin irritation, razor burn, and ingrown hairs. If you nick yourself, which is inevitable from time to time, you’re also more prone to infection thanks to the bacteria allowed to grow on the blade.

is it better to replace a razor blade or clean a razor blade?

This is a trick question! You need to do both to keep a healthy razor that produces a healthy shave. Replace your blade every 5-7 shaves, but clean that blade in between shaves for a long lasting safety blade that keeps your skin nice and healthy.

how does rust form on stainless steel?

Many people (myself included) assume that a safety razor made of stainless steel is impervious to rusting. Hence the name stainless. However, a better term for it may be resistant.

Stainless steel contains chromium, which reacts with oxygen to form a thin layer of chromium oxide on the steel’s surface. This layer protects the steel from rust. However, the film can be damaged by exposure to cleaners, high humidity, high salinity environments, and mechanical abrasions.

This means it’s important to take care of even your stainless steel blades!

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Do you have any tips for safety razor care? Have you recovered from a rusty razor? What are your tips for how to clean a razor?

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