For almost every girl a hair straightener is basically a lifeline. It’s our constant go-to for styling our hair and most of us already have one at home. When it comes to using this tool you probably already know the drill and all the basic rules of using one. Like the importance of spraying a heat protectant and not turning the heat too high and so on. However, there is one important aspect you’re neglecting and that’s actually cleaning your flat irons.

Why? You might ask. Well, consider the amount of heat protectant and styling products we all use. It’s only natural that over time it all builds up and quickly cancels out all the effort you put into styling your hair not to mention the damage it can cause. To keep it short, the cleaner the iron the better styling you get plus you’ll be able to maintain that expensive iron for a long time to come. If you’re wondering how to actually clean your tools, no problem! It is thankfully an easy process and we’re here to break it down for you.

Keep scrolling to check out how to easily clean your flatirons:

Why should you clean it?

A dirty flat iron ends attracting filth, grim and residue of dead hair too! Imagine all that in your hair? Yuck! Not only is it unsanitary but with the coated surface you won’t get the benefits of the titanium, ceramic, or ionic plates which makes it perform inadequately. This leads to dragging and pulling your hair plus cause you to continuously run it over your hair to achieve results. This in turn leads to overexposure to heat and more hair damage including split ends, frizziness, and fly-aways.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to clean it every day. To avoid too much buildup and depending on your usage you should be cleaning them at least once a month. If you use them very frequently then we suggest at the very least wiping them down after each use or the moment you see residue start to build up. Whether you invest in a high-end flat iron or not this will help you maintain its quality for a long time to come.

Tools you need:

  • A soft towel
  • Warm water or rubbing alcohol
  • Cotton rounds

How to clean your flat iron

Step 1

First, you’re going to heat up the flat iron and turn it on to the lowest setting. Let it slightly heat up as it helps loosen the product buildup making it easier to wipe away and clean. Be very careful and only let it get slightly warm before turning it off. Once you turn it off always double-check and make sure the iron is unplugged.

Step 2

For this next step, you want to be super careful because the plates will be very warm and you don’t want to burn yourself. Gently wipe the plates with your soft towel. For a deeper clean you can wait until the iron cools down a bit more, dip a couple of cotton balls in rubbing alcohol or warm water and gently swab them to clean the plates.

Step 3

For smaller crevices use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol or for tough spots use a clean toothbrush and scrub. Just be careful not to scrub too hard as it can damage the plates. When you’re done, wipe down the entire flat iron with a cloth. . Voila you’re hair iron’s squeaky clean.  Just allow it to completely dry for a while before you intend to use it for your next Insta-worthy hairdo.

Do you clean your flat irons and other hot tools? Let us know in the comments below.

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