How to Сlean a Сurling Iron?

Step-by-Step Guide

Written by Olivia Paxton. Updated on How to clean curling iron

How to clean a curling iron.

You should do it quite often because on the hair curler, it often accumulates oils and other sprays and other things on its heating surfaces.

In addition to the fact that the curling iron looks greasy, dirt can also cause uneven heating of the platters, and, accordingly, make bad curls and poorly strengthen your hair.

If a lot of this substance will be accumulated in the curling iron, then this can even cause damage to your hair. Cleaning the iron can be quite challenging due to the V-shape and flat metal surfaces of the heaters, but it is possible.

Important to know

  • Make sure your iron is turned off and unplugged before cleaning.
  • Keep the plug away from liquids, and never immerse your curling iron completely in water.
  • Keep the heated curling iron out of the reach of children.
  • Do not use household cleaners. They can scratch the surface of the plate for straightening.

Step-by-step instructions on how to clean your curling iron

1. Warm-up a little bit the curling iron or heat it well and slightly cold. It should be warm, but not too hot to the touch.

Hot to clean curling iron

2. Unplug the iron before cleaning.

unplug the curling iron

3. Damp a Small terry towel in mellow water. Do not use hot water or cold. It should be just mild. With your finger, gently wipe one plate in the place where there is dirt. Avoid sharp movements on ceramic platters, so you do not scratch or ruin them.

Clean the curling iron

4.Wipe the platters thoroughly, and be sure to remove all dirt from them. You can use a cloth swab if it is hard to remove dirt from the corners with a towel.

wipe a curling iron

5. Also, clean the iron itself from hair products and dirt. Use the fresh side of the towel as needed.

hot shot tools curling iron

6. Before use, be sure to wait until the iron is completely dry. Never use the iron while it is wet. This is not dangerous, you just can’t do this for the same reason that you can’t straighten damp hair, you can simply damage or burn them. If you need a curling iron right now, then simply wipe the platters with a dry terry towel.

how to clean flat iron

7. To ensure that your iron is not very dirty, clean it regularly. After you curl or straighten your hair, use a paper or ordinary towel. Moisten it with mellow water or alcohol and wipe the already cooled platters to remove the hairstyling product. Do this every time after straightening, and then you will keep away from the accumulation of dirt.

terry towel clean

Suggestions

If you use your hair flattener, be sure to wipe it completely, not just the plates themselves.
If the coating is so dense and burned so badly that you cannot clean it, then do not try to scrape your iron with all the force, but take it to your stylist. Usually, stylists have a special tool for cleaning irons. Ask him to spray this product on your iron, so as not to buy a whole bottle of this product.
Use a little alcohol mixed with mellow water for cleaning tough spots.

What you need to clean a curling iron

  • Small terry towel
  • Mellow water
  • Curling Hair
  • (Optional) cotton swab
  • (Optional) medical alcohol
how to clean a curling iron
pinterest

Hints For Cleaning Curling Iron LIke a Pro

You have probably noticed many times that your curling iron turns sticky and greasy after several uses, especially if hairspray or other styling products were used. If your hair-styling device looks like a burnt baking sheet, it definitely needs proper care!

No wonder curling iron can be like this since our natural oils that the scalp produces, and various products (e.g. hairspray or mousse) create a sticky film on the iron barrel. But don’t stress! We know several super-effective tricks to make your iron shine again!

  • Baking soda is your savior!

Yes, you got it right! Ordinary baking soda that we use for baking cakes and cookies! Since it is a very effective but at the same time gentle rubbing agent, it will delete all the grease and leftovers of hairspray and other products easily.

Hints For Cleaning Curling Iron LIke a Pro
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Just add a bit of water to the soda powder until it becomes a paste-like consistency, and then apply this soda treatment all over the barrel generously. No need for rubbing vigorously, simply wipe the barrel until it shines again!

In addition, baking soda is safe to use since it doesn’t damage the surface of the iron.

  • Rubbing alcohol for hard grease

If you need to fight some extremely stubborn dirty marks from hairspray or other styling products,  go for rubbing alcohol. It may turn to be a slightly more aggressive agent compared to the baking soda, but it does work perfectly, especially for daily maintenance. 

No hard rubbing is needed when using rubbing alcohol which is a big plus, just pour some of the product to the soft cloth and wipe the barrel of the iron thoroughly to delete the traces of hairspray or whatever you used before.

Never-to-Do Things When Cleaning Sticky Curling Iron

How to Clean a Curling IronHow to Clean a Curling Iron

Since we already figured out how to cleanse the film that hairspray leaves on our curling iron, let’s now talk about what we can do to prevent such unpleasant and time-consuming trouble from happening again.

  1. If you use a lot of hairspray or other styling products (especially daily), remember to cleanse your curling iron after each use. Rubbing alcohol will be the best option in this case.
  2. Never use aggressive cleaning products to keep your device neat and clean since they can damage the surface of the barrel which may lead to burns on your hair and scalp!
  3. Never use harsh scrubbing products and/or tools to clean the curling iron barrel!
  4. If you’re about to use some hairspray to fix your curls, remember to apply it before you start curling the locks. Like this, you’ll avoid burning strands and the barrel will be free from the sticky hairspray film longer.

Now that you know how to deal with all sorts of grease and dirt, and when to use hair styling products together with your curling iron (e.g. hairspray), we hope that your device will serve you much longer!

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Olivia shares all she knows about the hotels, houses, and home cleaning with Beezzly readers. And she knows a lot! 15 years of work experience as a Manager in a former Four Season Service gave Olivia an exceptional base of professional knowledge and practical experience.
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How to Clean Your Hair Tools! (Hair Dryer, Flat Iron & Curling Iron) Cleaning Ideas - Clean My SpaceHow to Clean Your Hair Tools! (Hair Dryer, Flat Iron & Curling Iron) Cleaning Ideas - Clean My Space