How to Clean Hair Clippers: The Professional Barber's Method for Pristine Blades

I've been cutting hair for nearly two decades, and if there's one thing that separates the weekend warriors from the pros, it's how they treat their clippers. You can always tell when someone walks into a barbershop whether they actually maintain their tools or just run them until they die. The difference isn't just about longevity—though a well-maintained clipper can outlast three neglected ones—it's about the quality of every single cut you make.

Let me paint you a picture. Last week, a young barber came to me frustrated because his $200 clippers were pulling hair after just six months. When I opened them up, the blades were caked with a cement-like mixture of hair fragments, skin cells, and oxidized oil. It looked like an archaeological dig site. The poor kid had been oiling them religiously but never actually cleaning them. That's like changing your car's oil but never replacing the filter.

The Anatomy of Neglect

Before we dive into the cleaning process, you need to understand what's actually happening to your clippers during use. Every time those blades zip back and forth—we're talking about 7,200 times per minute on most professional models—they're creating friction, generating heat, and collecting microscopic debris. Hair isn't just hair; it's protein strands coated with natural oils, styling products, and sometimes yesterday's dry shampoo. Add skin cells and moisture to the mix, and you've got a recipe for blade degradation.

The real killer isn't the hair itself. It's the combination of organic matter and moisture that creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and causes corrosion. I've seen blades so corroded they looked like they'd been salvaged from a shipwreck. And here's something most people don't realize: dull blades don't just cut poorly—they actually damage hair by crushing and tearing instead of slicing cleanly.

Your Daily Cleaning Ritual

After every single use, without exception, you need to perform what I call the "quick clean." This isn't negotiable. I don't care if you only trimmed one person's sideburns or touched up your own neckline.

First, while the clippers are still running, use a stiff brush—and I mean stiff, not some soft paintbrush you found in a drawer—to sweep away loose hair from the blades. The vibration helps shake debris loose. Work the brush between the teeth of both the moving and stationary blades. You'd be amazed at how much gunk hides in those tiny spaces.

Now here's where most people mess up. They think they're done after brushing. Wrong. Turn off the clippers and remove the blade assembly. Yes, every time. I know it seems excessive, but this is where the magic happens. Use that same brush to clean the blade mounting area and the inside of the blade assembly. You'll find a surprising amount of compacted hair hiding under there, slowly working its way into the motor housing.

The Deep Clean Protocol

Once a week—or after every 5-7 clients if you're a professional—you need to perform what I call a deep clean. This is where we separate the hobbyists from the craftsmen.

Start by removing the blades completely. Most modern clippers have two or three screws holding the blade assembly. Don't lose these screws. I keep a small magnetic dish on my station specifically for this purpose because I learned the hard way that clipper screws have a supernatural ability to vanish into thin air.

Submerge the blades in a shallow dish of blade wash solution. Now, blade wash isn't just expensive alcohol, despite what some old-timers might tell you. Professional blade wash contains surfactants that break down oil and protein deposits, plus rust inhibitors that protect the metal. Let them soak for about five minutes while you clean the clipper body.

For the body, use a slightly damp cloth with a drop of antiseptic cleaner. Never submerge the actual clipper unit—I don't care what YouTube video you watched. Water and electric motors are mortal enemies. Pay special attention to the vents where hair loves to accumulate. A can of compressed air works wonders here, but blow it outside unless you enjoy hair confetti in your workspace.

While the blades are soaking, this is the perfect time to check your blade drive. That's the little nub that moves back and forth to power the cutting blade. It should move freely without any grinding or resistance. If it feels gritty, a drop of clipper oil on the mechanism usually solves the problem.

The Oil Controversy

Let's talk about oiling, because this is where even experienced barbers get it wrong. More oil is not better. I see people drowning their blades in oil thinking they're providing extra protection. What they're actually doing is creating a magnet for hair and debris.

After cleaning and thoroughly drying your blades, you need exactly three drops of oil. One on each end of the blade rail and one in the center. Run the clippers for 20 seconds to distribute the oil, then—and this is crucial—wipe off the excess with a clean cloth. The blade should feel barely slick, not dripping.

And please, for the love of all that's holy, use actual clipper oil. Not WD-40, not 3-in-1 oil, not olive oil (yes, I've seen it). Clipper oil is specifically formulated to handle high heat and won't gum up over time. It's also safe for skin contact, which is kind of important when you're working near people's faces.

Disinfection: The Forgotten Step

Here's something that might ruffle some feathers: most barbers don't properly disinfect their tools. They might spray some Barbicide on the blades and call it a day, but that's not true disinfection.

After cleaning, your blades need to be disinfected with an EPA-registered bactericide, fungicide, and virucide. Barbicide is great, but it needs proper contact time—usually 10 minutes for full disinfection. I keep a jar of Barbicide on my station and rotate between two sets of blades so one can be properly disinfecting while I work.

For the clipper body, use disinfectant wipes or spray, making sure to get into all the crevices. This isn't just about meeting health department requirements; it's about professional integrity. You wouldn't want a surgeon operating with dirty instruments, and while we're not performing surgery, we're still working with tools that touch multiple people's skin.

Blade Alignment and Tension

After all this cleaning, you need to reassemble everything correctly. Blade alignment is an art form that takes practice. The cutting blade should sit slightly behind the stationary blade—about the width of a credit card edge. Too far back and it won't cut; too far forward and it'll bite skin.

When tightening the blade screws, use the "firm but not forced" rule. Over-tightening is probably the number one cause of premature blade wear. The blades need a tiny bit of play to move properly. If you tighten them until they're completely rigid, you're creating excess friction and heat.

Storage Matters More Than You Think

How you store your clippers is almost as important as how you clean them. Tossing them in a drawer is asking for trouble. Blades should be stored in a dry environment, preferably in a case or holder that keeps them from banging against other tools.

I learned this lesson the expensive way when I left a pair of clippers in my car overnight during a humid summer. The next morning, the blades had developed tiny rust spots that required professional sharpening to remove. Now I store my clippers in a climate-controlled environment with silica gel packets to absorb moisture.

When to Replace vs. Repair

Even with perfect maintenance, blades don't last forever. The cutting blade typically wears faster than the stationary blade because it does all the moving. When you start seeing inconsistent cutting, even after cleaning and oiling, it's usually time for sharpening or replacement.

Professional sharpening costs about $5-10 per blade set and can extend their life significantly. But here's my controversial opinion: unless you're using high-end blades, it's often more cost-effective to just replace them. A mediocre sharpening job can ruin blades permanently, and finding a truly skilled sharpener is harder than you'd think.

The Bottom Line

Cleaning your clippers isn't just about maintenance—it's about respecting your craft and your clients. Every time I see a barber with dirty, poorly maintained tools, I wonder what other corners they're cutting. Your clippers are an extension of your hands, and they deserve the same care you'd give any precision instrument.

The entire cleaning process I've outlined takes maybe 10 minutes for daily maintenance and 20 minutes for a deep clean. That's less time than most people spend scrolling through their phones. Yet this simple routine can double or triple the life of your clippers while ensuring every cut is as clean and precise as possible.

Remember, in barbering as in life, the details make the difference. The client might not consciously notice that your blades are perfectly clean and aligned, but they'll definitely feel the difference in how smoothly the clippers glide through their hair. And at the end of the day, that's what builds a reputation and a career.

Authoritative Sources:

Milady's Standard Professional Barbering. 6th ed., Cengage Learning, 2016.

Pivot Point International. Fundamentals of Haircutting. Pivot Point International, 2012.

Scali-Sheahan, Maura. Milady's Standard Professional Barbering. 5th ed., Delmar Cengage Learning, 2011.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Selected EPA-Registered Disinfectants." EPA.gov, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2023.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities." CDC.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019.