Second-Hand Brushes

[Vyn Venal]

How long can they survive outside of the body? Say, on a brush.

Depends what we're talking about, and depends on the conditions. The thing everyone freaks out most about is HIV, but HIV survives particularly poorly outside the body. On the other hand hepatitis C has been shown to remain infectious in dried blood spots at room temperature for six weeks. Obviously everyone knows tetanus spores remain viable outside the body for many years.

Staphylococcus Aureus and various forms of Streptococcus can potentially survive for months outside the body, and cause anything from a minor skin infection or abscesses to MRSA and necrotising fasciitis respectively.

Until somebody decides to conduct research specifically into the risk of infectious diseases posed by sharing shaving brushes, it's going to be difficult to speculate.

As I said before, I'd guess the risk would be minimal. After all, a shaving brush is being cleaned every time it's used. But probably not very effectively given the nature of a brush, and it's not being disinfected or sterilised between uses, or on being passed between users.

 

[MrK1]

Would washing the brush in an Anti Bacterial hand soap make any difference?

Or perhaps a squirt with an Sanitising gel?

 

[riverrun]

Would washing the brush in an Anti Bacterial hand soap make any difference?

Or perhaps a squirt with an Sanitising gel?

Antibacterial hand soap lathers up quite well, actually. If I was worried, I'd whip it up for five minutes. Rinse. Repeat a number of times depending on how worried I'd be. Finally rinse and put the knot in barbicide solution for 10 minutes. Rinse again. Anything that survives this treatment will kill you anyway, especially as it will be really pissed off by now. Luckily I'm not worried.
If you're not happy after the treatment outlined above then maybe, just maybe, a used brush is not for you.

 

[LittleAl]

Anything that survives this treatment will kill you anyway, especially as it will be really pissed off by now.

Safest thing to do then is burn it, encase the ashes in concrete, then chuck it in the sea. And then nuke it from orbit

 

[Dave-the-rave]

This should alleviate 99% of all known irrational fears....

 

[Vyn Venal]

Antibacterial hand soap lathers up quite well, actually. If I was worried, I'd whip it up for five minutes. Rinse. Repeat a number of times depending on how worried I'd be. Finally rinse and put the knot in barbicide solution for 10 minutes. Rinse again. Anything that survives this treatment will kill you anyway, especially as it will be really pissed off by now. Luckily I'm not worried.
If you're not happy after the treatment outlined above then maybe, just maybe, a used brush is not for you.

Yeah, that would absolutely more than do it, and I'd happily stick whatever was left of a brush that'd been through that treatment in my mouth and suck it without the slightest concern for my health (aside from the obvious implications regarding my mental well being), let alone shave with it.

But I would never bother going to such lengths for a used brush, which as you rightly say, just aren't my thing. Different strokes and all that.

 

[MrK1]

Antibacterial hand soap lathers up quite well, actually. If I was worried, I'd whip it up for five minutes. Rinse. Repeat a number of times depending on how worried I'd be. Finally rinse and put the knot in barbicide solution for 10 minutes. Rinse again. Anything that survives this treatment will kill you anyway, especially as it will be really pissed off by now.[emoji14]Luckily I'm not worried.
If you're not happy after the treatment outlined above then maybe, just maybe, a used brush is not for you.

Thanks.

Just asking a question.
I have bought and sold a few second hand brushes.

I don't have a problem using a pre owned brush.
Like you said a few washes in soap and it's fine to use.

 

[riverrun]

Thanks.

Just asking a question.
I have bought and sold a few second hand brushes.

I don't have a problem using a pre owned brush.
Like you said a few washes in soap and it's fine to use.

When I said 'you' I didn't mean you, I meant the reader in general and of course the OP.