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Cleaning your hair straightener properly is essential to hygiene and to the longevity of your hair tools. It not only keeps your iron looking good, but it can also extend the life of your iron. Greasy buildup or what I like to call 'hair plaque' from heat protectants and other hair products are a constant nuisance to battle. If you do not deal with it regularly, before you know it, your iron will grow legs and walk away. By not allowing buildup to form on the iron, you also improve its performance. If your iron is gunned up with buildup, it can cause the iron to snag and pull your hair. For best results, I highly recommend cleaning your hair straightener after each use.

First, turn your iron off and unplug it. Allow it to cool to room temperature. This is for obvious reasons. You do not want to get electrocuted. Once the hair straightener is completely cooled down, you'll want to spray a cleaning solution on the plates, avoiding any sensitive parts. Typical cleaning solutions used would be a styling iron cleaner available at several online retailers. The next best solution would be warm water with some dish soap. Let the solution eat away at the buildup for at least 30 seconds. I highly recommend buying a styling iron cleaner product, as it is designed to eat away at the enzymes found in 'hair plaque' without the need for much scrubbing. Apart from styling iron cleaner or warm dish soapy water, do not use any other cleaning agent, as they may cause damage to the plate finish of your hair straightener.

After the solution has done its job, take a clean dry cloth and wipe the iron firmly, removing the moisture and buildup in several passes from the iron's plates. If your iron has older, harder plaque, you can take a soft plastic bristled brush (a toothbrush works great) and scrub away the buildup. If needed, spray the solution again, allowing to sit, wiping away again after a couple minutes.

Allow your iron to dry overnight before use, as some moisture may have seeped into the circuits, and you just want to be safe. To be extra safe, never clean your straightener while it is hot, or plugged in. Avoid using flammable products like rubbing alcohol, the fumes may cause an ignition and cause a fire. If you must sterilize with alcohol, use a swab on your iron after you've already used the above method to clean it. Make sure to do it while the iron is off and unplugged. If you follow these basic guidelines, your iron will last for years, and never develop buildup.

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Source by Preston K Wyman