Proper maintenance is essential to maximize the life and performance of your hair clipper or trimmer. It would help to do so regularly to keep it running optimally.
In addition to preventing skin irritations, like bumps and nicks, you will have longer-lasting hair clippers if you clean them regularly. Also, hair clipper blades need lubrication from time to time.
However...
In your search for the best lubricant oil for your hair clippers, you probably wonder if there are hair clipper oil alternatives you can try. If so, please read on as we go over hair clippers oil substitute worth trying.
Different Clipper Oil Alternatives
Nowadays, hair clippers are no longer exclusive to a barber, hairdresser, and stylist. A hair clipper or hair trimmer is available for home use by both men and women.
You can use it for hair trimming, styling, and maintaining a beard, goatee, sideburns, or other facial hair. As such, you must clean and oil hair clippers to keep the blades in shape. Besides improving the longevity of your clipper, whether it's a corded clipper or not, its cutting blades should always be sharp so it trims hairs and beards better. Lastly, make sure you are using a suitable choice of hair clipper oil for consistent tool maintenance.
Some hair clippers, especially those in a kit, include clipper oil. However, such oils are not suitable for long-term use since they typically come in small amounts.
Hence, your next option would be to buy a dedicated clipper oil similar to Wahl clippers' unique Wahl clipper oil.
However, a branded lubricating oil can be pretty pricey. With that said, if you landed on this page to find a better idea of what clipper oil alternative you can try, please read on. Check out our list of different substitute oils. Maybe you'll find one of these helpful:
1. Baby Oil
In essence, baby oil is refined mineral oil with fragrance, so it works in the same way that mineral oil does.
Some baby oils have low viscosity, enhancing their resistance to hot temperatures.
Nonetheless, using it for lubricating a hair clipper blade may have disadvantages due to its thick consistency that may cause clogging. For this reason, of all the hair clipper oil alternatives, baby oil is the least popular choice among many users.
Not to mention the additives included may do more harm than good to your blades. But if you wish to try using it to lubricate your hair clipper as a quick fix, you can do so by combining it with essential oil.
Doing such will allow you to take advantage of the necessary properties that baby oils have without the risk of clogging or damaging your blades. Just be mindful when mixing these two oils.
Ensure that you use an equal amount for each oil because if you have it too light, you may not achieve ample lubrication your clipper needs.
2. Mineral Oil
Several oils nowadays have mineral oil as their base component. Therefore, it might be vague to say that this type of oil is the best of all the alternatives to a hair clipper oil.
But what we do recommend as a suitable choice is not merely any mineral oil but light and highly-refined ones.
Heavy oils stick to the blade's moving parts, causing damage over time. Well-refined mineral oils have low viscosity, maintaining their performance when your hair clipper gets hot while in use.
A natural hair clipper oil comes from mineral oil, except that most clipper oils are petroleum-based. Despite its apparent benefits, mineral oil has properties that tend to stay longer on your device.
As such, it can pose a severe drawback to the service life of your hair clipper. In the case of Wahl Hair Clipper Oil, it is merely mineral oil in a bottle with a dropper.
Vibrating motors are used in most consumer-grade clippers to move the blade at high resonant frequencies. These blades create friction and heat when using a clipper, which is why you should use a substitute oil that can withstand high temperatures.
3. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil comes from pressed coconuts. Since it is all-natural, the versatility of such oil makes it equally useful for a variety of different purposes as many other natural oils.
While some swear by its efficacy when using such oils to substitute a natural lubricant for hair clippers, others would not recommend it.
Coconut oils have a temporary lubricating effect, as do most other organic oils. But in the long run, it may start gumming up, and all residues and dirt will cause clogging in the blades.
You can probably use it for some quick fix when your lubricating oil runs out, and you need to use one badly. But you have to ensure that it shouldn't be for long-term use.
Also, it might be worth mentioning that coconut oils have considerable density, making them unsuitable for serious clipper maintenance. If you are particularly concerned about the performance and lifespan of your clipper, it is best to go for some lighter oils instead.
4. Sewing Machine Oil
Many people find thicker oils such as those for lubricating their sewing machines as a suitable hair clipper oil substitute. It is a light oil intended for small machinery; you may even use one for lubricating scissors.
It comes close to a natural clipper oil, which is why it may come in handy when looking for an alternative.
But since any hair grooming tool in your arsenal is your investment, don't just go for hacks, tips, or tricks you see online without researching first. As heavy oils will immediately render your device inoperable, you should never resort to using such for greasing your trimmers.
Many users have tried and succeeded in using sewing machine oil for lubricating their trimmers. It may not perform as well as the real thing, but it is light and usable. The clipper will work as new with only a drop or two of this oil on it.
This oil is also not as expensive as other blade oils, and it won't go rancid. Nevertheless, when using substitute oils, you must also consider the possible caveats and go for light ones with less viscosity.
You might risk voiding your warranty, but it's the least you should worry about since clippers typically have a short-term warranty. Weigh in all the pros and cons and choose whatever will keep your cutting blade in the best condition for an excellent shaving experience.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to use vegetable oil for lubricating my hair clippers?
Yes and no. Some individuals find vegetable oil a good substitute for clipper oil, which can be correct at some point. Be cautious since not all vegetable oils are well-suited for this purpose. Such oils are thick and may affect the blade's performance. Pure olive oil is okay but not heat-resistant.
How do you oil an electric shaver?
Electric barber clippers come with specific instructions, distinct for every make and design. Although, you may oil a rotary shaver by cleaning with a blade wash first then removing facial or body hair residues. You may use a clipper spray or a traditional hair clipper oil for lubricating.
Turn the device on for thirty seconds to evenly distribute the oil before wiping excess oil from the hair clipper. The same drill works for foil shavers, but oils trap moisture and might cause your blades to rust. Thus, ensure that your device is completely dry before greasing it.
What is the most recommended Wahl clipper oil substitute?
In the absence of an actual beard trimmer oil, you may use any suitable clipper grease alternative. However, in maintaining your Wahl clipper's service life, try using a lightweight carrier oil that can withstand high temperatures and won't cause your blade to overheat.
Most experts recommend white mineral oil as the best substitute for hair clipper oil from Wahl since the real deal contains the same kind of oil. It's only practical to look for similar oils to use as an alternative for your Wahl device.
How does the actual clipper blade oil differ from a hair clipper oil substitute?
While natural hair clipper oil can be any oil, there's a particular oil formulated for such tools. The natural clipper oil is primarily without color and smell. It lacks the density of most oils and, therefore, will not damage the interior motors of your device.
Heat-resistant and low-toxic oils make a good substitute. But even if they can get the job done, they may not have the exact effects as when you use a natural clipper oil.
Conclusion
In summary, you don't need to break the bank merely to keep your hair clippers well-maintained. But keep in mind that it is best to avoid using motor oil and other opaque, weighty oils that heavy-duty machines use.
Such oils with grease and water displacers are not suitable clipper oil alternatives. In addition to heavy oil, using extra virgin olive oil may likewise be impractical due to its incapacity to withstanding heat. Something fancy such as olive oil tends to vaporize when it gets too hot.
You can enhance the service life of your hair clipper with consistent maintenance. It might help to have an extra blade lubricant even before the one you have runs out.
