If you maintain your hair clippers properly, you can save a lot of money and time, as well as enjoy many years of use. Every barber and hairdresser will probably agree that hair clippers and trimmers are the most crucial tools in their arsenal.
Nevertheless...
Besides a regular cleaning routine, having lubricated blades is essential to get such tools working optimally. But how do you get to achieve such if you don't know how to oil a hair clipper?
Please read on and discover easy yet effective methods to learn how to use clipper oil for optimal blade lubrication.
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Benefits Of Understanding How To Oil Your Clippers
Hair grooming equipment, like a hair clipper, razor, beard trimmer, and electric shaver, are tools closest to men. Men use it day or night, whether it is a few minutes in front of the mirror or extensive maintenance any time of the week.
Learning how to put oil on clippers is merely the first step, and there's more. After removing all gunk, blade cleaning solution, and thoroughly cleaning your hair clipper, you must ensure proper lubrication.
As your clippers' teeth become dull, they will no longer cut evenly, miss hairs, and nick your skin. Observing proper oiling procedures can minimize the wear and tear of your clipper. Also, when your clipper is well-lubricated, it will reduce the friction that causes your tool to heat up.
When you maintain your grooming tool in its best condition, it will improve its performance and your comfort when using it. Lastly, there is less strain on the motor if you know how to oil hair clippers and how to do it well, regardless of your hair clipper guard sizes.
How To Oil Hair Clippers Efficiently
Mastering how to oil hair clippers is also as essential as the well-suited choice of oil. Each manufacturer has its recommendation of what oil to use.
While there are substitutes, every clipper has distinct needs, like how a Rem oil is specific for lubricating firearms, and WD-40 works best for larger machinery. As for your clipper, light and less-viscosity oils are more appropriate.
Nevertheless, how do you oil hair clippers to ensure optimal efficiency? It might be a common question that most people have, especially new razor users. The good news is it is not a complex procedure at all.
You can obtain the best results when using your clipper with only a few simple steps.
Here's how to oil hair clippers and keep your blade sharper for longer:
1. Clean The Clipper
Cleaning your hair clippers is a must before you start lubricating them. It's best to have a clipper blade wash to ensure cleaning efficiency. Some would use a clipper spray, while others prefer spray coolants as such formulas are excellent for cleaning your clippers.
After misting your device, use your cleaning brush to dust your device, going through every open surface and crevice. Dislodge all residues, like gunk, grease, hair, and debris.
Most hair clippers include a tiny brush that's perfect for cleaning hard-to-reach areas and removing stuck hair strands. But if yours does not come with a small brush, you may use an old yet clean toothbrush for this purpose.
2. Disinfect The Blades
If you don't have a blade wash solution, you may use any disinfecting spray on your clipper blades. Those clippers that come with attachments may soak these parts in a disinfectant until the subsequent use, but please check the user manual before proceeding. Heavy-duty clippers, such as barbers' clippers, may also use coolants as these devices tend to heat up due to frequent use.
Knowing how to oil a hair clipper also includes understanding when sanitizing it is necessary. Most individuals disinfect their blades between uses to keep them clean. These sprays and coolants likewise help keep your blades rust-free and allow them to cool off after each use.
Even if it's best to disinfect with every use, you can do deep cleaning after ten shaves or, depending on the amount of dirt and buildup on your device. You might have to do some quick cleaning between shaves if you notice too many residues that can cause clogging.
However, if you're a barber or use these grooming tools for different people, the use of clipper spray is a statutory requirement in the United States. Sometimes you won't need to sanitize the entire clipper, but even so, you can disinfect the blade every after use with a spray.
3. Apply Oil
After disinfecting your blades, ensure that your clipper and all its parts, especially the ones you soaked in a disinfectant, are completely dry. Once the device is thoroughly dry, especially the shaving head and the blades, you may start oiling it.
Add another drop of oil on each of the back rails and run the clipper after the oil application. You may also try inclining your device downward, and with the flat part facing away from you, have your tool running, then drop some oil. Doing such will help you achieve optimal penetration.
You might want to consider doing this part while standing over the sink to minimize the mess. The least you'd want is to have the oil dripping all over your floor.
When applying some drops while running your device, ensure that no oil goes back to the compartment and the motor. Excessive oiling is necessary and could even harm your grooming tool if it's not waterproof.
4. Wipe Excess Oil
Remember that only a few drops are necessary when oiling your blades, so do not forget to wipe off excess oil. You may use a clean, dry cloth for this, or get some paper and dab it on the overly-greased part.
A soft, microfiber cloth also does well for removing leftover oil. It will ruin the blades if you fail to do this, and you might also have to endure excessive grease while shaving your hair.
5. Ensure Proper Re-alignment Of Removable Parts
You need to check the blades are correctly aligned when you put your clippers back together after taking them apart for cleaning or oiling.
While every device comes with instructions from the manufacturer, it is best to check that the blades and shaving heads are perfectly aligned. Check to see that it is not too loose or too tight when reassembling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you oil clippers before or after use?
Yes, regular oiling of your clipper will extend its life and performance. You will also benefit more from using these grooming tools with proper maintenance. Experts recommend oiling clippers after each use, specifically if you use soap and water for cleaning them.
What oil can you use for hair clippers?
If you find a clipper oil pricey, then you may also resort to using a hair clipper oil alternative. The most common ones are baby oil and sewing machine oil. Avoid using vegetable oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, because it cannot withstand heat and could clog your clippers.
Unlike a hedge trimmer that requires heavy-duty oils like WD-40, thicker oils are not suitable for hair clippers. Light, non-toxic oils with less viscosity are best not only for your hair trimmer but also for any related product. You can also use it for oiling barber clippers, shears, etc.
Can I use Andis oil for lubricating Wahl clippers?
Andis clipper oil is highly versatile, and its use is not exclusive Andis brand clippers. You can use it on all hair clipper blades, including your Wahl clipper. As a lubricating oil, it does a pretty excellent job in oiling, cleaning, and reducing the wear and tear of your trimmer blade.
How to oil Wahl hair clippers?
When oiling your Wahl clippers, apply a drop of Wahl clipper oil on the blade's top corners and foot. Turn the clipper on after dropping some oil to allow it to work around the blade. You will know the oil is in the right place once it quiets down.
After turning it off, wipe away any excess oil using a clean, dry cloth to avoid damaging the clipper's motor, then it is ready to use.
How do you lubricate electric clippers?
Once you have learned how to oil clippers, you may practically do the same for electric ones, even for Wahl electric hair clippers. If you are an electric shaver user, then it is best to lubricate its blades with light mineral oil, like hair clipper blade oil.
Final Thoughts
Lubricating your hair clippers, trimmers, and electric shavers will ensure smooth operation. It is necessary to clean and oil such devices regularly because they have small moving parts.
Once you learn how to oil hair clippers, you may do so effortlessly at any time that is most convenient for you.
Now that you understand how critical oiling is, we hope to have helped you enjoy your grooming products for many more years to come. Hopefully, this article helped you achieve excellent shaving and haircutting experience you can do yourself at home.
