I often use my flat iron on some sections of hair after putting on hairspray, which is definitely not probably not recommended by your favorite stylist. And it can leave a nasty product residue on the plates, which builds up over time and then makes the bathroom smell like… well, burning hairspray (not on Yankee Candle’s list of potential fragrances, I’m sure- quite the unpleasant odor). To keep your hair straightener in tip-top shape, you’ll need a soft cloth, warm water, and baking soda. Don’t forget to do a regular cleaning to maintain a clean hair straightener and keep the ceramic plates from product buildup. You could probably use this fix on any of your hot tools (dirty flat iron, hair dryer, curling iron, maybe even hair brushes!) but ensure you always look at the manufacturer’s instructions and always make sure your hair tools are not plugged in.
How to clean a Flat Iron (when it looks like this!)
After trying some methods that didn’t work so well, I finally found one that cleans off all of the hairspray gunk from the plates of your flat iron! It’s a good idea to make sure your flat iron is fully cooled prior to doing this- and, of course, unplug it.
Here’s the best way I’ve found to clean my hair straightener. (This will likely work on all styling tools with product build-up, but I have really only used it on my flat iron plates so far!)
How to Clean a Flat Iron: 4 Simple Steps
1. Mix about 1/4 cup of baking soda with hydrogen peroxide until you have a paste to work with.
2. Use some elbow grease to rub it into the plates, making sure that you aren’t getting it into the straightener itself.
3. Wipe down with a damp cloth. Make sure you get all of the paste off of your straightener prior to using it again. (If you have stubborn residue it may take more than one scrub of the straightener plates to get them clean.)
4. Repeat as necessary until you have a clean straightener. Repeat on a regular basis to keep the plates of the flat iron in top condition.
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