How to Clean and Oil
Your Hair Clippers
Most "bad clippers" are just dirty clippers. Five minutes of maintenance restores the cut and doubles their life.
By Jessica Hamilton — Master Stylist & Creative Director
If your clippers pull, snag, run hot, or leave patchy lines, the problem is almost never the motor — it's hair debris between the blades and a lack of oil. Clipper blades are two metal plates sliding against each other thousands of times a minute; without lubrication they dull and heat up fast. This routine takes five minutes.
The Routine (After Every Use)
- 1
Unplug or remove the battery
Never clean a live clipper.
- 2
Brush out the debris
Use the small brush that came with them — sweep hair out from between and behind the blades.
- 3
Remove the blade if you can
Most clippers let you unscrew or snap off the blade for a proper clean. Brush both faces.
- 4
Apply clipper oil
3–4 drops along the cutting teeth and one on each side rail — with the clipper running.
- 5
Run for 10–20 seconds
Lets the oil spread evenly between the blades.
- 6
Wipe off the excess
Excess oil attracts hair and turns to gunk. A quick wipe with a cloth is enough.
Use the Right Oil
- Use proper clipper oil — it's a light mineral oil designed not to gum up.
- Don't use cooking oil, WD-40, or motor oil — they either gum the blades or strip them and cause rust.
- Oil every use if you cut regularly; at minimum every few cuts.
- Blade wash / cleaning spray is handy for a deeper clean but still needs oil afterwards.
Signs You've Left It Too Long
- Pulling or snagging instead of cutting cleanly — the classic symptom.
- Running hot against your skin.
- Getting louder or sounding strained.
- Leaving patchy lines in a fade (see patchy fade causes).
- Visible rust or dark gunk — clean immediately; rust may mean replacing the blade.