Spring Clean

Spring is finally here, which can only mean one thing… spring cleaning!

If you have finished clipping for the season, take time to give your clippers a good deep clean before storing them away. Caked on grime will be harder to clean come the winter and could rust your clipper blades and internal clipper components.

Step 1 - Blade Care

• Remove the blades from the clipper
• Brush away clipped hair and wipe away any dirt away with a soft cloth. Our Andis 5-in-1 spray is great for cleaning dirty blades. Check out our video guide here.
• For A5 blades, move the cutter halfway along to clean the cutting surfaces. Find out how here
• Check over each blade for missing teeth, rust or excessive wear and replace as necessary.
• Send dull blades away to resharpened ready for winter – It’s worth sending blades off now before the Autumn rush. We highly recommend Shear Ease Ltd.
• Store clean blades wrapped in a clean cloth covered with a little clipper oil inside the carry case or an airtight plastic storage box such as these purpose made boxes from Shear Ease Ltd

 

For details on how to clean your clipper model and clipper blades, take a look at our tutorial videos on our YouTube channel here.

Step 2 – Cleaning the clipper handset

Love it or hate it, cleaning your clipper is an essential part of clipper maintenance and will with good care your clippers will last for many years to come. Here’s our top tips for cleaning the clipper handset.

• With the clipper blades removed, clean out any trapped hair from the inside the clipper head. Air dusters (cans of pressurised air for cleaning computers etc) are superb for blowing out hair from the nooks and crannies!
• Remove (if possible) and clean air filters with the cleaning brush and check for damage to the mesh. Replace broken filters here.
• Wipe down the clipper cable with some disinfectant cleaning wipes (never water) and dry with a soft cloth – the cable can get particularly stinky if it gets into contact with the stable floor. Check along the length of the cord for damage and send your clippers off for repair if the cable shows signs of wear.
• Check and carefully wipe over the batteries with a dry soft cloth. Ideally run each battery down before storing for a longer term.
• If your clipper is due, send your handset for a service ready for the next season – ideally send them off over the warmer months before the Autumn rush.
• Lastly, No matter how regularly you clean your heavy duty clipper, clipped hair can get trapped into the main body of the handset which can only be cleaned out properly with regular clipper servicing. We recommend sending your clipper for servicing every 1-2 years depending on their workload. This will ensure that the inside of the clipper motor is thoroughly cleaned out and allows for worn parts to be replaced before problems occur.

For details on how to clean your clipper model and clipper blades, take a look at our tutorial videos on our YouTube channel here.

Step 3 – Storing your clippers

The best place to store your clippers is in their original carry case. Now that your clippers and blades are clean, it pays to clean out your carry case to make sure that the previous work is not undone.

• Remove any foam padding and accessories and take time to clean out the case of any accumulated hair.
• Wipe clean the inside and outside of the carry case with a soft cloth.
• Make sure the carry case, foam, and any accessories such as combs are completely dry before replacing them into the case. This will prevent rust developing inside your handset and damaging the clipper.
• Make sure opened bottles of clipper oil have their lid screwed on tight to avoid leakages or store these separately in a leak proof container.
• Keep the carry case in a dry and warm environment. Inside your own home is best. Cold damp outbuildings and even heated tack rooms where a lot of equipment is stored are not the best places for electrical equipment. Sweat and moisture from horse rugs, tack etc can have a detrimental effect on electricals causing rust and corrosion that will shorten the lifespan of your clipper. Check out more on our previous blog here.