How to Clean Hairdressing Scissors — Step-by-Step Guide

Clean scissors last longer, cut better, and are safer for your clients. But "cleaning" hairdressing scissors isn't just wiping them with a cloth — there's a proper process that protects the blade edge, prevents corrosion, and keeps your scissors performing at their best. Here's exactly how to do it.

Why Cleaning Your Scissors Matters

Every haircut leaves behind residue on your scissors — hair, natural oils, product buildup (hairspray, serums, colour, bleach). Over time, this buildup:

  • Corrodes the blade surface, especially around the pivot screw
  • Attracts debris that can nick or damage the cutting edge
  • Causes the pivot action to stiffen or become rough
  • On uncoated stainless scissors, bleach and colour chemicals in particular accelerate surface pitting

Regular cleaning — ideally after every client — dramatically extends the time between sharpenings and the overall lifespan of your scissors.

What You'll Need

  • A soft, lint-free cloth (microfibre works well)
  • Isopropyl alcohol (70–99%) or a dedicated scissor cleaning solution
  • Scissor oil (purpose-made, not WD-40 or cooking oil)
  • A soft brush (an old toothbrush or cleaning brush) for the pivot area
  • Optional: a leather strop for a final edge polish

Step-by-Step: Cleaning Your Scissors After Each Client

Step 1: Remove Loose Hair and Debris

Open your scissors fully and use a soft cloth to wipe both blades from the screw toward the tip — always moving in the direction away from the cutting edge, not across it. Never rub perpendicular to the edge; this can micro-nick the blade.

Pay particular attention to the area around the pivot screw, where product and hair tend to accumulate. A soft brush helps here.

Step 2: Disinfect the Blades

Dampen a clean section of cloth with isopropyl alcohol and wipe both blades again. Alcohol evaporates quickly and won't cause rust if used correctly. This removes product residue, oils, and bacteria.

Important: Avoid spraying disinfectants directly onto scissors — many salon disinfectant sprays contain chemicals that are corrosive to stainless steel over time. Apply to a cloth first, then wipe.

Step 3: Dry Thoroughly

Before oiling, make sure the blades are completely dry. Trapping moisture under a layer of oil accelerates corrosion. Give them a final wipe with a dry section of cloth and leave them open for 30 seconds if needed.

Step 4: Apply Scissor Oil

Place one drop of scissor oil at the pivot point (the screw area). Open and close the scissors several times to work the oil into the joint. Then wipe off any excess from the blades — you don't want oil residue getting into client hair.

The oil protects the pivot mechanism and any exposed metal surfaces from corrosion. Use proper scissor oil — not WD-40 (which is a water displacer, not a lubricant, and leaves a residue), not cooking oil (goes rancid), and not heavy machine oil (too thick for precision pivots).

Deep Cleaning — Once a Week

In addition to your after-each-client wipe-down, do a deeper clean once a week:

  1. Disassemble if possible: Some scissors have a removable screw. If yours does, carefully remove it and clean the screw and both blade surfaces individually. Reassemble and reset tension to your preferred setting.
  2. Clean the finger rings: Residue and dead skin accumulate inside the rings. Use an alcohol-dampened cotton tip to clean inside them.
  3. Check the bumper: The rubber or plastic bumper (silencer) between the blades takes a lot of wear. If it's cracked or worn, replace it — many brands sell replacement bumpers, or ask your sharpener to replace it.
  4. Polish the blade surface: If you have a leather strop, a few light passes on the blades (flat side down, away from the edge) polish the surface and help remove very fine surface oxidation.

Cleaning After Chemical Exposure

If your scissors have come into contact with bleach, colour, or perming chemicals, clean them as soon as possible — don't wait until end of day. These chemicals are particularly corrosive to stainless steel and will begin pitting the surface within hours. Rinse with clean water, dry immediately, and apply oil.

Titanium-coated scissors are more resistant to chemical damage, but the coating doesn't make them immune. Clean them with the same care.

What NOT to Do When Cleaning Scissors

  • Don't soak scissors in water or disinfectant: Prolonged contact with water corrodes the pivot and blade surface.
  • Don't use abrasive cloths or scouring pads: These scratch the blade surface and can damage the edge.
  • Don't use WD-40: It's a water displacer and degreaser, not a long-term lubricant. It leaves a residue that attracts dust and lint.
  • Don't clean blades by running them through your fingertips against the edge: This is a common habit that causes cuts and can leave fingerprint oils on the blade.
  • Don't autoclave hairdressing scissors: The high heat and steam damages tempered steel and rubber components. Wipe disinfection is the correct method for scissors.

Storage: Keeping Your Scissors Clean Between Uses

Clean scissors don't stay clean if you store them carelessly:

  • Use a scissor pouch or case — not a drawer where they'll knock against other tools
  • Store with the blades closed to protect the edge
  • Keep them in a dry environment — humidity accelerates corrosion, especially at the pivot
  • Don't leave scissors on a metal counter where they can be knocked or dropped — the tips are the most vulnerable part of the blade

How Clean Scissors Affect Your Sharpening Frequency

Clean scissors stay sharper longer. Product and hair debris that sits on the blade creates micro-abrasion with every cut — essentially dulling the edge from the outside in. Regular cleaning removes this before it does damage.

Stylists who clean their scissors correctly after every client typically need professional sharpening every 4–6 months. Those who don't may find themselves needing sharpening every 2–3 months — doubling their maintenance cost over a year.

When your scissors do need professional sharpening, ShearGenius offers mobile scissor sharpening across Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia — we come to your salon so there's zero downtime.

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