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How to Lubricate Your Electric Shaver With Clipper Oil
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Using electric shaver lubricant is something most don’t think to do but is essential to your shaver’s overall health and performance.
In this guide on how to lubricate your electric shaver, we’ll help you understand how often to oil, what kind is best, the process itself and why it’s important.
Introduction
Everyone who knows it’s only a matter of time before their blades get dull are lubricating already and experiencing a better shaving experience because of it.
Applying electric shaver lubricant only takes a minute out of your day and comes with a slew of benefits that come with the reduced friction and less overheating.
There’s also different types of lubricant that need to be addressed, because some even have the tendency to clog blades.
Having basic knowledge about the best practices to follow and which brands are ideal is necessary before starting, so jump right in:
Table of Contents
What Happens if you don’t oil your shaver?
There are many reasons why lubricating is an essential part of the maintenance process, and it all stems from the improvement in shaver lifespan in some way or another.
Without lubricating, your shaver will be left vulnerable to these consequences:
- Less blade lifespan: How long your headpiece lasts will be significantly reduced due to the dulling of blades experienced from friction, and on foil shavers they can tear through completely.
- Skin irritation and burning: Skin irritation and burning will be elevated due to dull blades and heat, making the shaving experience much more uncomfortable.
- Less close shave: As the blades are worn down from lack of lubrication, it’ll start affecting how close your shave is and also begin to leave missed patches behind.
- Motor Strain: The motor will extra work without the moving parts being slick which causes more stress on the motor both not allowing for maximum power and wearing it out.
If you’re experiencing any of these issues and are lubricating regularly, the blades may already be too damaged and need a replacement.
Skin irritation is usually a temporary issue and stops when lubricating is started, but if your shaver is showing any sign that it’s worn out (either the unit itself or blades) than it’s worth the replacement.
The right products and techniques plus knowing how often to oil your shaver can avoid you all of these issues and even extend your shaver’s lifespan.
So let’s jump right in:
What Can I Use to Lubricate an Electric Razor?
Clipper oil and spray oil are the candidates we chose for the best lubricant in the case of electric razors.
The reason behind this is because most of the brands that sell them make the product specifically for this purpose and they won’t clog up when dealing with shaving cream, moisture or hair.
Basically, it’s the best oil for electric shavers.
Some shavers come with or sell lubricant under the same brand name but that often isn’t the case either being not included or insanely hard to find.
We found these to be the best of the two types:
Clipper Oil
Clipper Oil
Wahl’s clipper oil is the best choice in my opinion because it’s cheap, lasts long and gets the job done just as great as the others.
For spray lubricant I personally use Remington Shaver Saver, but again there’s no right answer to picking a brand.
I generally prefer spray lubricant because some of them disinfect plus get cleaning and lubrication done all in one process.
There won’t be a significant change in after effect between these high quality brands, so It’s all up to preference, pricing and availability.
Alternatives to Clipper Oil
For other electric razor lubricant options, typically light oils like vitamin e oil and mineral oil also work fine, but aren’t specifically made for shavers and I’m skeptical of the
Cooking oil and any waxy / thick lubricant is generally frowned upon because they will either become rancid or clog the blades having the opposite effect you’re looking for.
Can you use WD-40 on hair clippers?
WD-40 should never act as a replacement for hair clipper oil because it’s a solvent which can cause skin irritation and damage directly to the blades. It evaporates fast, makes moving parts sticky, strips necessary layers of grease and is too heavy for shavers, clippers and hair trimmers.
Using Light Lubricant and Clipper Oil
There’s a couple tips that you should follow in order to prevent some potential issues.
These steps are easy to follow and will end up saving you work in the future.
- Especially if you recently shaved with any type of cream or gel, make sure to fully clean and dry out the shaver so no clogging occurs and the oil can penetrate better.
- If you only did a quick dry shave beforehand than at least tap or blow the blades to clear out a majority of the stuck hairs.
- Also ensure you have the right oil for the instructions you’re following whether it be light / clipper oil or spray lubricants.
One thing that does stay the same is each process taking less than a minute total and not involving disassembling of the shaver.
This ease of use and accessibility should be another reason why you start lubricating now.
If your shaver came with a cleaning station that lubricates your shaver, there’s no need to do any more than is already being applied.
How to Oil Your Electric Razor With Clipper Oil
There’s no need to remove the headpiece for either type of shaver in order to properly lubricate as the oil will distribute evenly with the steps we provided.
It won’t hurt if that’s your preferred method though, and it may even be slightly more optimal.
Lubricating your shaver is easy if you follow the right instructions and pay attention to our tips.
1. Apply a drop of lubricant
Remove the blades of your shaver (if preferred) and put one or two drops maximum on each head / foil. Any more than this will most likely create excess for the clean up later.
You want to aim for the slits and holes of your rotary shaver so the lubricant actually reaches all internal moving parts.
For foil shavers, I usually aim for the middle.
Also put a few drops of lubricating oil on the beard trimmer if you have one because it can get surprisingly hot during use, even more than standard pieces in some cases.
If you do end up disassembling your rotary shaver, don’t get the parts mixed up as they all have their special places and the shaver won’t work properly if they’re mismatched.
2. Spread lubricant with the shaver on
Turn the shaver on for 10-15 seconds so the oil can spread evenly, along with it being upright so none back out of the headpiece.
You can also use your finger to potentially spread the oil faster during this, but it’s optional even though it does aid in distribution.
Without this step, you’ll be missing areas of the headpiece and if even a portion of your shaver’s blades are lacking a layer, it can greatly effect performance and lifespan (if done regularly).
3. Lightly pat the foils to remove excess oil
If there does end up being excess shaving lube on the shaver either dripping off the sides or on the foils, lightly dab some of it up from the source and anywhere else with a paper towel or tissue.
You shouldn’t pick up too much oil from the foils or blades themselves to ensure there’s enough of a coating, but if large globs are present than I advise you take action.
The reason why removing any unnecessary oil is needed comes from the problem of substances mixing and building up that lead to rust and corrosion.
How to Use Spray Lubricant For Your Shaver
Electric shaver spray lubricant is the easier way of completing this task, plus it has the added bonus of degreasing blades from mineral deposits and skin oils unlike conventional lubricant.
You should remove hairs from the shaving head before lubricating it so they don’t stick to any materials.
This process does involve removing blades and foils, but has more benefits if you’re using the right product.
After blades are removed, lay them down on a piece or two of paper towel so the oil doesn’t settle into your table or countertop.
Holding the can a few inches away from your blades, give them 2-3 generous sprays making sure to cover both exposed and hidden parts.
If blades are smaller you may need less, and depending on how much comes out it’s possible you may require more so you will need to experiment.
Following this, simply reattach removed pieces and let the shaver run for 10-15 seconds in order to spread the solution.
You won’t need to help with your fingers as spray lubricant is generally the least viscous type of solution.
Also spraying your trimmer attachment is effective at keeping it cool, because in my experience they can get pretty hot for comfort depending on the make.
You can read the full guide on the use of electric shaver cleaning solution below, where we use Andis Blade Care 7 in 1 clipper solution:
How Often Should You Oil Your Electric Shaver
How often you lubricate your electric razor can vary for your personal situation.
The deciding factors are often times the amount and type of maintenance being done, how often you’re shaving plus the make and model of your unit.
If you are experiencing more heat or any other other downsides that indicate a lack of lubrication, it’s advised to increase the amount of times you do it per week.
It’ll take a bit of experimenting but not any more time and certainly no potential to damage the shaver because over lubrication is very rare if you follow proper directions.
For an immediate rough estimate, it’s generally based on if you clean with soap or not:
Is Lubrication For You?
Ignoring the benefits of lubrication can cost you a significant amount of performance and lifespan, so I recommend taking the minute out of your day to do it.
Oiling your shaver with the right brands and practices will not just extend the lifespan significantly, but also offer superior closeness and comfort in the short and long term.
Clipper and spray lubricants being lighter oils are best used for this purpose as they’re tailored towards shavers and tend not to clog the moving internal parts.
Spray lubricants are generally more functional because of their degreasing and cleaning properties present in most of them.
I personally use Remington Shaver Saver for spray lubricant and Wahl for standard clipper oil because they’re known and trusted brands, but the same goes for all other alternatives.
Oiling 2 times per week is sufficient for normal amounts of cleaning but if you’re washing with soap regularly than you should lubricate after every cleansing.
How to Use Electric Shaver Spray Cleaner & Lubricant
Electric shaver spray cleaner is the easiest way to clean and lubricate your shaver among other benefits within 3 easy steps that take a minute to complete.
How Long Do Electric Razors Last? Know When to Replace Your Shaver
The average electric shaver will last between 3-7 years, but this can vary with factors such as consistent use, brand quality and proper maintenance.
