How To Oil Hair Clippers – (The ULTIMATE Guide)
Your clippers need oiling.
It would be criminal to own a pair and not give them the lubrication they need and neglecting to oil your blades has many consequences consequences (we go through this later).
But ..how exactly do you oil hair clippers?
What’s the best approach? And how often should it be done?
Don’t worry, in this article, we’ll go through the entire process and more!
So with that said, let’s get into it.
How to oil clippers
If you have hair clipper oil you can quickly oil your hair clippers with these simple steps:
How to Oil Your Clippers
Time needed: 1 minute
The simple steps to blade longevity.
- Step 1
Turn off your hair clippers
- Step 2
Place 3 drops of oil across the front cutting row of your hair clipper
- Step 3
Place a drop of oil on either side of your hair clippers
- Step 4
Turn on your hair clippers and let your hair clippers run for 15 seconds allow the oil to work around the blades
- Step 5
Turn your hair clippers off and turn them upside down.
- Step 6
Any excess oil that drops off the blade is wiped away with a cloth
Watch The Full Process Below
In the rest of this article, I will quickly learn the importance of oiling hair clippers and when it should be done.
Read on.
What is clipper oil?
Clipper oil is made from highly refined petroleum oil. Due to this, hair clipper oil is essentially mineral oil. 95% of Wahl hair clipper oil is made up of mineral oil. The other 5% have their part to part to play too…
The other ingredients in some hair clipper oil are
- Synthetic oils
- Lubricating agents
Synthetic oils are artificial compounds made using chemicals, they are designed to have specific properties, in this case, it’s to give hair clipper oil better resistance to rust.
Synthetic oils are derived from natural substances such as petroleum, petroleum is what mineral oil is formed from but the synthetic oil in different hair clipper oils have a different carbon length and are refined for longer.
This is what allows synthetic oils to bring other beneficial qualities to hair clipper oil and due to their similar nature, the formula for hair clipper oils is safe all around.
Lubricating oils are just other natural types of petroleum-based oils added to the hair clipper formula to balance the whole formula in general. The mineral oil in hair clipper oil can be a lubricating agent in itself.
Mineral oil is a safe liquid. Due to it being highly refined, the oil does not have any toxic properties that will be harmful to you or your clippers. This is especially the case for mineral oil found in hair clippers.
Minera oil in hair clipper oils such as Wahl is 100% pure white. This means that the oil is in its safest and purest state. This type of mineral oil has the best lubricating properties.
Mineral oil is light viscous oil. This allows the oil to easily get around your hair clipper blades. Giving them the lubrication they need.
Mineral oil in hair clippers is also resistant to heat. With a smoke point of 275F(135C), there is no heat your clippers can emit that the oil can’t handle.
With hair clipper oil your blades get effective lubrication.
This is Key. Some oils used on hair clipper blades have low smoke and easily become deformed. From there, it can build up inside your clippers.
Always look to use the best oils on your clippers, Below are some of the best I would suggest:
WAHL HAIR CLIPPER OIL Best overall
ANDIS HAIR CLIPPER OIL Rust prevention
OSTER HAIR CLIPPER OIL Quick spreading
Looking to avoid these killer alternatives? Stick to the alternatives mentioned below.
Hair clipper oil alternatives
There’s a range of oils that can be used on clipper blades. These oils can also be as effective as hair clipper oil.
You can use these oils as alternatives for detailed hair clipper oiling. I provide a thorough guide on that later. These are the alternatives:
- Baby oil
- Pure mineral oil
Baby oil might come as a shock. You may possibly have some lying about. Don’t be shocked, you most certainly can oil your hair clipper blades with baby oil.
Baby oil is made out of mineral oil. 90% of baby oil is made of mineral oil with the remaining 5% being fragrances. The high volume of mineral oil in this product makes it a great alternative as a hair-clipper oil.
Baby oil has the properties to match hair clipper oil. Baby oil is very light and viscous. It oil can easily get around your blades and give them the lubrication they deserve.
It is also highly heat resistant. Baby oil can take any heat given off by hair clippers without becoming deformed.
All in all, it is a robust alternative that will get the job done.
The other alternative is well… Mineral oil. 100% pure mineral can be used on your hair clippers. Have you noticed a trend here?
Essentially if you’re looking for a hair clipper oil alternative, think mineral oil. It will most likely do the job.
However, there are some risky alternatives that can also do the job. These would be your vegetable oils.
Vegetable oils can be found in most households. These oils can be decent lubricants for your blade but in the long run, could damage them, I would advise against them unless it critical.
What are the Benefits of oiling hair clippers?
We all know we need to oil our clippers but why? Hair clipper blades are like any other thing of value, They need to be taken care of or they will die. In this case, your blades will wear out and become useless.
This happened to me while cutting a client’s hair. Neglecting oiling my hair clipper blade led to me having to dip into my bank to get a new set. I’m sure you want to avoid this too.
Learning how to oil hair clippers has several advantages.
For example
- Performance Enhancement
- Increased life expectancy
- Prevention of rust
- Maintain clipper temperature
- Reduce noise
Performance Enhancement
Properly oiling clippers is essential for them to operate smoothly. Want to avoid hair pulling? Then you can’t have blunt blades.
Nobody wants to keep having to go over the same patch of hair just to cut it. Without hair clipper oiling this might become your reality.
All the friction produced from your blades can wear your blades out so much, that they might not be able to simply cut hair .. Don’t let this be your clippers.
Increased life expectancy
As a result of oil, your clipper will last longer and perform better. Less wear and tear on your blades means your clippers can last longer.
You should not have to get rid of your clippers simply from a lack of oiling.
Prevention of rust
Hair clipper blades are metal. This means your hair clipper is vulnerable to rust, like any other metal.
While there are ways to prevent your clipper blades from rusting. Oil them is a the top. Clipper oils such as Wahl hair clipper oil, provide a layer after oil that helps to protect your clippers from rust.
Maintain Clipper Temperature
Oiling Helps to Maintain the Clipper’s Temperature. A well-oiled clipper reduces friction and hence reduces heat generation.
You can use your clippers for longer without worrying about burning someone. Surely that’s a positive.
Reduce noise
Your clippers will let you know when they need oiling. The loud noise produced from clippers that need an oil can be deafening. This is especially the case when cutting around the ear.
It is very irritating. However, you can easily get rid, of it with a bit of oil.
Proper cleaning and frequent oiling of the clipper blades are the first steps in extending the life of your hair clippers.
Knowing how to oil hair clippers will prevent them from overheating, limit the amount of friction that might dull the blade, and keep them sharper for a longer period.
Your clipper blades should be properly oiled after two uses, so not every single use.
I’m sure these benefits all sound great to you but you’re probably asking yourself how exactly do I oil my clippers to get these results?
I have the guide for this below but first, you need the right equipment for the job.
How to oil clipper blades
How to Properly Oil Clippers
Here’s the rundown in more detail…
Step 1: Clean Hair Clippers
You must remove any hair from your blades as well as deeply sterilize them before oiling. This is so your blades can get oiled deeply without hair blocking the hidden parts of the blade.
I provide a detailed guide on how to clean and oil clippers.
If in a rush, quickly, brush around your blade with a hard brush. This can be a toothbrush.
Then use a cotton rag and wipe down the blade to make sure you have taken off as much hair as possible.
Step 2: Position your clipper’s
Your hair clippers can be on to begin with when oiling your clippers but for this guide, we suggest you turn them off.
Then position your to have the blades facing up slightly. This is the right position to angle your blades as it puts your blades in the right position to take in the oil.
Step 3: How to Oil Blades on Clippers
Using your oil of choice, place 3 drops of oil equally apart, across the cutting rail of your hair clipper. This is where your two blades meet. Spread the drops equally apart to have as much spread as possible.
Soon after this, turn your hair clippers sideways and apply a drop of oil to either side of your clippers.
Step 4: Turn on your clippers and move the lever
You can now turn on your clippers. This is to now work the oil between the blades to offer maximum lubrication. Keep your blades pointing slightly upward while doing this.
At the same time, move the lever of your clipper up and down to allow your blades to move and spread the oil.
This also helps to spread the oil.
Step 5: Wipe excess oil
Let your blades run for 10-15 seconds.
Once this time has passed, Oil turns your blades upside to allow any excess oil to drop down.
This is especially important if you’re not using hair clipper oil as your oil in this process.
Excess oil can make its way down to your motor and cause damage. It can also aid in hair build-up in your clippers.
Wait 5 seconds while your clippers are upside down then wipe the excess oil that comes down.
Just like that, your hair clippers are oiled.
All of the benefits I spoke about will come your way. However, this is not just a one-and-done thing, It is vital that you keep consistent with hair oiling.
That will truly be the thing you can do for your clippers.
Not sure how often to oil your blades? I go over that below
How often should you oil your clippers
If you want your clipper or trimmer to last as long as possible, oil frequently. This will also optimize performance. This will keep clipper maintenance up and increase longevity.
You should look to oil your hair clippers
- Every 2-3 uses (advice for casual use)
- Every day or after numerous uses (advice for barber)
Oiling hair clippers is important. But you, must not overdo it as oiling can cause rapid build-up inside your clippers and decrease clipper performance. Also, it could lead to a damaged motor.
Conclusion:
You came to this article wondering how to oil hair clippers.
I have provided a brief and detailed guide to them mentioning the importance of
- Cleaning
- Clipper positioning for oiling
- Use of lever for oil distribution
- Wiping off excess oil
Following this guide will make sure your hair clippers are oiled correctly and efficiently.
Please leave a comment on your experience when oiling clippers and if you found this article helpful, please take a look at other articles on this topic:
