How to Remove Hairspray From a Curling Iron

Clean your curling iron on a regular basis

If you use your curling iron on a frequent basis but don't clean it nearly as often, you may be shortening your thermal hairstyling tool's life span. After all, the styling products you use with the curling iron, such as hairspray, compromise the quality of your tool if you don't remove the residue. Your hair is at risk as well if you leave hardened hairspray to tug on, snagging your locks every time they are wrapped around the curling iron barrel. Avoid inflicting more trauma on your hair by taking better care of your curling iron from now on.

Things You'll Need

• Heat-resistant mat
• Paper towels
• Professional thermal hairstyling tool cleanser

Instructions

1. Switch your curling iron off and unplug it. Lay it down on a heat-resistant mat instead of directly on your table or countertop, which might get singed upon contact with a hot curling iron. Allow about five minutes to pass before proceeding.

2. Wipe the barrel of your lukewarm curling iron with a moist paper towel. Any hairspray that has just freshly adhered to it will come off with little effort. Waiting any later than this to clean your curling iron will require a different method to remove hairspray, as it will have hardened.

3. Spray your completely cooled down curling iron with a professional thermal hairstyling tool cleanser to safely and effectively remove styling product residue that has gotten tacky.

4. Wipe away the broken down and softened residue with a paper towel. Clean not only the barrel of the curling iron, but also any other parts of your thermal styling tool that appear to have grime on it, such as the handle. With a damp paper towel, clean off the remaining traces of hairspray.

Tips & Warnings

• You may use nail polish remover, ammonia, spray-on oven cleaner or rubbing alcohol if you happen to run out of spray cleanser. Moisten a cotton ball with the solution of your choice and rub it along the areas where hairspray has built up. Remove remnants of the solvent afterward by wiping the curling iron with a damp paper towel. This will prevent your hair from getting coated with the solvent the next time you use your curling iron.

Resources

• Video on cleaning a curling iron