ASKHQ: CLEANING GROOMING BRUSHES

Q: How do I do a routine clean of my grooming brushes?

Asked by Nicolette Viljoen

A: Cleaning grooming brushes is vital, not only for your horse’s health but also for keeping the brushes in shape for longer.

Firstly, you must start by dislodging as much of the dirt and debris as you can by dragging a curry comb (preferably a metal one) over the bristles or rubbing the two grooming tools together vigorously. Then you need to rinse each brush under running water to remove the majority of the dirt. Next up, dunk each brush into a bucket of warm water containing some horse shampoo. The warm water helps to cut through grease and oil more easily. Swill the brush around in the bucket to make sure it is clean and rub it along the bottom of the bucket or up the sides to dislodge any stubborn dirt. Then rinse it under running water until no more soap bubbles are seen running off the brush. Finally, leave the brush in the sun to dry.

If you use natural brushes with natural bristles the same process still applies, but be careful not to soak the brushes for too long at any point as this can damage the wood or natural materials.