Have you ever been brushing your hair and it is so knotty that the hairbrush breaks? Therefore, you want to throw it away, but you are not too sure which way is the most environmentally friendly option? This might make you wonder, are hairbrushes recyclable?
Continue reading to find out this answer and more!
Can You Recycle Hair Brushes?
Hairbrushes cannot be recycled. This is because they are made up of a mixture of materials, and not all the pieces are reusable. However, some brands of hair brushes are eco-friendly and recyclable, but you will need to check the brand of hairbrush before you throw it in the recycling bin to make sure.
Read on to learn about how to dispose of hairbrushes in an environmentally friendly way, and how to upcycle and reuse your hairbrush.
How To Recycle Hair Brushes
The plastic, rubber, wood, and glue pieces of a hairbrush cannot be separated, so recycling just isn’t an option.
Furthermore, if you wanted to recycle it, it could ruin other recycled goods and cause more damage.
However, there are some brushes on the market that are recyclable.
For example, a few conscious companies designed brushes that can be recycled by using natural materials to allow them to be biodegradable.
Hair Brushes are typically made from different kinds of plastic, hair, or nylon that are unrecyclable.
These plastics are then mixed with glue and developed into the fragments of a brush.
Brushes can be made of wood as well, but unless the glue can be separated from it, the brush should still be disposed of in the trash.
When Should You Throw Out A Hair Brush?
Hairbrushes surprisingly, should only be used for six months to a year.
This is because an older brush can damage your hair causing things such as flyaways and split ends.
Hairbrushes are also notorious for harboring germs, and worst-case scenario, lice!
However, cleaning your brush regularly can increase its lifespan and reduce its chances of it damaging your hair.
Now that you know when to throw out your hairbrush, what about disposing of them? Keep on reading to learn how to dispose of your hairbrush correctly.
How To Dispose Of Hair Brushes
If recycling isn’t an option, is there a better, more earth-friendly way to dispose of your hairbrush?
Donating is not an option for cleanliness reasons as a hairbrush can spread lice and other possible problems through a community if it is donated.
So, to properly dispose of a hairbrush, you should throw it in the trash.
Furthermore, since it is a group of materials, it can be adequately taken care of in a landfill.
How To Reuse And Upcycle Hair Brushes
One way you could upcycle your hairbrush is by turning it into the perfect accessory!
Furthermore, the shape of a hairbrush is perfect for making a little handheld mirror.
So, if you take off the bristles and install a small mirror from a craft store, you can have the perfect little hand mirror.
Also, you can use an old hairbrush as a foot cleaning brush. For example, the bristles on the brush can clean some of the dirt and grime off your shoes!
To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether you can recycle greeting cards, whether you can recycle glossy paper, and whether you can recycle frozen food boxes and bags.
Conclusion
In this article, there has been provided a couple of ways to reuse and upcycle your old hairbrushes.
Furthermore, hairbrushes are unable to be recycled but now that you know what to do with them, you can make the most out of your hairbrush and easily upcycle them!