A dryer is one of the most vital pieces of equipment in your salon, which is why it's important to regularly clean and maintain them. This includes cleaning out the filter, cleaning the hose, replacing the carbon brushes, and getting it regularly serviced. (If you haven't heard of carbon brushes before, keep reading to find out what they are, and why they're important for your dryer.)

Cleaning the Filters
Cleaning the Hose
Carbon Brushes
Servicing

 

Cleaning the Filters

Fur and motors don't mix well. To get the most out of your dryer, it is important to clean your dryer filters often. For a professional salon, we recommend removing fur from the filters at the end of each day, and giving the filters a clean with warm soapy water once a week. For home use, it is good practice to give the filters a clean before storing the dryer. Build up on the filter can make the motor work harder than it has to, reducing air flow. Long term, this can cause permanent damage to the motor. 

Step-by-step guide to deep clean your dryer filters:  

1. Remove filter from dryer housing. Shernbao filters have a clip off cover, Vortex and MetroVac dryers have screw to release the filter cover.
2. Using a vacuum, remove as much hair as possible from the filter. You can also use your blaster, hands or a bristle brush to remove the hair, however this is not as effective. 
3. If there are any felted bits of fur stuck to the filter, gently pull these out with your fingers
4. Wash the filters with warm soapy water to remove dust and debris. You can use a small amount of dishwashing liquid (or even dog shampoo!) to wash your filters.
5. Rest these filters on a drying rack/towel to air dry.
6. Once dry, filters are ready to be reused.

 

Cleaning the Hose 

Your dryer hose doesn't need to be cleaned as frequently as your filters, but is an important step to include when giving your salon a routine deep clean. A dryer hose will build up a lot more dirt and debris than you would think. 

Step-by-step guide to deep clean your dryer hose:  

1. Disconnect the hose from the dryer unit.
2. Holding one end of the hose upright, squirt some shampoo or cleaning solution into the hose.
3. Fill the hose with warm water and do your best to work the water around the inside of the hose before draining the solution.
4. Repeat this while holding up the other side to ensure both ends of the hose have been cleaned (you'll be amazed at what comes out!)

 

Carbon Brushes 

Like most appliances, dryers have carbon brushes. Made of carbon, they wear down over time, which is how the brushes pass electricity to the motor. Dryer brushes average 200 to 500 hours depending on factors such as the model, the speeds you use most often, and how often the dryer is turned on and off. The motor will stop when the brushes have entirely worn out.

Carbon brushes are a low-cost part, replaced by an appliance repairer or electrician, or you can DIY. Once replaced, the motor will go again. They tend to wear out at the worse time (Murphy’s Law!), so when you’re getting up over 150 hours it’s smart to keep a set of spare brushes on hand just in case, especially during the busy season over summer if you don’t have a back-up dryer!

A common way to tell if all that's wrong is the brushes, is that the dryer doesn't run, but the dryer electrics still work. On a Vortex 5 for example, the LED display would still be working, but not the motor. You can find replacement carbon brushes for your dryer model here.

Please note - single motor dryers require 2 carbon brushes, and dual/twin motor dryers require 4 carbon brushes. All of the carbon brushes we stock for dryers come in a set of 2. If you're familiar with appliances, you can change the brushes yourself. Alternatively, we recommend a professional do the job for you. We can offer this service, so feel free to get in touch if you would like more information. 

 

Servicing 

Like most salon equipment, your dryers should be serviced every 6-12 months, depending on use. A full service will include a full internal clean and inspection, and a full set of performance tests. Our technicians can also replace carbon brushes and repair faults. 

For more information about our dryer servicing, you can get in touch or request a return here.