How to Oil a Foil Shaver

Co-authored by Marlon Rivas and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: September 18, 2021 References

A foil shaver is a lifesaver when you need a quick, close shave. These shavers have straight heads with oscillating blades underneath that give you a really smooth shave every time. However, these cutters can get hot or wear out faster if they're not lubricated after every use. Always clean your shaver before you apply the oil—you'll be rewarded with a shaver that lasts for years!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Cleaning

1
Unplug the shaver and remove the head from the top. Most foil shavers have a small button on 1 of the narrow sides. Press it down while you pull the upper part off of the shaver. This is the head section that has the metallic foils.^{[1]
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- While the foils themselves aren't sharp, the blades underneath them are, so use caution when you take the foil piece off.
2
Rinse out the head with hot water and dry it. You'll probably see lots of tiny hairs stuck in the miniature holes of the foils. Hold it under hot, running water to rinse the hairs out. Turn the piece over and rinse from the other side, too. Then, use a cloth or paper towel to completely dry the piece.^{[2]
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3
Brush away the hairs and spray the shaver with air. Your shaver may have come with a small bristle brush or you can use a toothbrush that you've designated for cleaning the shaver. If you see hairs stuck in hard to reach spots, reach for a can of compressed air and spray around the blades.^{[3]
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- It's best to avoid rinsing the blades with water, since you may end up getting the electrical components of the shaver wet.
4
Spritz the blades and foil head piece with disinfecting spray. Set the foil head piece on a paper towel and lightly spray the foils. Then, spray the cutter blades, too. The disinfecting spray kills germs and adds a light layer of lubricant.^{[4]
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- Disinfecting spray is also sold as 5-in-1 clipper spray. You could also use isopropyl alcohol to disinfect your shaver. Just dip a cotton ball in the alcohol and carefully rub it over the blades of the cutting bar and the head piece.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Lubricating

1
Turn on the shaver and squeeze 1 drop of oil onto the blades. Hold the shaver at a 45-degree angle and carefully squeeze a single drop of oil onto the blades. These cutting bar blades are exposed when you take the foil head piece off of the shaver. It's important that you don't hold the cutting bar blades straight up at a 90-degree angle because you don't want the oil to drip down into the shaver itself.^{[5]
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- Only use clipper oil on your foil shaver. You should avoid using olive oil since it's too thick and can gum up the blades.^{[6]
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- Most shavers come with a small tube of clipper oil. Just cut the tip from the end so you can easily squeeze a drop onto the blades.
2
Keep the shaver on for 5 seconds. This gives the clipper oil a chance to spread along the entire length of the cutting bar blades. Then, switch off the shaver.^{[7]
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3
Apply a drop of oil to the foils on the head piece and run the shaver for 5 seconds. If your manufacturer recommends oiling the foils, turn off the shaver and squeeze 1 drop on each of the outer foils. Then, turn on the shaver for 5 seconds so the oil works across all of the foils on the head piece.^{[8]
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4
Turn off the shaver and wipe it with a cloth. Gently wipe the sides of the shaver to soak up oil that may have dripped. Then, push the foil head piece back onto the shaver until you hear them click in place.^{[9]
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- Always keep your shaver completely dry to prevent it from rusting and lubricate it after every use.

Expert Q&A

Question

What other things can you use to shave?

Timmy Yanchun
Professional Barber
Timmy Yanchun is a Professional Barber and Co-Founder of Svelte Barbershop + Essentials. Svelte Barbershop + Essentials is a men’s grooming company, specializing in men’s hair, beard, skin, and shave products, originally located in the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, California but has now branched out to 3 locations across Los Angeles. Timmy has been cutting hair since age 13 and opened his first of 6 barbershops at age 18. He is also the co-founder of the newly launched brand LTHR, the world's first wireless hot lather machine for barber quality shaves at home. Timmy and Svelte have been featured in GQ, Men's Fitness, and Hypebeast.

Timmy Yanchun

Professional Barber

Expert Answer

If no shaving cream is available then a hair conditioner and moisturizer can be used. You can prep your skin the same way you do with shaving cream or shaving gel by using a hair conditioner, hot water, and a sharp razor blade for the freshest and cleanest possible. After shaving apply moisturizer.