In a busy salon or barber shop, clippers can quickly accumulate grease, dirt, grime and hair. The blade will not perform as well, when this debris has collected between the blades. Washing the clipper blades daily will keep your clippers at their best, but clipper blade wash can get expensive, if you are cleaning your clippers regularly. Dish soap, plain water and shampoo work as effective alternatives to clipper blade wash.

When preparing to wash the clippers, dismantle the clippers, leaving the screws somewhere they won’t roll off and disappear. Clean the blade separately from the clippers to prevent ruining the electrical components and to get into the grooves of the blades for better cleaning. To help prevent rusting, always dry the blades completely after washing and before re-attaching them to the clipper mechanism.

For a gentle rinse and hair removal, rinse clipper blades with warm water. Place them to soak for a few minutes in a dish or just rinse them, if you are short on time. Use a small bristled brush -- such as a toothbrush -- to remove hair and clean out the grooves of the blade.

Dishwashing liquid is meant to cut through heavy grease: using it to clean your clippers will leave them squeaky clean. When cleaning with dishwashing liquid, a little goes a long way. Only apply a drop at a time and clean the blade with a toothbrush or other small bristled brush. When the cleaning is done, oil will need to be reapplied for the clippers to work smoothly.

Shampoo is used to remove grease and buildup from your scalp, it will also remove grease from clipper blades. It is more gentle than dishwashing soap and every salon has plenty on hand. A teaspoon of shampoo can be added to a small bristled brush to scrub the blade, and time allowing, you can submerge the blade in warm water with a little shampoo to remove additional grime. Reapply oil to the blades before using.