As you prepare for the day ahead, you reach for your trusty flat iron to help save yourself from having another bad hair day. You plug it in and switch it on. As you start styling your hair, you notice it’s not working and your flat iron is not heating up. You try unplugging it and then replugging it again but to no avail, it still doesn’t work. What could have caused your flat iron to stop working? Did you do something wrong with it or is your flat iron simply doomed to die today?
When your previous flat iron is dead, you don’t have a choice but to buy another flat iron. This time, you choose a high-quality flat iron in the hopes of having a longer lasting one. Instead of just hoping and praying that your high-quality flat iron lasts, you should get yourself informed about how you can extend the life of your flat iron. Maybe you are doing things wrong or maybe there is something more that you should do. Below is a checklist of things that you should do to make sure your flat iron lasts longer.
Time to Clean Up
When was the last time you cleaned your flat iron? Did you ever clean your flat iron or did you just let product after product build-up on your straightener? That’s nasty and you know you should do better. Cleaning the flat iron is essential in making sure that your flat iron lasts. All the gunk that accumulates is due to the different products that you use on your hair plus the dust and dirt in the air.
It sticks to the flat iron and combines altogether due to the heat. These burnt products can transfer to your hair and make it look awful or worse–cause damage. When this happens, you can easily mistake it for having a faulty flat iron when in reality, it just needs a little bit of cleaning.
To prevent build-up, you should clean your flat iron after each use. A damp paper towel or piece of cloth can be used to wipe the plates to remove your hair products. For smaller crevices, you can make use of a Q-tip to gently remove dirt from it. You can also make use of some rubbing alcohol to help you easily remove the unsightly build-up. Make sure that you do the regular cleaning to prevent hard-to-remove gunk from overtaking your flat iron.
Switch Off After Use
Do you sometimes rush in the morning and forget to unplug your flat iron? You’re lucky if it hasn’t caused any fire but it certainly has caused your flat iron to lessen its life. The life of your flat iron depends on how much you use it. In that regard, making sure that it isn’t turned on when it isn’t used will help prolong its life. After using it, make sure that you switch it off so that it doesn’t continue to heat up. If you don’t it will prolong the heating session and cause your straightener to slowly deteriorate. Also, make sure you unplug it to ensure that electricity doesn’t run through it even when it’s off. By doing this, you don’t only prolong the life of your flat iron but you also lessen the risk of causing accidental fires.
Provide Proper Storage
After you switch off and unplug your flat iron, it would still be very hot and it takes quite some time before it completely cools down. The heat coming from the flat iron can melt or damage the things it touches. This is the reason why you should never wrap the cord of your flat iron around it. The heat can damage the wire of your flat iron and cause improper electric current to run through it. The heat also makes it easier for more gunk to easily build-up on it. To prevent this, make sure you store your flat iron properly.
There are plate covers and heat resistant mats that you can purchase and use while letting your straightener cool down. This helps make sure that you don’t accidentally heat up other things while your straightener is not in use. The covers also help prevent dust and dirt from getting to it. If you are currently not using your flat iron, it is also best to keep it inside a drawer on your vanity or in a box with a cover on the floor. This prevents the wires from being tangled or accidentally falling on the floor.
Tighten Up Loose Nuts or Screws
Imagine a pristine and brand new flat iron. When you clamp it down, you will notice that it easily springs back to an open position. This is because all the nuts and screws still are properly tightened. Due to the repetitive open and close movement of your flat iron while you use it, some of the nuts or screws may loosen up.
You can try to tighten them up on your own but if you are terrible at anything mechanical, then it would be best to step away and just leave it to someone more knowledgeable. Seek help from a professional who knows what to do. You can bring your flat iron to the local stylist, a mechanical repairman or an electrical expert to have the loose nuts or screws tightened.
The Lifespan of a Flat Iron
The death of your flat iron, as well as other tools and appliances you use daily, is inevitable. But you can still prolong its life. With decent use and proper maintenance, you can make your flat iron last for years. The tips listed above can help make sure that you get good use out of the flat iron that you have invested in. You also have to remember that the lifespan of your flat iron doesn’t just depend on how you use and maintain it.
It will also depend on what your flat iron is made of and the quality of how it is made. No matter how good you take care of your flat iron, if it is not really of great quality, then you can also expect it to have a shorter lifespan.
