Does anyone have a formula for the cleaning solution used in the Braun Electric Shaver Self Cleaning System?
Anna from Canada
Use denatured alcohol (methylated spirits here in Australia), half a teaspoon of light machine oil, and about 10 drops of lemon oil (not lemon juice). You could use cooking quality lemon essence or Lemon essential oil.
Don't fill too much otherwise the cartridge will show as empty. If this is the case, keep tipping out small amounts until it will work.
I too was fed up with buying new cartridges when only the fluid was used or contaminated, so I devised a refill that has worked just fine for 5 or 6 years. First, I shake out the remaining fluid with whiskers and perhaps skin oils in it. I guess the "used up" light comes on from measuring the conductivity (ie contaminants in the solution), so shaking out the old stuff gets rid of most.
Alcohol really isn't required. Some other brands of auto-cleaning electric shavers use water based solutions. It just seems that the solution should contain a cleanser and something for lubrication. I've been using a much less expensive alternative called Shaver Shebang with great results.
Very simple! I used 70% isopropyl alcohol and added one tablespoon of regular tap water. Works like a charm!
I did it yesterday by just cleaning out the old used solution. I then squirted some nice gel type shaving cream from a can in the hole, and then added some plain water. Shake it lightly covering holes and then place back into the cleaner spot for the razor.
I have been using a mixture of "zoom spout oiler" turbine oiler and 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. How i do it: i start by putting a healthy ammount of zoom spout onto the razor and let any excess drip off and then i dip the razor into the isopropyl with it on for just a bit and then remove the top and scrub a bit wirh a brush and then let it soak. It comes out with. A nice clean shine and is well lubricated also. There isnt much zoom spout to isopropyl, id say at least 10:1 or somewhere near there. Hard to say because i go by feel. Try it out though. Inperfer zoom spout oiler because ot has the right viscosity and it doesnt leave behind a gunky film like most lubricants. I suppose sewing machine oil would work well also.
My method uses two cartridges. Once I've used the shaver I put a little soap on the blades, switch it on and run it under the tap, which removes almost all the little hairs and dust. I keep the lid on the cartridge and wait for the cutting block to dry.
About a month later there will still be solution in there, but not enough to run the cleaning station. So I keep it and switch to cartridge number 2 and use it until it is too low to work.
I then pour the contents of both cartridges into one, and it works for another month.
In the meantime I wash out the empty cartridge, which is easy because there is hardly anything in the filter. And I make a solution of IPA and lemon essential oil.
This way I use up every drop of solution and don't pour any nasty chemicals down the drain.
I have found that what really happens is the solution evaporates. Keep the top that you pull off the cartridge and after each cleaning, open the base using the release in the back. Let it sit for 30 seconds to let the fluid drip back down into the cartridge.
If you contact Braun, I'm certain that they will give you 1001 reasons why you should buy their replacement cartridges rather than trying to make your own liquid. They'll probably also try to tell you that using another solution will void the warranty and bring 100 years of pestilence to your land. It's like inkjet printers. You buy one, and when the time comes to replace the ink cartridges, it ends up being cheaper to buy a new printer, which is a terrible waste and environmentally unacceptable. Same goes for replacement razor blocks and cutters. These things should sell for $20-25 instead of the usual $40-50, but once you've spent $200+ on a shaver, you are stuck. As for the ingredients, I will try the solution posted above, they sound pretty good to me.
Shaver cleaning liquid tested and adjusted during 2 years.
For Braun Clean & Renew station.
I made a video on youtube:
www.youtube.com/
I put a few drops of after shave in my homemade cleaner. Shave and put on aftershave at the same time.
I use the Alcohol light oil everyone's using but for scent I put a little aftershave in it. Then I get my aftershave put on while I'm shaving.
The problem we ran into in our household, is we are allergic to the fragrance they add to the solution, and they do not have an unscented option available.
Where did you find you needed to fill it to? I keep emptying more, adding more, the red light keeps flashing in the device stops working. This is my first attempt at this.
