Even under perfect use, your razor undergoes a fair amount of wear and tear. Keeping your razor clean is critical to avoiding a bad shave – are you doing it correctly?

The performance of a Gillette razor is thanks to its precise geometry: the size and shape of the blades and where they sit in relation to each other, the way that the blades are housed in the cartridge, the way that the razor handle attaches to the blade cartridge and its pivoting mechanism. It’s a precise tool with a lot of design behind its parts. While your blades are replaceable, you shouldn’t have to change it for a new one until you’ve had the full use out of your current one.

You could be damaging your razor blades unintentionally when you attempt to clean them.

Tapping the razor cartridge against the sink. Tapping the razor against the sink basin can seriously damage the precisely engineered parts of your razor.

Wiping your razor on a towel. Some men do this in an attempt to dry the blades and help lengthen the life of the blades, but instead they’re likely damage the blades and setting themselves up for a less effective shave. Instead, allow your blades to air-dry.

Each component of Gillette razor blades is precisely positioned at an angle and distance calculated to create a close and comfortable shave. Bad cleaning habits can affect that geometry.

Hold the blades of your razor under a running tap after every few strokes, and let the water run through from the back to the front in order to swill lodged hairs and other bits through. Shake off excess water to dry off the blades.

If you’d prefer not to leave the water running, you can also swish your razor blades through standing water in the basin of your sink or a cup.

If you are using a razor with a front pivot, such as the Gillette Fusion5 family of razors, the blades will rinse easily. They have never been more accessible to water, thanks to what Gillette calls ‘open architecture’.

Store your razor safely. If your razor came with a holder, you can store your razor in that. Practising good razor maintenance and cleaning habits should become a part of your daily shaving ritual. Proper razor cleaning will help your razor perform better, longer.