My £1 trick will bring your old straighteners back to life – it also stops damage

IF you’re like most of us, chances are you’ve never cleaned your old straightening iron.

But just like our hairbrushes, these devices can build up a thick layer of product over time, making your hair look less shiny.

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Luckily, a Swedish beauty enthusiast has come up with the ultimate trick to get your straightening iron looking like new again, for just one euro.

The trick here, @vms archives revealed on TikTok, it involves using an essential manicure ingredient: a little acetone, which you can find at most high street drugstores for as little as £1.

Once you’ve got your hands on the must-have nail accessory, the brunette recommends applying a little to a damp towel and cleaning the plates of the straightener with the homemade cleaner.

She said this in the videoshould effectively remove any stubborn deposits on the device.

”Be careful and make sure it’s not too hot. Wipe the acetone off with a SLIGHTLY damp cloth afterwards, just to be safe,” the Swede instructed in the caption.

According to the beauty fanatic, it’s not just your straightener that will thank you, but your locks too, especially if you want a bouncy blow-dry look without having to go to the hairdresser.

In the clip, which has been liked almost 60,000 times in just one day, the woman also shows off her stunning hairdo, which looks like it came straight from the hairdresser. People were amazed.

Dozens of people responded en masse and shared their thoughts, with many admitting they had never thought about giving their devices a good clean.

One of them admitted: “You’re supposed to clean a straightener, but I haven’t done it in 7 years.”

Another said: “How smart of you, that I never thought about product residue on a straightener.”

“Oh I didn’t know you had to clean them. No wonder I can’t get nice curls lol,” someone else thanked the beauty expert for sharing the information.

However, not everyone was convinced of the hack. Some even believe it is a disaster waiting to happen.

One critic warned: “Don’t do this if your flat iron is coated in a film, wipe it down with isopropyl alcohol.”

The 4 Phases of the Hair Growth Cycle

Hair experts at Philip Kingsley shared the four stages of the hair growth cycle: Anagen, Catagen, Telogen and Exogen

Anagen phase:Also called the ‘growth phase’ or ‘active phase’, is the phase in which the cells in the hair root divide most rapidly, causing more new hair to be formed.

During the Anagen Phase, hair grows about half an inch per month [about six inches a year]and faster in summer than in winter.

This phase of the hair growth cycle lasts an average of three to five years.

Catagen phase:After the anagen phase, your hair cycle enters a short transition phase called the catagen phase. This phase marks the end of active hair growth and separates individual hairs from the blood supply and the cells that produce new hair.

About three percent of all hairs are in this stage at any one time and it lasts about 10 days.

Telogen phase:The third phase of your natural hair growth cycle is the telogen phase, a resting period during which hairs remain in their follicles but are not actively growing.

It is estimated that 10-15 percent of your hair is in the telogen phase at any given time.

The telogen phase lasts about three months or 100 days.

Exogenous phase:The final stage of the hair growth cycle, when individual hair strands release from their follicles and fall out.

Now the whole process starts again.

“This sounds like a fire hazard,” I thought again.

“Just use rubbing alcohol! Acetone can damage the outside of your flat iron or the coating on most ceramic plates, your hair is beautiful,” someone else claimed.

What do the experts say?

While this trick may seem unthinkable, especially if you’re in a hurry, experts advise against rubbing acetone on ceramic plates.

According to the Hur Hair teamThis aggressive chemical damages the material – but there is a simple solution.

“Instead, and only when necessary, lightly dampen your soft cloth with a little warm water,” they explained.

Remember, if you take good care of your straightener, it will always work optimally!