Are you having problems with your curling iron? Perhaps it won’t heat, has a broken spring or the barrel is really dirty. If so, I might be able to help. My parents were licensed cosmetologists and owned their own full-service beauty salon. As such, I grew up helping them with the family business. Part of that time was spent cleaning and maintaining the curling irons, straight irons, and crimping irons. Here’s a quick look at some of what I learned in the process:
Different Types of Barrel Style Curling Irons
There are two basic types of barrel style curling irons, those with spring loaded handles and those without. Curling irons without spring loaded handles are considered professional curling irons. Those are mainly what my parents used in their salon.
They chose them for three simple reasons. First, curling irons with spring loaded handles often break after prolonged use. Second, professional irons traditionally get hotter than spring loaded curling irons. Third, because there are no springs in the handle, the user can control the iron’s barrel more efficiently during styling sessions. Other than that, they look and work similarly to spring loaded curling irons.
With that said, there are only three things that have to be maintained on a curling iron. They are the barrel, the spring, and the wiring.
Cleaning the Barrels
The barrels should be periodically cleaned with a lint-free cloth and Barbicide Plus. Barbicide Plus is designed to clean, disinfect and prevent rust from forming on a salon’s metal based equipment. It can also be used to clean straight irons and crimping irons, too. You can typically purchase it through beauty supply shops for a modest fee.
Replacing the Spring
When the spring in a spring-loaded curling iron breaks, it can be replaced easily enough. The springs used in the construction of curling iron handles are often referred to as torsion springs. You can typically purchase them from spring manufacturers, hardware stores or beauty shop suppliers. I know that Sally Beauty sells replacement springs because I have bought them there before. I should also mention that each model curling iron tends to use its own type of torsion spring. Hence, you’ll want to make sure that you purchase the right one.
Once you purchase the replacement spring, you’ll need to install it. The entire installation process is likely to take you less than five minutes and there is a great video posted online that will walk you through it. You can find the video on the Curling Iron Replacement Springs website. It is entitled “Conair Curling Iron – Spring Installation.”
Troubleshooting the Wiring
If your curling iron won’t heat up, the problem most likely lies with its wiring. The best way to troubleshoot the curling iron’s wiring is to use a conductivity tester. It will tell you what part of the curling iron’s wiring needs to be replaced. You can typically purchase a tester through home improvement stores. Prices will vary based on how fancy you want your conductivity tester to be.
In general, a curling iron’s wiring consists of a power cord, a thermostat, a fuse, and a heating element. The thermostat and fuse are typically located in the handle of the curling iron. You can remove the handle’s housing with the aid of an eyeglass screwdriver. Once you have the curling iron’s housing open, you’ll want to make sure that all the wire connections are clean and tight. The heating element itself is located inside the curling iron’s barrel.
After you’ve used the tester to determine what part of the wiring is bad, you’ll need to replace it. Oftentimes, the hardest part of the whole process is locating a replacement part. I’d suggest that you try contacting either the curling iron’s manufacturer or a beauty supply retailer to see if they have the parts that you need. Of course you could also opt to break down and buy a new curling iron. Sometimes it is cheaper to go that route. You’ll just have to compare the costs yourself and see.
Source: Personal Experience
More from this contributor:
Why You Shouldn’t Use Household Hydrogen Peroxide to Lighten Hair
Tips for Dealing with Flyaway Hair from a Hairdresser’s Daughter
How to Clean Hair Clippers: Personal Experience
How to Cut a Family Member’s Hair
