What should you wipe a curling iron with?

With the appliance cold, the barrel of a curling iron is wiped with a soft cloth lightly dampened with water and well wrung; for stuck-on residue, the cloth is dampened with lukewarm water containing a little liquid soap, and the barrel is then wiped with a clean damp cloth and dried.

How do you remove burnt residue from a curling iron?

Once the appliance has cooled completely, the residue is wiped gently with a soft cloth dampened with soapy water. Knives, metal tools and abrasives are not used; a barrel with a damaged coating cannot be restored by cleaning.

How do you remove hair tangled in an automatic curler?

The appliance is unplugged and left to cool completely; the tangled hair is removed using the method in the manual and without force. Pointed or metal tools are not pushed into the chamber; if the hair will not come out, authorised service is contacted.

Guide · Floors, furniture and surfaces · October 23, 2026

How to Clean a Curling Iron

Hairspray, heat protectant and cream residues burn onto the barrel and clamp of a curling iron with the heat; a dirty barrel no longer glides smoothly through the hair and hairs can catch. Because the barrel has a ceramic, titanium or tourmaline coating, it is cleaned with a damp cloth rather than an abrasive product; the appliance itself is never put in water. This guide explains how to clean classic and automatic curling irons. For hair straighteners, see the guide how to clean a hair straightener.

Before you start

Unplug it: switch the curling iron off and pull out the plug before you start cleaning.
Let it cool: wait until the barrel and clamp have cooled completely; do not wipe a hot barrel.
Check the manual: the user manual explains how to clean the barrel and the chamber of an automatic curler.
Keep it out of water: do not put the curling iron in water or hold it under the tap.

How to clean a curling iron: step by step

Wipe the barrel and the inside of the clamp with a soft cloth that is only lightly dampened with water and well wrung.
For stuck-on spray or cream residue, dampen the cloth with lukewarm water to which a little TETİK liquid hand soap has been added, wipe the residue gently, then remove the soap residue with a clean damp cloth.
Remove hairs caught around the clamp hinge with a dry brush.
Dry the barrel and clamp with a dry cloth; switch the appliance on only once it is completely dry.
Do not pour or spray liquid directly onto the barrel.

Ceramic, titanium and tourmaline coatings

The ceramic, titanium and tourmaline coatings on a curling iron barrel are sensitive to scratches. Do not use steel wool, abrasive creams, stiff brushes or metal tools on the barrel, and do not scrape residue off with a fingernail or knife. Acetone and solvents can damage the coating. A scratched, peeling or cracked barrel cannot be restored by cleaning and can burn the hair; do not use a damaged curling iron and contact authorised service. To keep the barrel clean, let the hair dry after applying products.

How to clean an automatic hair curler

With the appliance cold, clean the chamber opening and the rotating part of an automatic curler with a dry, soft brush.
Remove hair tangled in the chamber using the method in the manual and without force; do not push pointed or metal tools into the chamber.
Wipe the outside of the chamber with a slightly damp, well-wrung cloth; do not let water into the chamber.
If hair keeps getting stuck, the mechanism does not turn or the appliance overheats, stop using it and contact authorised service.

Body and cable

Wipe the body with a well-wrung cloth dampened in lukewarm water with START all-purpose surface cleaner added at the dose on the label, then dry it. According to its safety data sheet, START Genel Yüzey Temizleyici has a pH of 7–8.
Do not let liquid get into the buttons, display or cable inlet.
Wipe the swivel cable with a slightly damp cloth and dry it; once the appliance has cooled, coil the cable loosely before putting it away.
If the cable is damaged or the appliance overheats, do not use it and contact authorised service.

What not to do

Putting the curling iron in water or holding it under the tap.
Wiping the barrel while it is hot or while the appliance is plugged in.
Using abrasives, steel wool, acetone or solvents on the barrel.
Pushing a pointed or metal tool into the chamber of an automatic curler.
Winding the cable tightly around the hot appliance.

For hair salons

In hair salons, curling irons are used all day on hair treated with different products and residue builds up quickly on the barrel; wiping the barrel with a damp cloth at the end of the day once the appliance has cooled and regularly removing hairs around the clamp hinge helps the appliances work properly. For hair dryers, see the guide how to clean a hair dryer. For a list of products see the guide hair and beauty salon cleaning supplies, and for bulk purchases you can request a quote.

Prepared by: Tetikoğlu Kimya — cleaning chemicals manufacturer since 1997. When using products, always follow the instructions and warnings on the pack.