Ever wonder why your clippers don’t run properly after you pull them out the bottom of the tack trunk the first time the weather feels cool?
In order to keep your clippers functional for years to come, you have to show them a little TLC.
Liv Gude with Professional Equine Grooms said if there’s one thing you take home from her clipper cleaning advice, it’s to make sure you do not clean your blades or clippers with kerosene.
“No kerosene, or anything that belongs not near your horse,” she insisted. “Clippers are high-tech now, and the kerosene can contribute toward them getting destroyed in the long run.”
The first thing Liv does when she’s pulling out her clippers is sterilize and clean them. She uses a product called Clini Clip by Wahl. She sprays on the product, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipes it off. Liv also stressed the importance of applying clipper oil generously, and pretty much at all times. She always applies oil before she starts clipping and again before she puts them away.
“It saves the blades from going dull or rusting,” she said. “Clipper oil is liquid gold.”
It’s common for people to use cooling sprays while they’re clipping to keep the blades free of debris and to cool them, but Liv said cooling sprays are not a replacement for oil.
“Stop every five minutes or so and spray it,” she said. “Then add more oil. You cannot add enough oil.”
Once she’s done with the job, she will clean and disinfect the blades again, and follow up with – you guessed it – more oil.