The opinions and advice in this post are authentic, well-researched and original. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Some links in this post are affiliate links.
If your hair clippers are getting too hot, making a strange noise or just not clipping very well, you probably need to clean the blades with rubbing alcohol and apply some oil. But what kind of oil can you use on hair clippers and beard trimmers?
Can you use canola oil to oil your clippers? What about olive oil?
Keep reading for some answers about what kind of oil you can use on your beard trimmer, hair clippers and other cordless and electric grooming tools.
Use the thinnest oil you can find
You must understand that there is special oil made for clippers and trimmers, and the best idea is to use that oil. But maybe you need to work on your groomer now and you don’t have any of that oil. What can you use as a trimmer oil substitute?
The best idea is to use the thinnest oil you can find. Here are some ideas.
Canola oil
Yes, you can use canola oil on your hair clippers. In fact, it works pretty well. The only problem with it is that it’s a little thicker than the kind of oil you should use, and there’s a possibility that it will smell or burn if it gets too hot. This could mean that you to need to reapply it sooner than you would if you’d use the oil that’s made for your clippers.
Olive oil
Just like canola oil, olive oil works fairly well for clippers if you don’t have the oil that came with them or another brand of beard trimmer and hair clipper oil. Just be sure to watch for smoking or burning. The higher the quality of the olive oil, the more likely it is to smoke or burn when it gets hot – so use the cheap stuff if you try this.
Baby oil
This may be your best choice, according to many experts. I’ve found that it works well. The problem here is that not all baby oil is the same, and it may be too thin for the purpose. But give it a try. Most baby oil is mineral oil, a petroleum product that closely resembles machine oil. It will certainly work as a temporary substitute for clipper oil.
Other machine oil
If you have any kind of machine oil around the house, it might work for your grooming tools, especially if it isn’t too thick. Try sewing machine oil, for example. That’s what many people use all the time. Some people say it’s practically the same thing as hair clipper oil.
Coconut oil
You can use coconut oil on your clippers or trimmer if it’s the kind that is a liquid at room temperature. If it’s the kind that forms into a solid white block at room temperature and is sold in the jar rather than a bottle, it’s not right for use on your clippers. It will solidify and gum up the clippers when you’re not using them.
Order some good clipper oil
So can you use canola oil to oil your clippers? Or olive oil? Yes, it might work fine. While these and other oils you may have around the house will work okay as a temporary clipper or trimmer oil, why not order something more appropriate?
Wahl Hair Clipper Blade Oil is available through this Amazon affiliate link and comes in a 4-ounce bottle. Because you use so little of this oil each time you oil your clippers (usually only one drop), 4 ounces is almost like a lifetime supply. And it only costs a few dollars. (It’s great for oiling shears or clippers used on animals too.)
Even better, wall clipper oil is made for the purpose. And it works on all brands of clippers and trimmers, not just wall brand. This oil includes built-in rust prevention to prolong the blade life and is the brand often used by professionals. In fact, it’s been around since 1919 and is the first brand that comes to mind when I think about clippers and clipper oil.
One final thought
Before you oil your clippers with anything, make sure they’re the kind of clippers that use oil. Some of the newer beard trimmers, for example, say that you never need to oil them. You don’t want to gum up the works with any sort of oil if they’re not intended to have it. But if you’re not sure, go ahead and try one of these oils. Most clippers perform better when oiled, even some of the ones that say you shouldn’t use oil on them.
If your clippers aren’t working right, there are a lot of things that could be wrong. To fix them up, start by cleaning them, then applying some fresh oil. You may be surprised how well they work, and you may be able to avoid buying new clippers for a while.