A well-maintained electric shaver will provide a close, comfortable shave without pulls, pinches or scratches. Here are some tips on basic maintenance and troubleshooting:
MAINTENANCETo keep a shaver in good condition, clean the head and blades regularly and inspect them for wear.
- Blow out the whisker cuttings after each use.
(CAUTION: Close your eyes when blowing out the cuttings - they're very sharp.)
- Brush the head periodically.
- Clean the blades with a commercial spray or liquid cleaner designed for shavers and available in drugstores or appliance repair shops; follow package directions. Be sure to use a cleaner which won't damage plastic parts.
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
Motor doesn't run or runs sluggishly.
- Make sure the power is on. Unplug the shaver and check the wall outlet with a lamp you know is working. In cordless shavers, the power pack may have to be replaced; have it checked by an authorized repair shop.
- If the shaver has a switch to permit its use overseas, be sure that it's set to the llO-volt, rather than the 220-volt position.
- Replace the power cord with an identical one if it is frayed or broken, or if the plug prongs are badly deformed.
- If the motor hums but does not operate, remove the head. If the shaver runs normally, the head is jammed and must be replaced.
- If the power supply and head are all right, the "On-Off" switch, the motor or the drive assembly may be at fault. Take the shaver to an authorized repair shop.
Motor runs but shaver is noisy or cuts poorly.
- Worn blades or screens may cause excessive noise or pinching, pulling or poor cutting. Look for gaps in the screen or nicks in the blades.
- In a flat-head shaver, unplug the shaver, set the selector dial on "clean," and lift off the shaving head. To inspect, push out the blades from the screen. Return flat-head blades to the slots from which they came.
- In a curved-head shaver, lift off the screen and remove the cutter or the multiple oscillating blades. Replace defective parts or the entire head.
- In a rotary-blade shaver, remove the shaving head assembly. Loosen the knob at the back that holds the retaining plate. Remove the plate and inspect the cutters and cutting screens. A defective rotary screen and cutter must be replaced as a unit.
Electric Shocks
An electric shaver that shocks is particularly dangerous since it is normally used in the bathroom, near water.
- If the power cord shocks, replace it with an identical model.
- If a metal body part shocks, take the shaver to an authorized repair shop for servicing.
There are many shaver models, each with its own special maintenance procedures. Read your user's manual for specific use and maintenance guidelines.