We emphasize this point frequently because it’s crucial: your Solmate needs regular, thorough cleaning! The applicator is designed for immediate use and application of sunscreen, not for long-term storage.
When transferring sunscreen from its original packaging, its effectiveness may diminish over time. Therefore, it’s essential to discard old sunscreen regularly and thoroughly clean all parts of your Solmate.
Fortunately, cleaning is straightforward! Just follow these steps:
- Remove the lid and base from the middle part of the applicator (do not attempt to remove the roller ball).
- Use detergent and a brush to scrub and clean all parts of the applicator, including around the roller ball, to remove any residue.
- Rinse off detergent thoroughly (repeat as needed until the applicator is clean).
- Allow your Solmate to air dry completely before using it again.
Please note that we have tested placing the Solmate in the top rack of the dishwasher, and while it survives, we’ve found that the dishwasher does not clean it thoroughly, leaving behind sunscreen residue. Therefore, we always recommend cleaning it by hand using the steps detailed above.
As for the frequency of cleaning, we often receive inquiries about what we mean by “regular basis.” Since every sunscreen is different, we cannot provide an exact time frame. However, we believe that cleaning every couple of weeks should be sufficient. If you’re concerned about wasting sunscreen, we suggest not filling the Solmate with too much sunscreen at once and refilling it more frequently as needed.