Braun CCR4 Clean and Renew Cart Shaver Refills, 4 Pack

***Start of Update*** April 7, 2018Clean and Renew Unit Rejected a Refilled Cartridge!!!Being a techie, I eventually tried cleaning out old cartridges and then refilling them like many others here have mentioned. The first 2 cartridges worked fine but the 3rd was rejected... the motor hummed for about a second or two and then the red fluid level light came on. SOLUTION... Re-sync the razor and cleaning unit: Unplug the unit from the electrical outlet, then remove the razor from the unit and run it for 5-10 minutes. Plug the unit back in and re-attempt to clean the razor. If the re-syncing doesn't work on the first attempt, repeat the process but double the time the razor is run. After several attempts, the cartridge was accepted (green fluid level light).***End of Update***April 8, 2017I've finally settled on an efficient way to use the cleaning cartridges. I clean my razor once a week with the cartridge as if I was away from home all week. I recap the Clean and Renew Cartridge after each weekly use. Thus my first cleaning cartridge has been used for three months and the fluid level lights indicate the fluid level is still full, which makes sense since the cartridge is only uncapped for about 2 hours each week. After recapping the cartridge, I reinsert the capped cartridge in the cleaning unit WITHOUT closing the cleaning unit's housing afterwards. I then unplug the charging plug from the electrical wall socket and place it in the opening at the top of the cleaning unit. Then I'm free to hide the unit away for a week in a closet. Before each shave, I use William's Lectric shave.on my beard and after each shave, I remove the foil shave head temporarily so I can gently tap the razor body and head individually on the side of the sink to allow majority of the hairs to fall into the sink.

I've found the main factor in the blade getting dull is using water. Water oxidizes (rusts) the blades and dulls them. You won't see any rust on the blade, but you'll notice after a couple months the blade won't cut as close. When I started using the shaver I was cleaning the head under the tap, then running it through the cleaning cycle. Over time, the water left over from rinsing dilutes the cleaning solution and affects the sharpness of the blade. I've tried making my own cleaning solution using Isopropyl Alcohol and essential oils, but the Isopropyl Alcohol has water in it. You can tell if your cleaning solution has water in it if the hair sticks to the foil after running it through the cleaning cycle. Braun's cleaning solution is very good. It lasts me about 3 weeks using it every day. I could use it longer but by that point I'm ready to get a fresh pack in. As you use the cleaning solution, hair from the blade, oils and salt from your skin will mix into the solution and affect the freshness. When I'm done shaving, I just put the shaver into the cleaning station and press the button. So easy to keep it clean and sharp.As long as you don't use water to clean the blades, you can tell when to change the cartridge by looking in the cleaning unit. If hair has begun to stick on the sides or bottom, it's time to change. The indicator light will switch to the warning light within a couple days. Switch out the cartridge, take a q-tip and clean the inside of the cleaning unit where the razor usually rests. Press the button for a cleaning cycle and you're done.

I used to HATE cleaning my electric razors. I have a heavy, fast-growing beard, and sensitive skin which leaves me few good options besides Braun. I tried the Panasonic wet razors, but they weren't up to my beard and were pretty much a pain to clean, too, especially if you used the creams they hawk with them. But now, with Braun's clean and renew refills, you just pop the razor back into the stand, wait for the light to signal whether you should do a light or intense cleaning, press the button recommended, and walk away. I find that I clean my razor more regularly, that the blades and foils last longer, and because of this, that I get a close, more comfortable shave, even when I'm tackling a long weekend's growth following a bout of sloth.Now I recognize this is, clearly, Braun's take on Gillette's business model of recurring revenue, addicting you to the convenience of their cleaning solution for a low monthly price. But hey! Look at the price for 4 of these units at under $5/ month and which always last me closer to 6 months than 4 coming to less than $3/ month, and understand your blades and foils lasting longer will pay for these even if you don't value your time that highly to avoid daily light cleanings.And how many of us TRULY disinfected our razors in alcohol *ever* or deep-cleaned and lubricated them to the manufacturer's recommendations before this anyway? I know *I* didn't before. But now I do with simply the touch of a button! Now do yourself a favor and order these guys and let Amazon save you some money and headache by selling you a subscription so you don't ever run out. You, your face, and especially your Braun razor *deserve* this!