Brushes and Combs Put in Garbage Toss Brushes & Combs in the Garbage Because they are oddly shaped and often made of mixed materials, they cannot easily be recycled. Toss unwanted hairbrushes and combs in the garbage. Metal Combs Are Scrap Metal Most metal combs are made of steel, which can be disposed of with other scrap metal. Compost Wooden Hairbrushes & Combs If you have a natural, untreated wooden comb or hairbrush, consider adding it to your home compost pile. They decompose more slowly than food, but will break down eventually. With brushes, make sure to remove any plastic or metal pieces first. Ways to Reuse Use in Kids’ Crafts Kids can use brushes and combs to paint unique textures and paterns or use them with a sensory table for brushing or combing sand. Give to Animal Shelters Check with animal shelters and sanctuaries to see if they could use your old brushes or combs for grooming.