If you have an electric toothbrush, you will be familiar with that disgusting brown residue that gathers all over.
It forms on the handle, in the crack where the brush head connects and on the charger base – but what actually is it?
What that toothbrush gunk is
We spoke to cleaning expert Delah Gomasi, who told The Focus that gunk is a build-up of bacteria, saliva and old toothpaste that when exposed to the air, can turn a brownish murky colour over time. Yuck!
“Too often I come across extremely dirty electric toothbrush holders. I’ve seen the worst of the worst, so I pass no judgement. I try to educate our clients and the main idea is explaining to them that prevention is always better than a cure,” he said.
You can’t see it, but your mouth is full of microbes that live on your teeth, tongue and gums. The National Institutes of Health reveals that there are 700 different species of microorganisms in your mouth, including bacteria and fungus.
This bacteria, saliva and old toothpaste gathers on the bristles of your toothbrush. Then, it trickles down from the head to the handle and right down onto the charger base. If it’s not cleaned, mould could then grow.
Electric toothbrush cleaning tips
To stop the horrible gunk from forming, the cleaner said your toothbrush needs “regular maintenance”. You essentially need to stop the saliva, toothpaste and water from rolling down the brush through daily cleaning.
Gomasi said the best way to do this is by removing the brush head every evening, rinsing it and allowing it to dry overnight. Then, when you put the brush back on in the morning, the toothbrush will be clean and dry, and the brown gunk won’t form.
After brushing, Oral B recommends rinsing your brush head thoroughly under running water. Then, remove the brush head from the handle and clean both parts separately under running water. You can use a mild detergent to clean the handle.
Once clean, wipe the head and brush dry or let it air dry. Never put the toothbrush into boiling water or in the dishwasher because the high temperatures can result in damage to the handle and head. Make sure to regularly wipe the charger base with a mild detergent too.
Delah Gomasi is CEO & Director of MaidForYou, a large house cleaning company based in Sydney, Australia.
