When considering where you'll put your toothbrush, try to give it some space from the toilet. It should be placed at least three feet away, and you should also try and prevent your toothbrush from touching other brushes.
Find a good place away from the toilet and as far away from splashing water as you can. You can invest in a wall-mounted toothbrush holder or a holder with a lid (as long as there is enough airflow to dry the toothbrush!) or use the medicine cabinet.
Airborne Particles From Toilet Flushing Can Actually Make Their Way to Your Toothbrush Bristles! Your toothbrush can harbor up to 10 million bacteria of various strains.
Probably the best place to store your toothbrush is on a shelf in your bedroom, or, if you store it in the bathroom, in a far corner, safely away from the toilet and the sink. You might also store it in a large closet where it is cool and dry.
Covering or storing your toothbrush in containers is not recommended by the American Dental Association, because humid environments breed bacteria. The bathroom is one of the most germ-infested rooms in any house, but leaving a toothbrush in a damp shower makes your brush (and mouth) a target for unwanted microbes.
An NSF investigation found that toothbrush holders were the dirtiest item in the bathroom. About 27 per cent of toothbrush holders showed signs of coliform, compared to 5 per cent of toilet seats. Clean it: Rinse an empty toothbrush holder in hot water, then scrub with a soapy, small-bristled brush.
The airborne particles from flushing your toilet can travel up to 6 feet, so do not brush within 6 feet of a toilet. Instead try moving your toothbrush to the opposite side of the bathroom to minimize the risk to your toothbrush and your mouth!
Boil your toothbrush for about 3 minutes. Although it is hard on your toothbrush, boiling water will most germs. A toothbrush can be put into the silverware compartment of the dishwasher to be sanitized. Run your toothbrush through on the hot cycle without soap.
Toothbrushes can have germs on them even after rinsing that could raise the risk of infection, especially for people with immune suppression. After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with tap water until it is completely clean, let it air-dry, and store it in an upright position.
“Aerosols can disperse anywhere from one to six feet; three feet is the average,” she tells SELF. That means that microscopic organisms from your poop, pee, and whatever else is in your toilet have a chance to spread out across your bathroom.
Studies have shown that of all the surface areas in the bathroom, the floor is by far the dirtiest. That's because when we flush the toilet germs spread everywhere, and land on—you guessed it—the floor.
Flushing a toilet could send infectious COVID-19 particles over the bowl and into the air, according to a new study. If you thought flushing the toilet couldn't get any more gross, think again.
Water splashes all around when you flush the toilet, including on your toothbrush. So you really need to keep your toothbrush away from the toilet, so that bacterial infection doesn't reach you this way.
One common way to disinfect your toothbrush is through the use of mouthwash, like Listerine. You'll want to soak your toothbrush in the solution for at least 3 to 5 minutes at a time. After the specified amount of time, make sure you rinse your toothbrush thoroughly before use.
The most basic go-to method of sanitizing your toothbrush is to run hot water over the bristles before and after each use. This gets rid of bacteria that may have collected on the toothbrush in the hours between brushings. It also eliminates new bacteria which may have accumulated after each use.
Toothbrush covers are actually detrimental to the overall sanitation of your toothbrush and therefore also to your oral health. Bacteria thrive in moist environments and a toothbrush cover provides just that. While it may keep other things out, it also locks everything else in.
The results of this study show that the most effective method for disinfecting toothbrushes was submersion in 50% white vinegar, which is cost-effective, easy to access, and appropriate for household use.
You might have seen a flood of Twitter chatter sparked by a tweet reading, “Do ya'll wet the toothbrush first, or put toothpaste on first?” The response online was mixed, but our answer is pretty simple: Wetting your toothbrush is more a matter of preference and doesn't significantly change the success of brushing.
There are only three things you can safely flush down the toilet into the sewer system —pee, poo and (toilet) paper. Just remember those three as the three Ps that you can flush. And don't forget, "flushable" wipes are not really flushable.
Hygiene products (e.g. sanitary napkins/liners, tampons, condoms, wipes, cotton swabs, dental floss, diapers and rags). Fats, oils and cooking grease. Medication (e.g. pills or liquid). Household hazardous waste (e.g. paints, pesticides, cleaning products).
During the experiment, airborne particles ejected from the toilet traveled at speeds of up to 6.6 feet per second and reached 4.9 feet above the toilet within eight seconds, the scientists found.
Public bathrooms may be teeming with bacteria, but the toilet seat is probably safe for sitting. But the toilet seat is actually the cleanest part of the bathroom, one expert says.