How to wash an electric toothbrush: a complete guide to cleaning and maintenance
With the improvement of health awareness, electric toothbrushes have become an important tool for modern people's daily oral care. However, how to properly clean an electric toothbrush to ensure its hygiene and longevity is an issue that many people ignore. This article will combine the hot discussions on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with a detailed guide to cleaning electric toothbrushes.
1. Why should you clean your electric toothbrush regularly?

Electric toothbrushes are prone to breed bacteria when they are left in a humid environment for a long time. Based on recent social media buzz, the following data illustrates the importance of cleaning:
| Question type | User attention (%) | Potential risks |
|---|---|---|
| Brush head mold | 42.7 | oral infection |
| Body scale | 35.2 | performance degradation |
| Charging port stains | 22.1 | Charging failure |
2. Breakdown of steps for cleaning electric toothbrushes
According to the instructions of the five electric toothbrushes with the highest sales volume on the e-commerce platform in the past 10 days:
| Cleaning parts | Recommended method | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| brush head | Rinse with running water + wipe with alcohol pad | after each use |
| connecting shaft | Toothpick to remove residue | weekly |
| fuselage | Neutral detergent + soft cloth | monthly |
| Charging base | Dry cotton swabs to clean contacts | quarterly |
3. Recent popular cleaning tips
According to the recent popular content on Douyin, Xiaohongshu and other platforms, the following methods have obtained more than 100,000 likes:
1.Citric acid descaling method: Soak the brush head in citric acid solution for 10 minutes, which can effectively dissolve scale (note: brush head only).
2.UV disinfection method: Use the beauty tool sterilization box to sterilize brush heads once a week.
3.Silicone dust cover: Taobao data shows that the recent sales of silicone covers with breathable holes have increased by 320%.
4. Cleaning precautions for different brands
Summarize the latest suggestions from customer service of major brands:
| brand | Special tips | Waterproof level |
|---|---|---|
| Philips | Do not soak the body | IPX7 |
| Oral B | Seals need to be replaced regularly | IPX6 |
| Xiaomi | It is recommended to use 75% alcohol for disinfection | IPX8 |
5. Expert advice
According to the latest guidelines issued by the Chinese Stomatological Association:
1. The internal structure of the electric toothbrush should be thoroughly cleaned every 3 months
2. It is recommended to replace the brush head every 2-3 months. In humid areas, it should be shortened to 1-2 months.
3. After cleaning, it must be dried and stored away from direct sunlight.
6. Common Misunderstandings
Combined with recent popular questions and answers on Zhihu:
✘ Use boiling water to scald the brush head (it will cause the bristles to deform)
✘ Soak and clean the whole machine (may damage the motor)
✘ Use strong acid and alkali cleaners (corrodes rubber parts)
Through the above systematic cleaning method, not only can the service life of the electric toothbrush be extended, but also oral hygiene safety can be ensured. It is recommended to save this article and check the cleaning status of your electric toothbrush regularly.
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