What To Do With An Old Electric Toothbrush? (2024)

Purchasing an electric toothbrush is a wise decision that will positively impact your oral health. Electric toothbrushes have been shown to brush your teeth and gums far more effectively than manual toothbrushes. Because of their rotary heads, difficult-to-clean areas are cleaned in a flash. The timer guarantees that you brush for the appropriate amount of time. In addition to being an excellent method to deter your teeth from rotting, an electronic brush can also perform some useful household tasks once left the service of brushing. Here is a lowdown on a couple of things you can do when your electric toothbrush is no longer effective at cleaning your teeth:


How Do You Get Rid of an Electric Toothbrush?

You can get rid of an electric toothbrush that is no longer functional. There are numerous ways to accomplish this. Recycling an electric toothbrush is the best way to get rid of it. It is not recommended to dispose of it in the trash. Your electric toothbrush, as well as its components and batteries, will then end up in a landfill. This can be remarkably hazardous to the environment and harmful to human and animal health.

In a landfill, circuit boards and batteries can lead to pollution, pollutants, and even intoxication. They can result in damaged skin and eyes, polluted bodies of water, and a variety of other problems. This is primarily due to the poisonous materials and chemicals found in such electric products’ batteries. As a result, you should avoid disposing of items containing batteries in general waste. These batteries’ chemical compounds and toxic materials will flow and permeate into the soil. As a consequence, they may end up in the meals and liquids that you consume. Overall, it is critical that you discard your electric toothbrush responsibly and appropriately.


Disposing of Your Electric Toothbrush

Majority of the electric toothbrushes are made of plastic. The bristles and head of the brush are made of nylon. They are also equipped with a battery charger. Nylon can be reprocessed. There are currently no environmental and totally compostable electric toothbrushes on the market.

The excellent thing is that you can repurpose the electric toothbrush’s components. This is why it is not difficult to dispose of an electric toothbrush. When it comes to discarding electric toothbrushes, recycling should be considered. Electric toothbrushes can primarily be disposed of by removing the acrylic and nylon parts.


Electric Toothbrush’s Head Recycling

Your electric toothbrush’s head must already be replaced every three months. These cannot be recycled because they are manufactured of non-recyclable materials. As a result, you must discard the brush head in general waste. However, as public understanding of waste plastic pollution grows, so do disposal options.

LiveCoco has launched a recycling program specifically for LiveCoco brush heads. You can send the brush heads to us to get them recycled.


Other Ways Of Using Your Electric Toothbrush

If reprocessing is not an option or seems too time-consuming, take into account repurposing the electric toothbrush. There are numerous non-brushing applications for your electric toothbrush. Furthermore, repurposing your old electric toothbrush reduces your environmental impact. It also implies that you care about the environment. The greatest feature is that reusing doesn’t really require much effort. Here are a few popular alternatives to consider:

Cleaning Purposes

Utilise it to clean difficult-to-reach regions in your home. An electric toothbrush can not only reach hard-to-reach areas in your mouth, but it can also help you clean hard-to-reach areas in your home. You could use it to clean the sealant between ceramic tiles, get into a tilting door trail, and even detail your car.

Using it as a Scraper

Convert it to a compact power scraper. You can turn an old toothbrush into a compact power scraper for extra detail where it’s needed.

Manicure Equipment

Include it in your manicure routine. An electric brush is very effective at removing dirt and build-up from beneath your nails. It’s a sound investment to a manicure routine as long as you don’t mind a faint tickling feeling.

Cleaning Kitchenware

It can be used to clean kitchenware or jewellery. Electric toothbrush bristles are ideal for scrubbing kitchen utensils such as garlic mincers, corrugated metal objects, and any cheese graters. It may be used to clean your jewellery thoroughly and thoroughly. An old toothbrush can instantly clean any relatively small object with tiny crevices.

Removing Stains

It can be used to remove impurities from clothing. Nobody enjoys getting a stain, but stains are much easier to clean if you already possess an old electric toothbrush on hand. Simply rub some stain remover into the stain with the tip of your electric toothbrush. It always works perfectly!

Use it to Dye Your Hair

Do you have a scarcity of hair dye brushes? Contemplate using your electric toothbrush. This is an excellent substitute. The brush can be used to apply the dye to difficult-to-reach areas. Not to mention that it speeds up the hair dye procedure.


Looking for an Electric Toothbrush Head?

You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for an electric toothbrush head. LiveCoco is the ideal website for all of your discoveries. We sell recyclable electric brush heads. If you have an electric toothbrush, but the head has become too worn to use, you can purchase brush heads from us instead of purchasing a new toothbrush.

Brush heads with charcoal bristles, soft bristles that are Oral-B compatible and many more are available in our extensive selection. Not only that, we have a line of brush heads designed specifically for children. So, visit our website now and find the right product for yourself!

What To Do With An Old Electric Toothbrush? (1)

What To Do With An Old Electric Toothbrush? (2024)

FAQs

What To Do With An Old Electric Toothbrush? ›

The toothbrush contains batteries and/or recyclable electric waste. To protect the environment, do not discard the brush with your normal household waste. Please take it to the appropriate electronic waste disposal facility. You can, however, remove the battery/batteries and dispose of them separately.

What can you do with old electric toothbrushes? ›

These thrifty tips and tricks will have you excited to breathe new life into your old toothbrush.
  • Use it to clean hard to reach areas in your home. ...
  • Use it to clean kitchen utensils or jewelry. ...
  • Use it as part of your manicure routine. ...
  • Use it to remove stains from your clothing. ...
  • Turn it into a mini power sander.

How do I recycle old toothbrushes? ›

Contact your local recycling center to see if they accept the types of plastic you have. Local grocery stores may accept used toothbrushes through their own programs. Repurpose your old toothbrushes for household chores like scrubbing floors and polishing jewelry.

What should you not do with an electric toothbrush? ›

Here are a few common mistakes we see people make when using electric toothbrushes:
  • Not brushing for long enough.
  • Scrubbing back and forth.
  • Using too much pressure.
  • Not flossing.
  • Step 1: Place your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle tilted towards your gums, and turn on your toothbrush.
Sep 11, 2023

Should I throw away my electric toothbrush? ›

Do NOT dispose of in the trash or recycling. Rechargeable batteries are considered household hazardous waste. Items with the corrosive, explosive, flammable, or poisonous symbol must be dropped off for safe handling. Batteries burned in waste combustion facilities can release mercury or cadmium to the air and water.

Can an Oral B electric toothbrush be recycled? ›

Oral-B makes it super easy to recycle your toothbrushes. Instead of having to find a designated drop-off receptacle, Oral-B provides a prepaid shipping label. All you have to do is pack up a box with your used oral care products, print the free label, and ship it out to the recycling facility.

Can you get DNA off an old toothbrush? ›

The results of this study confirm earlier conclusions that a used toothbrush is a reliable source of antemortem DNA from a putative decedent. The use of aviation snips to remove a small portion of the toothbrush head provides an easy, inexpensive method of obtaining a sample for DNA extraction.

Why can't toothbrushes be recycled? ›

“There are the nylon bristles, there's a metal staple that holds the bristles in place, and then there's the plastic handle. So, all three of those materials need to be separated before they can be processed,” she explained. After toothbrush components are separated, metals are processed through standard recycling.

How do you recycle Oral B electric toothbrush heads? ›

Just return the brush head to us using the pre-paid label enclosed with your order and we will recycle the heads correctly. *Please note that Oral-B* and Philips Sonicare are third party trademarks with no affiliation to Brushd.

Can toothpaste tubes go in recycling? ›

Simply squeeze out as much of the toothpaste from the tube as you can, put the cap back on and place the tube in your recycling bin. Our tube recycles with #2 HDPE plastics.

How do I know if my electric toothbrush is bad? ›

Don't overuse the heads of your electric toothbrush. The ADA recommends you change these heads every three to four months. If bristles on these heads are frayed or matted, you should immediately replace them, even if you've used them for less than three months.

Can dentists tell if you use an electric toothbrush? ›

Dental health professionals report that they can actually tell if a patient is using an electric toothbrush because their patients' teeth and gums are cleaner than those of their other patients who use manual toothbrushes.

Is it OK to keep your electric toothbrush plugged in? ›

As a rule, it's safe to leave your toothbrush on the charger. The charging stand serves two purposes. The first is to provide a place for the toothbrush to sit when it's not being used. Secondly, it's a quick and convenient way of recharging when the battery is low.

Can electric toothbrushes be returned? ›

In-store purchases. If you've changed your mind about your ink cartridge or electronic toothbrush purchase, you can return your unused product in-store. We'll offer you an exchange. Please bring your proof of purchase and if possible, return it to the same store you purchased it from.

What is the lifespan of an electric toothbrush? ›

On average, you can expect electric toothbrushes to last between three and five years. Most manufacturers offer a warranty on electric toothbrushes, between one and two years, so make sure you hold onto your receipt in the event that it doesn't last for its advertised lifespan.

Are electric toothbrushes repairable? ›

Who can repair your sealed electric toothbrush? Because they are small motorized electric appliances, nearly any small appliance repair shop can do it. Make sure you clean the unit well before delivering it to the repair person. Also be sure it's worth the cost of repairs.

Can you recycle Braun electric toothbrush? ›

Old hairdryers, straighteners, electric shavers, hair clippers, curlers, electric toothbrushes and other health and beauty products – if it has a plug, battery or cable, it can be recycled.

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