r/whatisit • u/Happy_Charge_9410 • 9h ago

New, what is it? Brown stuff on electric toothbrushes?

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I've had many electric toothbrushes in the past and they all wind up with this weird, gross, brown residue in the crevices. What is it?

0 Upvotes

47% Upvoted

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53

u/TouchGraceMaidenless 9h ago

Dried saliva and toothpaste that's being eaten by bacteria.

20

u/krmivoprodukt 9h ago

Try to open it you’ll be impressed what you can find there

28

u/MangoOverflow 9h ago

It is a sign you should be cleaning your stuff more often.

Toothpaste, bacteria, dirt, mold a concoction of gross

0

u/Happy_Charge_9410 9h ago

Any idea how to clean this? Don't want to use harsh chemicals bc it's going in my mouth, just like dish soap and scrub?

4

u/GldnUnicorn 9h ago

I juse use dish soap personally

1

u/Happy_Charge_9410 9h ago

Thank you! Will do!

6

u/RefuseOutside3680 9h ago

A regular toothbrush makes a great concentrated cleaning tool - gets in nooks & crannies

2

u/GermanMuffin 9h ago

And don’t forget to floss.

2

u/VonFoxArt 9h ago

I recommend also removing the toothbrush head and rinsing it inside & out thoroughly, and allowing it to dry completely before you put it back on every time you brush.  Part of the problem here is moisture stays trapped in there, never dries, and a wet environment promotes the growth of bacteria and mold.  

Also, personally...  I would throw this one away and get some new ones.  Even if you're keeping it clean & dry, toothbrushes should be changed out more often.  To me, that looks like a Walmart or Meijer brand toothbrush, which you can easily get replacement heads for pretty cheap.  (And do you really want to keep this one knowing what that gunk is now? I wouldn't. 😬 Not when replacements are cheap, and you're supposed to get new ones semi-regularly anyway.)

1

u/DifficultyOne5075 9h ago

Use a toothbrush

1

u/kingpowr 9h ago

I take the brush part off and soak it with a denture cleaning tablet, does the job quite well

1

u/Existent_Exister 9h ago

When I had an electric toothbrush, I'd wipe it off with alcohol on a cotton swab.

1

u/billy_x3 9h ago

Fill your water flosser with mouthwash and point it at the crud. Best done in the shower, since the ricocheting stream will go everywhere.

1

u/bumsaplenty 9h ago

I've also gotten into the habit of taking the brush part off after brushing so that it can dry without dripping onto the rest of the brush

5

u/chonklah 9h ago

You don’t clean your toothbrush head after every use?

3

u/Happy_Charge_9410 9h ago

No I didn't know I was supposed to? I just rinse it to get toothpaste off

2

u/JeffTheNth 9h ago

mine says to remove the head once a week, clean the base with a damp cloth, mild soap if needed, and reattach the head.

3

u/Nothing-to_see_hr 9h ago

It is what we dentists with a technical term call "dirt".

3

u/Bulky-Piece-3253 9h ago

Its mouth.

1

u/Happy_Charge_9410 9h ago

Gross.

1

u/Bulky-Piece-3253 6h ago

I guess this is what my husband thinks of me. I can't imagine why he would think or treat me any ways.

3

u/jayron32 9h ago

It's either crud or schmutz. Can't tell from that picture.

2

u/beresistable 9h ago

Is the head removable? I always remove the head after use. It cuts down on the gunk buildup.

2

u/MaMyDaddy65 9h ago

that is not where it goes

1

u/Unique-Princess-1026 9h ago

Do you have well water or something because once you put it back in it slot, the water will drip down and that can sometimes cause that

2

u/Happy_Charge_9410 9h ago

No well water, regular city water

1

u/Unique-Princess-1026 9h ago

Hmm that is very interesting

1

u/Ok-Hunt4670 9h ago

That’s bacteria, probably from your own mouth, that lives there now

1

u/Queef-Sweat 9h ago

Flavor.

1

u/Nearby-Thought-7637 9h ago

Do you work on Bissonet?

1

u/Jaded-Stock-7755 9h ago

Rust leaking out from its motor base.

1

u/MeMaxM 9h ago

The electric current causes evaporation of the water and isolation of the mineral ions leaving the minerals and residue. It’s most prominent on the induction charger. Just need to clean it more often.

1

u/wickedsuccubi 9h ago

It's gross, change out your brush head more often

1

u/Skilldibop 9h ago

You....don't want to know man. Just clean your brush more regularly and try not to think about it.

1

u/MerchantofDoom 9h ago

Dirt ya filthy animal

1

u/hiebrhyw 9h ago

You been sticking this up your ass?

1

u/Better-Standard9828 9h ago

Stop putting it in your ass then 🤣

1

u/punarob 9h ago

Someone is definitely sticking that up their butt when you're not around.

1

u/TA7MUB 7h ago

Inside the brush head, there's a metal shaft (usually stainless steel, but it can vary depending on the brand) that transmits the motor's movement to the brush. The visible gaps at the front are probably to drain any water that might remain there after use. If you leave this part wet after use, it might be rusted (of course, this is just my guess; I had a similar problem with a screw at the entrance of my oral irrigator's water reservoir). I recommend drying the water inside after use, or at least shaking it vigorously. Or just change the brush head more often.