For many years, people have been using plastic toothbrushes, so deciding to use something plant-based almost seems like a step into the past. Whether you are a new user or someone who has been using a bamboo toothbrush for a while and is looking for some help, read on to find out more in this comprehensive guide.
Why are bamboo toothbrushes better than plastic toothbrushes?
- Improve the plastic pollution problem: 50% of plastic is used just once and thrown away. But, with the success of recent environmental campaigns, there has been education around the problems of plastic pollution and although making drastic changes is difficult, it’s possible to make small changes, like changing from plastic to bamboo toothbrushes. Checkout our blog ‘A Glance at Our World's Plastic Problem ‘ for more details on the same.
- Bamboo toothbrushes are antimicrobial: This attribute ensures that bacterial growth is limited just by the material itself. In other words, bamboo toothbrushes fight microbes while cleaning your teeth beautifully.
- Ease of use: If you are currently using an electric toothbrush, then you may find a bamboo toothbrush easier to transport for work or pleasure trips and there isn’t the need to charge or ultimately replace batteries, which has an environmental impact all of its own.
- They look good: Okay, so a flashy toothbrush might not be your top concern but thrown in with all the environmental benefits, you have a toothbrush which often looks classier and cleaner than the plastic alternative. Let’s face it, you didn’t spend lots of money on your designer bathroom, agonise over tile and paint choices to have a lump of plastic ruining the look.
How to care for bamboo toothbrushes
Bamboo toothbrushes require a bit more care than regular plastic toothbrushes. Here are some tips for ensuring you look after one well.
- Keep it Dry: To ensure that the bamboo stays dry throughout the day and in a better condition for longer, give the head a tap against your hand to get rid of the excess water after each use and store in a clean and dry-glass or ceramic container. Make sure any tip or part of your toothbrush is not continuously in water for a prolonged period of time.
We don’t recommend using a toothbrush cover, as this is likely to keep the bristles moist and doesn’t actually help with improving decontamination. Beware that since it is a natural product, the toothbrush may change colour slightly over time and that this is completely normal. You may want to clean your toothbrush occasionally, which you can do quite easily by following natural methods.
- Rinse: Start by rinsing your bristles with warm tap water to remove toothpaste suds or food debris. If you have a systemic illness or immune disorder, you may want to soak it in an antibacterial mouthwash.
- Store: To ensure the good care and maintenance of your toothbrush, store it upright in a cup or holder so that it's not touching any other toothbrushes. If you want to store your toothbrush for a longer period, make sure you store it in a moisture free ziplock/airtight bag. Though we recommend using your toothbrush immediately after buying.
How to reuse your bamboo toothbrush
Do you feel like your bamboo toothbrush is coming to the end of its shelf life? Nothing lasts forever and although we always encourage reusing, there comes a time when you do need to replace your toothbrush for hygiene reasons. Our first recommendation is to disinfect your old toothbrush by boiling it in hot water for a few minutes. Then, here are some suggestions for reusing your toothbrush.
- Dust your keyboard: Your toothbrush is a good tool to use to dust your keyboard and get rid of crumbs and other materials stuck in between keys
- Maintaining your shoes: If you do a lot of jogging then you’ll notice that your shoes can get quite muddy and there are places which are difficult to clean, like in between the laces. This is where your old bamboo toothbrush will come in handy
- Gardening tool: After the bristles have been removed, you can use the bamboo handle as a seedling marker
- Removing stains on clothes: One of the simplest and cheapest ways to remove stains is by gently scrubbing with cleansing soap
- Cleaning cooking accessories: Save destroying your cleaning sponge, spare it and use your toothbrush for your garlic crusher and cheese graters
Can you add anything else to this list? Perhaps there is some creative way that you can also reuse your toothbrush.
How to dispose of a bamboo toothbrush
If you’ve had your toothbrush for around 3 months, then you may find that it needs replacing as it’s full of bacteria or is worn out. Here are some tips for dealing with the disposal of a bamboo toothbrush.
- Remove the toothbrush bristles: Find a pair of your pliers or tweezers and pull the bristles out of the head
- Reuse your toothbrush: Do you need to dispose of your toothbrush? You might not need to throw it away, so why not try some of our alternative methods above
- Dispose of the bamboo handle: If you’ve decided that you want to get rid of your toothbrush, then you have the option of disposing of it in your local commercial composter (for a fast decomposition), putting it in your home composting bin or in your garden or a fireplace
Whatever method you try, you should be happy that you’re making a positive impact on the environment.
Conclusion
There you have it! We do believe bamboo toothbrushes are the future and one baby step that you can take for a better tomorrow. If you are interested in buying one, then you can find more information on our online store ( www.bettertomorrowstore.com )