The scariest monster living in your house isn’t hiding under your bed. It’s not lurking in your basement. It’s not even creeping inside your toilet bowl. It’s growing bigger, each and every day, inside your toothbrush holder. And it’s time we slayed it.
We’re talking about… dreaded toothbrush holder scum.
According to a 2011 study by NSF International, the toothbrush holder is the third germiest place in the home — more coliforms than the handles in your bathroom! Think about that. There are more germs in the container that is holding your toothbrush, which goes in your mouth, than the handles on the faucets in your bathroom. In fact, according to the study, the only places in your home with more germs include the kitchen sink and that dish sponge you should have thrown away (or zapped in the microwave!) a month ago.
The good news is that the slimy monster living in your toothbrush holder is easily defeated with a little courage, knowledge, elbow grease, good cleaning weaponry and regular maintenance.
Go ahead; take a look at the inside of your current toothbrush holder.
When cleaning something with stuck-on residue, grease, grime or any visible gunk, we first need to ensure that residue is scrubbed, stripped and removed. Residue can hide bacteria, viruses and coliforms (think Salmonella and E. coli), even if sterilized in your dishwasher. Toothbrush holders (especially the “cup-style” holders) are often cavernous and hard to clean. Toothpaste gunk, saliva and even blood from your toothbrush can drip down into your toothbrush holder twice a day (after each brushing). Eeewww!
How to Clean Your Toothbrush Holder
- Soak your toothbrush holder for 10 minutes in hot, soapy water to soften any stuck-on residue.
- Using soap, a pipe cleaner, straw cleaner or other fine brush that fits in the holes of your toothbrush holder, scrub like heck until the scummy gunk is wiped free.
- After you have scrubbed the goo, sterilize the monster in one of the following techniques:
- Run it through the dishwasher.
- Give it a bath in boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Leave it submerged in vinegar for 30 minutes.
- Soak it in a 1:10 bleach solution for 30 minutes.
The toothbrush holder is just one of several breeding grounds for frightening messes around your house. Contact your local Molly Maid for help keeping these monsters out of your home and away from your family. We have custom cleaning plans for every schedule, budget and cleaning needs.
