When you drop your or DC's toothbrush on the bathroom floor ...

[Anonymous]

What do you do with it?

[Anonymous]

Throw it in the dishwasher, assuming it's not a fancy electric one.

[Anonymous]

wash it with water and use soap on the handle bits (that do not go into the mouth). Then i boil water and put the toothbrush (brush part down) into a cup of boiling water for about 5-10 min. That should sterilize it.

[TheManWithAUsername]

First I order replacement bristles online. While I'm waiting for delivery, I remove the old bristles, then sand down the handle and paint and refinish it. (I like to do a festive design for the kids.) Once the bristles come, it's a simple matter of gluing them in, individually - but make sure to distribute them evenly!

[Anonymous]

TheManWithAUsername wrote:First I order replacement bristles online. While I'm waiting for delivery, I remove the old bristles, then sand down the handle and paint and refinish it. (I like to do a festive design for the kids.) Once the bristles come, it's a simple matter of gluing them in, individually - but make sure to distribute them evenly!

Ha! Love you.

[Anonymous]

I toss it. There's no amount of cleaning that will make me feel like something I or anyone else in my family puts in their mouth is clean after dropping it on the bathroom floor. Even though I bleach my bathroom floor regularly. It still grosses me out, and a toothbrush is only a couple bucks. It's worth the money to replace, IMO.

[Anonymous]

My kids brush their teeth while bathing and the tooth brush regularly gets forgotten on the bottom on the bathtub. We use it again the next bath. Only the kids use this bathroom and they aren't pooping in the tub so Im not worried about it. If the brush fell on the floor I'd probably boil it. Is it that big of a deal considering everything else kids put in their mouths?

[Anonymous]

Wash it in the dishwasher.

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one that just rinses the toothbrush with hot water and then reuse it?

[Anonymous]

Sometimes I toss it; sometimes I just rinse and reuse it.

[Anonymous]

let it soak in mouthwash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one that just rinses the toothbrush with hot water and then reuse it?

No, you're not the only one. Kids touch door knobs then pick their nose, then stick their fingers in their mouth. They touch all kinds of crap with germs far worse than what's on the bathroom floor, and probably more fecal matter if that's what you're worried about... fecal matter belonging to strangers... there is no reason to toss the toothbrush unless your bathroom is akin to a port-a-john.

[Anonymous]

TheManWithAUsername wrote:First I order replacement bristles online. While I'm waiting for delivery, I remove the old bristles, then sand down the handle and paint and refinish it. (I like to do a festive design for the kids.) Once the bristles come, it's a simple matter of gluing them in, individually - but make sure to distribute them evenly!

Awesome. Another dad here. Can you tell me where I can find some organic vegan glue? I don't want DC brushing with animal products or absorbing toxins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:wash it with water and use soap on the handle bits (that do not go into the mouth). Then i boil water and put the toothbrush (brush part down) into a cup of boiling water for about 5-10 min. That should sterilize it.

I do this once a week with my kid's brushes.

[Anonymous]

LOL I love this thread.

I'm on the rinsing in lukewarm water and using it again.

If it's close to the 3 month mark to replace it I just toss and replace.