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I go be frank. There is feces suspended in your bathroom and it is landing on your toothbrush. You brush your teeth with poop particles, and the closer your toilet is to your sink, the worse it gets. If you find titles like ” Experts warn of fecal-to-oral transmission of Covid-19“Being too short of breath, go straight to the source: there is a peer-reviewed scientific literature on the”toilet plume aerosol», And a lot of effect.
While these toilet fairies land on every surface in your bathroom, it’s the toothbrush that gets the most attention, for the obvious reason that you put it in your mouth twice a day. The typical advice is to keep your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible, but is there really such a thing as “far enough” in a situation like this? (Pro tip: whatever you do, close the lid of your toilet when you rinse it.)
Here’s a high-tech solution: Sterilize your toothbrush every time you use it, using the power of ultraviolet light, which has a long history of being effective in killing bacteria and viruses. While this technology was once limited to medical and industrial communities, thanks to the advent of UV-C LED, it became easy to incorporate a germ-killing light into small consumer gadgets, especially those designed for disinfecting toothbrushes. I got five of these devices, most of which are available on Amazon, specifically designed for this task.
But before we dive into the reviews, a few caveats. First of all, the jury is out on how long it takes UV-C to kill various germs. Many will die within seconds, but some resistant bugs (potentially including Covid-19) can survive for half an hour or more. All but one of the devices in this roundup lasted less than 10 minutes. Second, UV-C LEDs are far from standardized and there are many reports of fake consumer devices on the market that does not generate UV-C radiation at all. I don’t have the equipment to measure the ultraviolet wavelengths emitted by the devices, nor did I perform a petri dish test on sterilized brushes to see how germ-free they were afterwards. cleaning. As such, these reviews focus on the design, build quality, functionality, and usability of the devices under test.
Seago UV sterilizer
This stand-alone $ 18 sterilizer is powered by three AAA batteries (not included) and looks a lot like an electric pencil sharpener. The top of the device has slots for two toothbrushes. In theory, all you need to do is drop your brush in one and press the big button on the front to trigger the UV, which lasts up to 8 minutes per press. In practice, it is a little more difficult to manage. A small channel inside the unit is designed to direct the brush heads so that they are facing the light source, but I found that I still had to put them in place manually so that they wouldn’t. not turn their backs on the light. There is no mirrored surface to reflect UV rays, and a lip that extends downward into the chamber can shade the top of your brush, depending on its position. It’s nothing fancy, but if you need a countertop toothbrush holder that doubles as a usable disinfectant, that at least makes it a passable – and very inexpensive – solution. Just note that it’s hard to find in US retailers right now, but may reappear soon. Rating: 6/10, Seago.cn
LocknLock Travel Disinfectant
LocknLock disinfectant is unique in that it is designed to go with you – the single-disc unit is about the size of a Zippo and weighs next to nothing. To use it, just snap the top around your toothbrush head and the UV light will automatically turn on. (Run time is only 3 minutes.) The device recharges via a mini-USB port, which makes it even easier to store in your bug out bag; a cable is included but not an A / C adapter. During use, a mirrored panel helps reflect UV light off all surfaces of the brush, at least if your brush head isn’t huge. It’s also available in your choice of three pastel colors, and some tape magnets are included if you want to attach it to the wall instead of taking it with you. A slightly larger double brush unit– if not fundamentally identical – costs $ 31. Thanks to its modest size and flexibility, it’s my top pick in this roundup – provided you don’t have to meet the disinfection needs of a large family. Score: 8/10 (WIRED recommends), $ 26 at Amazon.
Pursonic S20 UV toothbrush disinfectant
While I was testing it, Pursonic’s basic sanitizing system was both the biggest and the bluest on my bathroom counter. The somewhat flimsy, all-plastic device, which boasts unexplained “ozone and photocatalyst technology,” is the size of a large paperback book and can hold up to five toothbrushes. Or, as expected, four toothbrushes and a razor, due to the wider slot on the left side of the device. Unfortunately, the placement of the retaining clips means that many modern razors will not fit inside the device. A Gillette Fusion5 was way too big for the Pursonic, but if you use a smaller razor then you’re fine. The device is particularly large because the entirety of each brush fits inside, not just the head, so while the UV bulbs are meant exclusively for the bristles, they probably bounce a bit to help sanitize the handles as well. .
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