Cleaning Oral-B irrigator: Tips and tricks to keep it in good condition

With use, filters and hose tubes become clogged, due to mineral buildup from tap water. If you do not clean it regularly, it will eventually form a plug that will prevent the passage of water. Added to the lime that will accumulate in the parts, after a few months it will stop working.

And you don't want that to happen to your irrigator, do you?

How to clean the Oral-B irrigator tank

After each use it is advisable to clean the tank with a little water and dry it with a cloth. AND, At least once a month (two if you use it daily), use one of these methods to clean it thoroughly.

Cleaning the tank with vinegar

To be able to perform a dental cleaning with your quality irrigator, we advise you use vinegar to clean the tank.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Fill the tank of the irrigator and pour 2 tablespoons of vinegar if it is a portable model or 4 if it is a desktop model.
2. Activate the irrigator and direct the jet towards the sink, until half a tank is empty.
3. Wait 20 minutes for the vinegar to act on the filters, eliminating bacteria and mineral remains.
4. Empty what is left in the tank.
5. Fill the water tank again, this time halfway, and fire the jet again to remove any remaining vinegar.
6. Dry the reservoir with a dry cloth and replace the cap or screw it back onto the irrigator.

Cleaning the tank with hydrogen peroxide

Can hydrogen peroxide be used to clean an irrigator? Of course, in fact it is common to use it in cleaning a Waterpik and it has very good results.

What you should do is:

1. Carry out a preliminary cleaning of the tank with a cloth with a little hydrogen peroxide.
2. Fill the tank halfway and pour in three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide.
3. Shoot the water jet until the tank is empty.
4. Wait about 15 minutes for the mixture to act on the filters and tube of the irrigator.
5. Fill the tank and pour normal water, to remove any residue or remains of the filters.

How to clean the tip of the Oral-B irrigator

Just like the filter and tube on the handle, irrigator nozzles also get clogged by minerals in tap water. To clean them, follow one of these methods:

Cleaning the tip with hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is quite strong, so in this case we recommend these steps:

1. Place the nozzle on the handle.
2. Fill the tank with water and a little hydrogen peroxide (three tablespoons maximum).
3. Activate the irrigator and shoot the stream into the sink at full power.
4. This will be enough to remove any debris or plugging from the nozzle.

Cleaning the tip with vinegar

The other option for cleaning the nozzles of an Oral-B irrigator is use vinegar. You could carry out the same process as with hydrogen peroxide, but first try immerse the nozzles in a mixture of vinegar with water (half a cup of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar) for about 15 minutes.

If it has not worked, follow the steps in the previous point but with vinegar.

How to clean the handle and hose of the Oral-B irrigator

The handle of the irrigator should be cleaned like any other part of the irrigator, to avoid problems.

Follow these steps:

1. Place the handle under the tap and clean it with water. If it has a stain, use a little soap with a sponge to remove it and rinse well.
2. Fill a large container with warm water (it can be a bit hot) and pour in 5 tablespoons of vinegar.
3. Submerge the irrigator handle for 5-10 minutes. Don't worry about it sinking to the bottom, all irrigators are highly resistant to water.
4. Run the irrigator under the tap again, again with soap and water.
5. Dry with a dry cloth, and you're done.

Oral-B Dental Irrigators Catalog

Click through to read our reviews of oral irrigators from this brand.