Toothbrushes Put in Garbage Cart/Bin Electric Toothbrushes Are E-Waste Because of their batteries, electric toothbrushes must be disposed of as e-waste. Ways to Reduce Use Bamboo Brush with Bamboo toothbrushes have completely biodegradable handles, BPA-free bristles, come in compostable packaging, and are designed to last just as long as a conventional plastic toothbrush. Ways to Reuse Cleaning Baseboards An old toothbrush makes a great tool for cleaning a baseboard and getting out the lint and other dirt the vacuum just can’t reach. Getting the Mud Out Old toothbrushes are great for getting the mud out of dirty shoes, bikes and whatever else you take outside. Cleaning Delicate Jewelry An old toothbrush can be extremely useful for cleaning delicate pieces of jewelry. Clean the Toothbrush Before Reusing It To clean an old toothbrush, soak it for a few hours in a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. Then give it one final rinse and let it air dry. Did You Know? The House That 20,000 Toothbrushes Built When students at the University of Brighton built a house almost entirely of waste, the materials used to insulate the walls included 20,000 old toothbrushes, as well as DVD cases, VHS tapes and old demin. Find out more about the Waste House. Before the Modern Toothbrush The modern toothbrush wasn’t invented until 1938, but that does’t mean people never brushed their teeth. Ancient civilizations rubbed a “chew stick,” a twig with a frayed end, against their teeth to clean them. The bristle toothbrush was invented in 1498 by the Chinese, but the bristles were actually hog hairs, and the handle was made of bone or bamboo. Horsehairs were used in the 20th century until 1938, when DuPont introduced nylon, still in use today.
