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You’re Probably Not Cleaning Your Water Flosser As Often As You Should. Here’s How It’s Done.

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Squiggly drawings of bacteria floating over a photo of our pick for an effective and easy to clean water flosser, the Waterpik Aquarius Professional.
Photo: Sarah Kobos; Illustration: Dana Davis
Elissa Sanci

By Elissa Sanci

Elissa Sanci is a senior staff writer. She has found that clear ice makes carbonated drinks taste better, and citronella candles don’t work.

Water flossers—electronic machines that shoot a thin stream of water to clean between your teeth—are a great alternative to traditional string floss. Not only can they help you cut back on plastic waste, but they’re also easier to maneuver around your mouth than a piece of string. And depending on the model, they can even work in the shower.

But keeping a water flosser clean requires some diligence. Amy Lemons, a registered dental hygienist, says it should be deep-cleaned every one to three months—unless you notice any signs of mold, biofilm, or mineral deposits from hard water, in which case she says you should clean it right away.

“One easy way to prevent [mold growth] from happening is to make sure the water reservoir is completely empty after use,” she says. “Dry any remaining water out with a towel if your model of water flosser allows you to easily remove the reservoir.”

Thankfully, deep-cleaning a water flosser is blissfully easy. We asked Lemons for advice on how to get your device squeaky clean.

Top pick

This powerful cleaner with 10 pressure settings delivers that “just left the dentist” feeling. But it’s larger than some other models, and it requires an outlet and a good deal of counter space.

To effectively clean a water flosser, you don’t need much—just warm water, white vinegar, dish soap, a mild nonabrasive cleaner for the exterior of the device such as Clorox Free & Clear Multi-Surface Spray Cleaner, a drinking glass, and a microfiber cloth.

First, disassemble your flosser by removing the water reservoir and flossing wand from the unit. If you’re using a countertop water flosser, remove the valve from the reservoir, too. Wipe down the exterior of the machine with a damp cloth and a nonabrasive cleaner, and then set it aside.

Clean the water flosser’s plastic reservoir in the dishwasher or by hand. If you’re using the dishwasher, Lemons recommends placing it on the top rack and then removing it before the dishwasher’s heated dry cycle begins and allowing it to air dry. Hand-wash the reservoir valve with dish soap, rinse it by running it under warm water for 30 to 45 seconds, and then let it air dry.

While the reservoir dries, remove the flosser tip from the wand and set it aside. Combine two parts warm water with one part white vinegar in a pint glass or a tall drinking glass, and then place the wand upside down (to keep the cord from getting wet) in the mixture to soak for five to seven minutes. You can also soak the flosser tip in the same water-and-vinegar mixture, though Lemons recommends replacing your water flosser tip every three to six months since they can become clogged by mineral deposits.

To clean the internal parts of the water flosser, first reassemble the machine. Fill the water reservoir with 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 16 ounces of warm water, and then run the solution through the flosser until the reservoir is empty. (Make sure to direct the stream of water into the sink!) Afterward, fill the tank with clean water and run the flosser again to flush the vinegar from the machine.

Once your machine is free of gunk, it can go back to doing its job: getting the gunk out of your teeth.

This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Catherine Kast.

Meet your guide

Elissa Sanci

Senior Staff Writer

What I Cover

I cover a little of everything, from travel gadgets and car-organizing tools to label makers and reusable tumblers. I have an affinity for testing the buzzy products you’ve probably seen clogging your social media feeds—my goal is to figure out which trending items are actually worth your time, and which are a waste of money.

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