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How to Clean Your Waterpik Water Flosser – Best way to clean Cordless Waterpik Reservoir:
Waterpik Water Flosser or any Other Water Flosser is the best replacement for string flosser. The string flosser is a traditional tool to clean the teeth after brushing, while the water flosser is the latest technology. Whether it’s Waterpik or any other brand, you should use the water flosser every day to clean your teeth after brushing. Besides, it would help if you also cleaned your water flosser to keep it working at its best for a long time.
How to clean your Waterpik or Water Flosser
Water flossing maintains your oral health, but you also need to clean the water flosser itself. First, you need to learn how to clean your Waterpik Water Flosser, and then you can perform the cleaning task at home. According to experienced dentists and popular flossing brands, every user should clean their water floss regularly.
The need to clean the Waterpik or Water Flosser
As a Waterpik or Water Flosser user, you may think it is not that important, but it is essential. When the Waterpik or Water Flosser is brand new, it works very accurately to clean your teeth and completely clean your mouth. But the performance wears out over time. Some minerals and bacteria get stuck on and in the water floss. Therefore, you need to clean your Waterpik or Water Flosser to maintain consistent performance in cleaning your teeth and gums.
Types of Water Flosser
The Water Flosser is available in two different types. The first is a Corded Water Flosser, and the other is Cordless Waterpik. Because of its ease of use and travel-friendly design, you should get the cordless Waterpik for everyday use. However, it would help if you learned how to clean a Waterpik cordless water flosser to keep it useful.
The Corded Waterpik is known as Countertop Water Flosser. It is convenient if you only want to floss at home. On the other hand, Cordless Waterpik is convenient to use at home, and you can take it anywhere. The cleaning process is almost the same for both corded and cordless water flossers. Here we explain how to clean your Waterpik cordless flosser thoroughly.
How often should you clean your water flosser?
You can clean your Waterpik or water flosser in two different ways: I) Light Clean and II) Deep Clean or Complete Clean. Light Clean It is best to clean your Waterpik or Water Flosser once a week, such as every Sunday. The Light Clean task requires less time, so that you can do it anytime. On the other hand, Deep Clean requires more time and tools, so you should do Water Flosser once a month Deep Clean. The methods for cleaning your Water Flosser weekly and monthly are detailed below.
1. How to Clean Your Waterpik or Water Flosser Every Week
Since you use water floss daily, it is advisable to clean it once a week. This cleaning procedure is simple and can be done in a few minutes. You should perform this task on Sunday morning after brushing and flossing your teeth. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to clean your Waterpik or Water Flosser weekly.
We have 3 important steps:
- Empty the Reservoir and Water Pipe
- Clean the Outside & Inside of Water Flosser
- Wait Till the Water Flosser Dries Out
1. Empty the Reservoir and Water Pipe
When the floss is finished, there is still some water in the reservoir. It is best to empty the reservoir every week to clean it out and have only fresh water in the tank. In addition to the reservoir, you should also clean the water line that carries the water from the reservoir to the flosser’s tip.
To drain the reservoir, you should run the flosser and let the water flow out. The water will soon run out, and the waterline will be empty as well. After that, it is best to run the flosser for another 10 seconds to suck air through the tube and push out the remaining moisture.
2. Clean the Outside & Inside of Water Flosser
When the reservoir and hose are empty, it is time to clean the outside of the Waterpik. The Waterpik you are using has a plastic surface that can have dust, dirt, and moisture. It is best to wipe the Waterpik outside with a paper towel or damp cloth (slightly dampened).
It would be best to clean the handle, the hose (tube), and the entire outside surface of the Water Flosser. It would be best if you also wipe the inside of the container with a damp cloth. You can also use a non-abrasive cleaner for more effective cleaning and better results.
3. Wait Till the Water Flosser Dries Out
After emptying the reservoir and wiping the surface, you need to wait for some hours. The water flosser will dry out by air, so you should leave it open where the air is available. You need to remove the reservoir so that the air can enter the inside reservoir and dry it.
You should open the lid/cover if the reservoir contains such cover. Leave the water flosser in the open condition to let it completely dry out. This will reduce the chances of bacteria build up in your water flosser.
Here is a video from Waterpik with some quick tips:
2. How to Clean Your Waterpik or Water Flosser Every Month
Since this cleaning task is a deep cleaning, you should take more time for it. Before you begin Water Flosser Cleaning Process, you should gather the tools you will need. You should have a soft or damp cloth, vinegar, and a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. You can use a dishwasher if you don’t like cleaning by hand.
For this task, we will assume that you already clean your Waterpik every week, so we will not include the basic cleaning tasks in the monthly cleaning cycle. If you do not follow the weekly Light Clean method, you should perform these tasks first and then use our monthly Deep Clean method.
It includes the following steps:
- Clean the water tank thoroughly.
- Clean the internal parts
- Clean the handle – only Countertop Models
- Clean the flossing tip
Note: If you have Countertop Water Flosser, then you should unplug the power cord. Be sure to unplug the power cord before you begin the cleaning process. If you want to run the flosser to clean the water tube and flosser tip, do so first and then unplug the power cord. You can then start the cleaning process on your floss.
1. Deep Clean the Water Reservoir
The Water Flosser Cleaning begins with the water reservoir. The water reservoir is more likely to accumulate dirt and bacteria than other parts of the Water Flosser. The water reservoir contains the water passed through the tube and tips into your mouth for water flossing. Here are the steps to deep clean the water reservoir:
- First, you need to remove/take off the water tank from the flosser. If you don’t know how to remove the water tank, you should refer to the instruction manual.
- If you are using the attachment model that includes a small black rubber valve, you will need to remove it. Push the water tank valve from the bottom to remove it.
- Take a bowl filled with warm water and massage the rubber valve in the water for 30-45 seconds to clean it. Leave the valve aside once it is cleaned.
- Take some Soapy Warm Water and clean the Water Reservoir inside and out. You can also clean the Water Reservoir by placing it on the top shelf of your dishwasher.
- After you have cleaned the water tank, you should let it air dry and NOT the dry heat cycle.
- If you previously removed the water tank valve (step 2), reinsert it into the tank before using the Water Flosser again.
2. Clean the Internal Parts
The internal parts, such as filters, pumps, and water pipes, must also be cleaned. Debris and minerals can accumulate more in the internal parts. Therefore, you should clean them along with the water tank of your water flush every month.
It would be best to use White Vinegar or Antibacterial Mouthwash and Warm Water to clean the internal parts. Add 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar to 16 ounces of warm water. Fill the water reservoir with warm water and run the flosser. Turn off the flosser when the water tank is half full. Leave the water floss aside for 20 minutes and let the solution thoroughly clean all the internal parts.
Turn the flosser back on after 20 minutes and let it run until the water tank is empty. After that, you need to fill normal warm water and run the floss to clean it thoroughly.
3. Clean the Handle – Countertop Models Only
This step applies only to users who have the Countertop Water Flosser Model. In addition to the water tank and internal parts, you will also need to clean the Water Flosser handle. First, you should remove the handle from your flosser and submerge it in a container filled with white vinegar.
Leave the handle in the container for at least 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the flosser handle and wash it inside and out with warm water.
4. Clean the Flosser Tip
To clean the tip of the floss, you must remove it from the floss. Then dip the tip into a bowl or container filled with white vinegar. Leave the flossing tip in the container for 5 minutes and then remove it. Finally, it is best to rinse the flossing tip with warm water to clean it thoroughly.
Note: The Water Flosser Tip has a lifespan of 3-4 months. Therefore, it is highly recommended to change the flosser tip every three months. It would be best to clean the flosser tip every month to keep it free from all debris, minerals, and harmful bacteria.
After the cleaning is done, you need to put the floss back together. You can put it back together right after cleaning or when you want to use it next time.
Advantages of Cleaning Water Flosser
Whether it is a water flosser or toothbrush, you should clean it regularly. There are many benefits of cleaning the water flosser, which is listed below:
- Cleaning kills and eliminates all the bacteria on Water Flosser.
- It breaks down the mineral deposits that have formed in the Water Flosser.
- It keeps the Water Flosser as usable as the first week after purchase.
- It increases the life of the Water Flosser, i.e., cleaning makes it long-lasting.
Video tips
Final Words
All the information is given above about how to clean your Waterpik or Water Flosser is very useful or even essential.
It would be best to keep your Water Flosser clean to prolong its life and maintain your oral health.
For more information, please head to www.amazon.com/waterpik.
I’m a General Dental Practitioner from Belgium living in the USA. I work Biotech Dental with my 20+ years of experience working in the dental industry and dealing with 1000’s patients, I hope to inform you and help you with my knowledge and the importance of dental hygiene.
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