What is the best way to clean Invisalign retainers? There are plenty of ways to clean them and we’ll be discussing your options in this article. Keeping your retainers clean is crucial to expanding their lifespan as well as maintaining your oral hygiene. Here are a few choices for cleaning.
When you clean your retainers, your goal should be to remove any biofilm or bacteria from them. The bacteria and biofilm come directly from your teeth and become layered on your retainer when you remove them. If you don’t remove the bacteria of biofilm, it can build up and become the dreaded white/yellow spots, or the material can become cloudy. What is the best way to clean Invisalign retainers? Let’s start with natural options.
If you want a natural way to clean your retainers, you have some choices that can be found right in your kitchen! What’s the best way to clean Invisalign retainer naturally? We suggest vinegar, baking soda, or castile soap. Here are instructions on how to properly soak them in these solutions.
You’ll want to fill up a half glass of warm water. Make sure the water isn’t scalding hot as extreme heat can affect the plastic material. Once you have a half glass, you can mix in either natural vinegar or apple vinegar into the glass. You’ll want the solution to be 50/50. Insert the retainers and let them soak for 20 minutes before thoroughly washing them off in a stream of warm water. You’ll want to wash them off really well as vinegar can leave a strong taste if not washed off.
What is the best way to clean Invisalign retainers? Well, you have two other options if you want a natural clean. You can fill up a glass of warm water 3/4 full and mix in two tablespoons of baking soda. The solution will turn cloudy as you stir it around with a spoon. Once the solution is mixed, insert your retainers and let them soak for 30 minutes before removing them.
The last option and the answer to what is the best way to clean Invisalign retainers, is castile soap! This soap is made from olive oil and other vegetable oils and is 100 percent natural. After testing all of the other solutions, SportingSmiles found this one the best at removing the bacteria and biofilm found on retainers. Fill up a glass of warm water and gently mix in the liquid form of Castille soap. You don’t need a lot, just a few squirts. Let your retainers soak for 10 minutes and then wash them off under warm water while scrubbing them with a soft bristle toothbrush. This is a great way to clean your retainers!
If you are looking for a chemical way to clean your retainers, we have a few options too. Retainer cleaning solutions can be purchased over the counter. Our favorite retainer cleaner is FreshGuard. You can get a retainer cleaner in either tablet or powder form but it’s very easy to use.
What is the best way to clean Invisalign retainers with chemicals? FreshGuard works awesome at removing bacteria with very little effort. Just fill up a warm glass of water and pour in the cleaning powder or drop the tablets in the glass. The water should start fizzing or foaming. When it does this, place your dirty retainers in the solution and let them soak for 15 minutes before removing them and washing them under warm water. This is an excellent option to use when daily cleaning your retainers.
While we’ve discussed the best way to clean Invisalign retainers, sometimes they are just too dirty to clean. When your retainers are too dirty, it can lead to oral issues including making you sick, or the material wearing down. If your retainer is worn down or too gross, you’ll need to replace it.
SportingSmiles has been in business since 2009 crafting premium replacement retainers. By ordering retainers from SportingSmiles you’ll receive the patented impression kit. Take easy-at-home impressions and ship them back with free shipping to receive brand-new clean retainers that will prevent your teeth from shifting. These are the exact same retainers you’d receive from your dentist but at half the cost! If you need a replacement set, SportingSmiles can provide them to you all from the comfort of your home.
