LONDON (AP) — Toothbrushes were once simple, hand-powered, and never broke down. Rechargeable electric toothbrushes have become increasingly popular these days because they make brushing your teeth easier and more effective, but they can be a headache when they stop working properly.
An electric toothbrush has a battery inside its waterproof housing that powers a small motor that rotates or vibrates the replaceable brush head at high speed. Batteries are usually rechargeable, but they don’t last forever. The issue of toothbrush longevity and toothbrush repairability as a whole is a topic of conversation in many online forums.
If you’ve ever owned one, you’ve probably noticed that the time between charges has become more and more frequent. At some point, you may decide to throw it away, adding to the ever-growing pile of e-waste around the world.
But all is not lost. You can pay someone to fix it for you, or you can use online help to fix it yourself. Here are some tips:
Can I repair my electric toothbrush myself?
According to the manufacturer, the answer is usually no. They are warning people not to disassemble the device as it could be dangerous or void the warranty. But that doesn’t mean you can’t fix it yourself, repair advocates say.
You can find websites and YouTube channels dedicated to showing you how to repair battery-powered brushes.
Toothbrush manufacturers will say the device is “not user-serviceable,” but that’s a “blatant lie,” said Shahram Mokhtari, lead teardown engineer at repair advocacy group iFixit. Ta. “Some of these devices have very replaceable batteries.” And in most cases, it’s about getting inside the device and learning how to do a little soldering or being able to do that. He said it was just a matter of bringing it to people.
DIY fixes may soon become standard practice. The European Union, a global technology regulation pioneer, is drafting regulations to facilitate the repair of electrical equipment, and several states have introduced right-to-repair laws.
How do I access the battery?
Although each model is slightly different, models from two of the most popular brands, Oral B and Philips Sonicare, can be disassembled using the same general steps.
You can open most Oral-B brushes by holding the toothbrush and charging stand together, twisting the stand, and removing the bottom cap. Some models may require you to use the stand as a lever to remove it.
The Philips Sonicare model is a little more complicated. You’ll need something to pry the bottom cap off, such as a small flathead screwdriver or a plastic tool known as a “spudger.”
If any model is too tight, some websites recommend soaking the brush in hot water for a few minutes to soften the plastic housing.
Once it’s turned off, you’ll need to slide the electronic internals out of the housing. You may need to remove the metal or plastic ring on the brush head spindle first. Then press the spindle against a hard object and slide the motor assembly from the bottom. You may need to pry up some plastic tabs first. Again, every toothbrush is different, so if possible, we recommend checking out iFixit or other repair websites for guides for your specific model.
Need technical skills?
In some models, the battery is soldered to the circuit board and cannot be easily removed. But if you feel handy, you can do it yourself, Mokhtari said. You will need a soldering iron to put the wiring connections back together. After that, you will need to re-solder the new battery. If you’ve never done it before, watch the video. Be careful as the soldering iron is hot.
“It’s not difficult to learn, so we encourage people to learn that skill,” Mokhtari said. The soldering process for toothbrushes is generally similar, he says, “a little more delicate” and “a little more difficult.”
Can I get a replacement battery?
Yes, but you need to make sure the size is correct. Typically, a TV remote control’s battery is a cylindrical battery similar to an Energizer or Duracell AA battery, but don’t assume they are the same.
It can be longer or shorter than a standard AA, or it can have a different diameter. Some have metal tabs that must be soldered to the circuit board. Whatever it is, it should be available online.
Which one is the easiest to repair?
Oral-B is making DIY repairs easy for consumers with its IO Series toothbrushes, which can be repaired without specialized tools. Some versions come with a circular charger specifically designed to be used as a tool to unscrew the bottom cap when turned upside down. Simply slide the mechanism out and then pop out the battery.
The downside, according to the British website toothbrushbattery.com, is that the IO model and its brush head are more expensive than the rest of the Oral-B model line. Toothbrushbattery.com has a buyer’s guide that ranks electric toothbrushes by ease of repair.
Some emerging brands, such as Suri and Quip, are emphasizing repairability as part of their sustainable appeal. However, Suri argues that owners should send it back for repair, not repair it themselves, and should only do so if they are enrolled in a subscription plan for the brush head.
Other types may vary. Mokhtari demonstrated to The Associated Press the steps to disassemble a new Philips Sonicare 6100 model. It took him over 15 minutes to unscrew the bottom cap and remove the electronics. Next, he tackled the complex desoldering process.
“This is not consumer friendly. This is not repairable,” he said. “We have already gone far beyond what is reasonable for DIY repair work.”
