Last updated: September 2026 · The Earthling Co.
The Zero-Waste Dental Principle: True sustainability extends the life of every product. Giving a toothbrush a second functional life before proper disposal keeps waste out of landfills and reduces the need for single-use cleaning tools.
Dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months—or sooner if the bristles become frayed. That means an average person goes through 3 to 4 toothbrushes every single year. Multiply that across the globe, and billions of plastic toothbrushes end up in landfills and oceans annually, taking up to 500 years to break down.
Even if you have made the sustainable upgrade to a compostable bamboo toothbrush, knowing how to properly disassemble and dispose of it is essential to closing the zero-waste loop. And before any toothbrush reaches the end of its lifespan, giving it a second life around the house keeps waste out of landfills just a little bit longer.
Here is your complete guide on how to repurpose, recycle, and properly dispose of an old toothbrush.
Plastic vs. Bamboo Toothbrushes: Disposal & Lifecycle Breakdown
Understanding the materials in your toothbrush makes it easy to choose the right disposal pathway:
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Conventional Plastic Toothbrushes: Made from rigid petroleum plastics (like polypropylene) and nylon bristles bonded with metal staples. They cannot be recycled in standard curbside recycling bins because their small size and mixed materials jam municipal sorting equipment.
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Bamboo Toothbrushes: Crafted with sustainably harvested, biodegradable bamboo handles and nylon bristles. While the handle returns to the earth naturally via home or municipal composting, the bristles must be separated first.
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Electric Toothbrush Heads: Contain plastic casings, internal metal springs, and synthetic bristles. These require small electronics or specialized dental product recycling streams.
OPTION 1: REUSE
Toothbrushes can have a variety of uses around the house! Use the toothbrush and a natural cleaning solution to clean hard to reach areas in your bathroom such as gaps between tile or around the sink drain.
The soft bristles of an old toothbrush can also be used to gently dust electronics such as keyboards, wifi routers, and other appliances.
Have a pair of shoes that needs a deep cleaning? Mix together mild, plant-derived detergent with water and scrub the dirt away.
If you’re feeling a little creative, use an old toothbrush for your next art project! The bristles on a toothbrush aren’t too different from a paintbrush and can add some fun brushstrokes to a painting!
OPTION 2: REPURPOSE
With some imagination, an old bamboo toothbrush can transform into something of use! Instead of buying wooden popsicle sticks, see how you can use the handle of a bamboo toothbrush.
Need to remember where you planted squash in your garden box? Use the handle of a toothbrush and a pen to make a custom garden marker!
If you’re always dying your hair, use the handle of the toothbrush to stir hair dye! For the artists out there, this method will also work for paint mixing!
OPTION 3: DISPOSE PROPERLY
Our bamboo toothbrushes are compostable since they’re made of a plant-based material. Simply toss the old toothbrush in a compost bin and the bamboo will decompose on its own! Be sure to remove the nylon bristles before composting!
One benefit of making the switch to bamboo toothbrushes from plastic toothbrushes is that you know your toothbrush won’t contribute to plastic pollution!
Our instinct is to throw used items directly into the trash. While almost all products from The Earthling Co. are recyclable or compostable, it’s best to give items a new life in the best way you can. In need of a replacement toothbrush? Stock up on bamboo toothbrushes for everyone in your household (even your kids!)
