Yeah, I get what you mean about the soap not feeling “enough.” I’ve mostly used clear dish soap too, but every once in a while I’ll soak my trays in diluted vinegar for a deeper clean. It smells weird but seems to help with buildup. I’m always nervous about scratching them though... it’s like walking a tightrope between clean and cloudy trays.
I’m always nervous about scratching them though... it’s like walking a tightrope between clean and cloudy trays.
I totally get this—scratching is my biggest worry too. I tried using a soft toothbrush once and it actually left some faint marks, so now I just stick to soaking. My method is: rinse with lukewarm water, soak in diluted vinegar about 10 minutes, then rinse again and let them air dry. The vinegar smell is rough but it does seem to help with that filmy buildup. I’m still not convinced it gets everything though... sometimes I wonder if I’m just trading stains for a weird aftertaste.
That vinegar routine sounds like it’d clear my sinuses faster than my trays. Ever tried those fizzy denture cleaning tablets? I gave ‘em a go after my daughter joked my aligners smelled like salad dressing… Not sure if they’re any better, but at least the taste is less dramatic. Do you ever worry about the plastic breaking down with all these soaks, or am I just paranoid after too many years of dental mishaps?
Do you ever worry about the plastic breaking down with all these soaks, or am I just paranoid after too many years of dental mishaps?
Honestly, I’ve wondered the same thing, but my ortho said the aligners are designed to handle a bit of soaking—within reason. I tried those fizzy tablets too (mostly because the vinegar smell was haunting my dreams), and they seem gentler than vinegar. Still, I feel like as long as you’re not marinating them overnight every day, the plastic should survive. My last set lasted through a few cleaning experiments and only got cloudy, not crackly. Maybe we’re just overthinking it after living through one too many dental disasters...
as long as you’re not marinating them overnight every day, the plastic should survive
That’s been my experience too, but I do think it’s worth being a little cautious. I used to soak mine in vinegar and baking soda for way longer than recommended, thinking more time = more clean, and I swear the plastic got more brittle after a while. The fizzy tablets seem less harsh, but I still only leave them in for about 10 minutes max.
I get the paranoia though—after a couple of cracked retainers, I’m always side-eyeing anything that could weaken the plastic. My ortho said the aligners are “pretty resilient,” but also mentioned that repeated exposure to strong cleaners or hot water can make them cloudy or warp faster. It’s a balance, honestly. I’d rather have a bit of staining than risk messing up the fit.
One weird tip: rinsing right after eating or drinking (especially coffee) seems to help keep stains away, so I don’t have to soak as often. Not perfect, but it’s cut down on the cleaning stress a lot...
