I get what you mean—sometimes I wonder if I’m being too careful with cleaning stuff like that, but honestly, better to overthink than end up with a gross surprise. Alcohol wipes seem smart. I tried hot water once and it warped my scraper, so... lesson learned. You're definitely not alone in wanting to keep things fresh.
I tried hot water once and it warped my scraper, so... lesson learned.
That happened to us too, actually—my kid’s plastic scraper was never the same after a “sterilizing” attempt. I switched to stainless steel for that reason, but now I’m curious: has anyone had issues with metal ones rusting or getting discolored over time? I wipe ours with alcohol, but I still worry about missing something.
I’ve actually had a stainless steel one for a couple years and it’s still in decent shape—no rust, but it did get a weird rainbow tint after I left it soaking in mouthwash overnight. Not sure if that’s a problem or just “character.” Anyone else get that?
That rainbow tint is actually pretty common with stainless steel, especially if it sits in something acidic or with alcohol for a while. I got the same thing after leaving mine in mouthwash too long—looked like some kind of oil slick. From what I’ve read, it’s just a harmless oxidation layer, not rust or anything dangerous. I kinda like the weird colors, honestly… makes it look less like a medical tool and more like a sci-fi prop.
I noticed that rainbow sheen on mine too after I left it soaking in peroxide, trying to “deep clean” it. At first, I freaked out thinking it meant the metal was ruined and I’d have to buy a new one (I’m not trying to replace stuff all the time). But honestly, after rinsing and using it again, everything seemed fine. The colors are weirdly cool, but I do sometimes wonder if I’m just being cheap by not swapping it out. Has anyone actually had theirs start to rust?
