October 9, 2008

How to keep track of your toothbrush the low-tech way family, How To — by TDavid @ 12:49 pm PST

This likely isn’t a problem if you live alone and/or have some super unique toothbrush. But most toothbrushes to me look the same and when I go to brush my teeth among a bunch of other toothbrushes from family members, I want the fast and easy way to grab the right one. Turns out from my blog reading this morning I’m not alone.

Fellow techie, blogger and long time hmm reader Sterling writes:

Several months ago, I came up with a reliable, low-tech solution.  Put a Band-Aid around the handle of my brush, but not on hers.  It provides both tactile and visual identity confirmation.  I can be sure to grab the right brush in the morning, even when I can’t yet distinguish the faces of family members. They all laugh at my crazy innovation, but it works.

For years, toothbrush after toothbrush I’ve been using a rubber band wrapped around the handle like the picture above to the right to identify which toothbrush is mine. Do you have some special way to mark your toothbrush from others?

Update 10/10/08 11:20am PST: Be caught in the web of my new toothbrush:

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17 Comments »

1. Hey, TD — thanks for the link! Hmm… the blue rubber band sort of blends in with the toothbrush color. On the other hand, it is reusable.

   Comment by Sterling Camden — October 9, 2008 @ 3:02 pm PST

2. Well we each have a different color toothbrush…

   Comment by FranciscoIV — October 10, 2008 @ 2:58 am PST

3. […] How to keep track of your toothbrush the low-tech wayRubber band vs. Band-Aid? This could be as big as emacs vs vi!Tags: tdavid toothbrush […]

   Pingback by Chipping the web: October 9th -- Chip’s Quips — October 10, 2008 @ 7:00 am PST

4. It’s a touch thing for me more than sight thing, FrancisoIV. Color doesn’t matter.

   Comment by TDavid — October 10, 2008 @ 8:41 am PST

5. LOL, don’t have your glasses on when you brush? Brush in the dark? hehehe

   Comment by FranciscoIV — October 10, 2008 @ 8:57 am PST

6. Hehe, not always, no. I’m sort of a chronic brusher, I probably brush an average of at least five times per day. Wake up in the middle of the night, brush, after bfst, lunch, dinner, snacking … just randomly. Pretty much whenever I go near the bathroom I brush. Guess I just like the cleanliness of a freshly brushed mouth.

   Comment by TDavid — October 10, 2008 @ 9:04 am PST

7. As I said in the post that TD linked, we buy our toothbrushes in bulk at Costco. Since we use different bristle strengths, we each end up having to use the same set of colors eventually. Tough to keep up with “who has blue this month?”

   Comment by Sterling Camden — October 10, 2008 @ 10:20 am PST

8. We use the Oral B battery operated toothbrushes. When the bristles wear out you just buy a new head, they come in 2 packs. That way we always keep the same colors for the rest of the toothbrush.

   Comment by FranciscoIV — October 10, 2008 @ 10:41 am PST

9. Ah, there you go — you can solve any problem by throwing enough technology at it. We opted for the low-tech solution, which also provides daily arm and hand exercises.

   Comment by Sterling Camden — October 10, 2008 @ 10:48 am PST

10. HAHAHA @ Sterling! good one! After all we ARE responding on a blog…. As TDavid knows for me it’s why do low tech when I can make it as high tech, complicated, and cutting edge as possible! ;-{)

    Comment by FranciscoIV — October 10, 2008 @ 10:53 am PST

11. That’s a pretty high-tech emoticon you got there, too, Francisco. Is that a mustache?

    Comment by Sterling Camden — October 10, 2008 @ 11:03 am PST

12. Why of course! Had it since I was 13… only shaved it off twice and grew it right back! (pushing 52 so it’s a premanent part of me)

    Comment by FranciscoIV — October 10, 2008 @ 11:19 am PST

13. I’ve always had a mustache, too. Since 1987 it’s been mustache and beard. Every month or so I mow it all down to stubble and then let it regrow, though.

    Comment by Sterling Camden — October 10, 2008 @ 11:30 am PST

14. Uh-oh! TD is going high-tech, too! Spidey high-tech! I guess I’m the Luddite now.

    Comment by Sterling Camden — October 10, 2008 @ 11:31 am PST

15. HAHAHA with as much as he brushes I would bet that one arm is bigger than the other so he needs that battery operated toothbrush!

    Comment by FranciscoIV — October 10, 2008 @ 11:34 am PST

16. As you know, with great brushing power comes great responsibility. Here is a close-up for you mere mortals:

    

    Comment by TDavid — October 10, 2008 @ 12:06 pm PST

17. Bwah! Too funny! We are fine with colors in this house, but I’m more visual and it sounds like you are more tactile.

    Comment by jennifer — October 12, 2008 @ 4:36 pm PST

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