---
title: "How to care for and clean your invisible aligners"
description: "A practical guide to cleaning your invisible aligners, avoiding odor and stains, and what NOT to do. Tips by Smile Experts in Polanco, Mexico City."
canonical: https://smileexperts.mx/blog-alineadores-como-limpiar-en.html
og_image: https://smileexperts.mx/img/al3.jpg
language: en
last_modified: 2026-09-18
crawl_date: 2026-09-19
author: Equipo clínico de Smile Experts
publisher: Smile Experts
---

Aligners

# How to care for and clean your invisible aligners

By the Smile Experts clinical team · September 18, 2026 · 5 min read

![Clean invisible aligners held in the hands](img/al3.webp)

Well-cared-for **aligners** stay clear, odor-free and bacteria-free. The good news: the routine is simple if you do it every day.

## Daily cleaning routine

1. Rinse them with water every time you take them out.
2. Brush them gently with a soft-bristle brush, inside and out.
3. Use mild soap or a specific aligner cleaner, not abrasive toothpaste.
4. Before putting them back, brush your teeth: trapping food under the aligner causes cavities and odor.

## What NOT to do

- **Don't use hot water**: heat warps the plastic and ruins the fit.
- **Don't use abrasive toothpaste**: it scratches the surface and makes them cloudy.
- **Don't eat or drink colored drinks with them on** (coffee, wine, soda): they stain and damage them.
- **Don't wrap them in napkins**: it's the number-one cause of aligners thrown in the trash by mistake.

## How to avoid odor

Odor appears when food remains or dried saliva are left. Besides daily cleaning, you can soak them a few minutes in a cleaning solution a few times a week. Always store them in their **ventilated case**, never in the open air.

> Only drink water with your aligners on. For everything else, take them out.

## Care when eating and storing

Always take your aligners out to eat and place them in their case. Leaving them on a napkin or in your pocket makes them get lost or broken. If you travel, carry the case and a small brush.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use toothpaste to clean them?

Better not. Most toothpastes are abrasive and scratch the aligner. Use mild soap or a specific cleaner.

### How often should they be cleaned?

Rinse them every time you take them out and do a full cleaning at least twice a day, when you brush.

### Can I drink coffee with them on?

Not recommended: coffee stains them and heat can warp them. Take them out and rinse your mouth before putting them back.

### Ready for your smile?

Book your assessment with a 3D scan and start with a plan made for you.

[Book appointment](https://smile-experts.reservalacita.com/)

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