Colgate Total taken off me at airport security

[Emiliana52]

If you’re flying, you might want to think twice about packing Colgate Total. Mine got flagged twice at airport security and was taken off me. The security guy said they’d already had 20 tubes taken off passengers that day! Makes you wonder what we’re actually cleaning our teeth with.

I always take the fastmelts as they’re much easier to transport ( especially through airports though I’ve not flown since they removed the 100ml limit).

Ours was fine too.

BA lets you take a decent sized suitcase plus a rucksack/handbag without a fee. It's easy to accommodate everything you need for a typical holiday with this baggage allowance, especially in the summer when you're mainly packing t-shirts, etc.

Not necessarily.

Illuminating, thanks. This is actually quite a good advertisement for Colgate. I'd never have believed it was more densely packed with active ingredients on their say-so. But if airport scanners say it is ...!

You are wrong.

Yes I do. It’s dead easy.

We were allowed to take liquids in hand luggage at Dublin in 2023 and 2024, but then they stopped it in 2025. When I asked why, they said there had been an incident at another European airport. It means you can’t rely on the rules not changing without warning and your liquids being confiscated once you arrive at security.

Mine tested positive for explosives and was taken, too. They said it was something to do with the lining material of the tube on certain products.

My head and shoulders was flagged for testing at Belfast ( all new scanners )

Not cos it was H&S, but because I had decanted it into a silicone travel bottle - the X-ray showed it as a solid mass .

We fly back and forward to the GB a lot and usually have everything fine toothed sailing through, but B&M silicone travel bottles failed me . Dumped them for the journey back

There's an ingredient in Mitchim Roll-on that triggers scanners too.

You can’t take nail glue on a plane. I learnt the hard way.

There's a special MN sneer for anyone who is crass enough to take a suitcase on holiday. You're supposed to manage with one outfit and a toothbrush in a rucksack and wash your pants every day.

Not true at all. Airports differ. Stansted for instance , very strict on the 100ml rule.

Yes with BA, I did 2 weeks in South Africa and also two weeks in Malaysia ( a second time with same bags) with small carry on suitcase and a backpack under the seat. All hand luggage, no check in

I've just flown out of Gatwick and it said 2l. They did empty out my water bottle though because the insulated ones are ' too insulated'. DS flew out of Stansted a couple of days ago and he said they didn't check his items so he didn't need the plastic bag I'd made him put his toiletries in.

Doesn't matter if it's half a tube,if the tube is more than 100mls it will be taken off you. I holiday abroad twice a year, ive never heard of the 100ml rule been done away with. What airport?

The 100ml rule being scrapped at some airports was covered by various papers.

It might have been scrapped at all airports but was then reinstated at most of them.

Ive definitely taken large containers through Leeds but then lost a full sized sun cream because I hadn't noticed the 100 ml rule had been brought back in.

I had the same at Edinburgh too! I'd put it in my carry on luggage as I was going to get a shower at Doha. They did let me through though

Agreed. Newcastle is still maximum 100ml.

Gotta laugh at some the posters who know fuck all about airports but are experts because they went to Majorca once in 2002!

DS had a new can of jungle fever insect repellant taken off him at Edinburgh earlier this summer and was not impressed to have to buy the same one at double the price in the airport Boots than he had paid in Tesco.

We are going away next week (only for 5 days so hand luggage only) so I will be sure not to take Colgate Total ..... Thanks OP

You got off lightly OP. Several years ago, and yes it still hurts, I had a brand new full size bottle of REN cleanser taken off me. I had booked hold luggage but for some reason they insisted my case had to go in the cabin even though it was slightly too large. I never did understand why unless, and I don’t like to cast aspersions, the security officer had somehow with X-ray eyes spotted my REN and fancied it for themselves.

My Mitchum deodorant was taken for same reason. Security man said certain products set them off all the time and knew it would be Mitchum before he checked the bag!