When you think of toothpaste, you obviously think of brushing your teeth – I mean, that’s what it’s intended for isn’t it? Well, what if I told you that there’s so much more you can do with it than just that?
That’s right, toothpaste has so many uses other than giving you sparkling clean teeth and many of them will definitely surprise you. The best part is that since its something you always have on hand, it can be a quick and cost-free solution to many common problems we face in our households every day.
Here are 15 amazing uses for toothpaste you never thought about:
1. Crystal Clear Eye Glasses
If you’re someone that wears glasses, you already know how much of a hassle it is to keep them clean and clear all the time. Not to mention spectacle cleaners are more expensive than they need to be! Well, if you’ve got a tube of white toothpaste (not the gel kind) at home, you don’t need to worry about buying fancy cleaners anymore. Just put a dab of it on either side of both lenses and wipe away!
2. Make Your Shoes White Again
White shoes are a classic, and they can be worn with pretty much any outfit. The problem with them, though, is that they don’t stay white for very long. One way to make your dirtied up white shoes look brand new again is to use some white toothpaste and rub it into the dirty parts using an old toothbrush. Once the toothpaste has dried, simply scrape off and you’ll be left with brand-spankin’ new shoes again!
3. Clean Pesky Germs From Your Mobile Phone
Did you know that the surface of your mobile phone has more bacteria than a toilet seat? Yuck!
One way to make sure that your smartphone stays clean is by using a bit of toothpaste to wipe it. This will not only sanitize your phone but also double as a screen protector as toothpaste removes any little scratches that may be there while preventing new ones from forming.
4. Relieves Itchy Bites & Burns
One of the major ingredients in toothpaste is menthol, and that’s what comes in handy when it comes to relief from bug bites and burns. If you’ve got bug or mosquito bites, a quick way to get rid of the itching is to apply some toothpaste on the area. Similarly, you can also use it to relieve any minor burns that you may come across, say if you touch the handle of a hot pan or burn yourself on your hair straightener. This can even help prevent further scarring.
5. Removes Chewing Gum from Your Hair
Ever got gum stuck in your hair? Literally, nothing can make it come off – that is, other than toothpaste! Toothpaste is an effective solution to getting chewing gum from your hair because the ingredients in toothpaste break down the sugar in the gum and therefore make it non-sticky.
6. Wall-Cleaner for Crayons
If you’ve got toddlers at home, you know they love to draw and color… on anything that isn’t paper as well! If your kid loves drawing on the walls with crayons, you might be wondering how in the world you can get it all off. With toothpaste, of course! Just smear a bit of this stuff on the wall and wipe off using a wet rag and voila, crayon-free walls.
7. Brand New Baby Bottles
Here’s a handy trick for new parents that can save you a lot of time and effort. Baby formula can tend to leave a sour smell on bottles after a while, and this smell can be difficult to get rid of. That’s where our handy toothpaste comes into play. Just use some of it to rub the inside of the bottle with some water. This will not only get rid of the stinky smell but also leave the bottle shining and looking like its brand new.
8. Gets Rid of Pimples and Blackheads
Give yourself a toothpaste facial for softer skin! If you’ve got blackheads and/or pimples, toothpaste can help you get rid of them. Especially those big, red pimples that seem to appear only before some important occasion. Just dab a bit of toothpaste on the pimple and leave it overnight. Come morning, it should have disappeared or dramatically reduced in size, at the very least.
As for blackheads, just rub a bit of toothpaste on the areas where you have a lot of them and wash off after about 5 minutes. The calcium carbonate in toothpaste is very effective in getting rid of these!
9. Cost-Free Carpet Cleaner
Fancy carpet cleaners can cost you an arm and a leg, and even then, they may not even work! This is why most people’s carpets just remain with the stain on it. Well, that doesn’t have to be you when you learn about this ridiculously easy hack.
Just mix a bit of toothpaste with some water until it gets foamy and use this concoction to clean that stain right off your carpet. If you’re skeptical about it, just try it once. Trust me, the results will leave you in awe!
10. Clean Your Hair Straightener
Hair irons can get really dirty after a while. All that hair product can build up and cause it to get filthy, and this can impact how well it works as well. One way to clean all that gunk off of it is with the use of toothpaste. Just simply rub some toothpaste directly on your hair straightener, paying extra attention to the areas where the gunk has built up and then wipe off using a wet cloth. Your hair iron will look like it just came out of the box!
11. Shiny Mirrors
Do you know how you mirrors get fogged up after a hot and steamy shower? Did you know that over a prolonged period of time, this fog can build up in them, making them look dull and unclean?
You know where this is going, don’t you? Toothpaste! This miracle paste can help you get rid of this fog build up quickly and effectively. Just smear a bit of it on your mirrors and wipe off using a wet cloth to reveal a shiny mirror.
12. The Best Stain Remover
Have you ever spilled a bit of ketchup on your shirt? If you have, you’ll know that some stains are near impossible to get off of clothes. Joining the ranks of ketchup are wine stains, makeup, permanent marker, ink, etc.
Toothpaste is the perfect solution to all of these and more! The ingredients in it are effective in removing stains not just from your teeth, it seems. Just put a dab of it right on the stain and use the cloth itself to rub it in by folding it over. Then simply throw it in the wash as usual. This trick is particularly effective with white clothes.
13. Get Rid of Scratches on Your Car
If you’ve ever got a scratch on your car, you know how devastating it is. Even small scratches are so disappointing because they’re going to always be there… except, they don’t have to be with this simple toothpaste trick!
Just dab some toothpaste on the area of the scratch and use a soft washcloth to wipe it away. You’ll be amazed at how well it works. Soon, you’ll have a scratch-free car with very little money or effort!
14. Spic and Span Bathroom
Who doesn’t love a clean bathroom? Unfortunately, even some bathroom cleaners aren’t able to do a very good job of cleaning your bathroom until its sparkling. Well, the next time you go shopping, scratch the bathroom cleaner off your list and buy an extra tube of toothpaste for a better solution.
Just use a sponge and scrub your bathroom clean with the help of some toothpaste. You can clean the tiles, sink, shower fixtures, you name it, and they’ll be super shiny and clean!
15. Repair Rips and Marks on Leather
Getting scuff marks on your leather shoes can make them go from looking classy to frumpy. But wait, before you throw them out, try this simple hack. Simply rub some toothpaste on the scuff mark or small rip with a dry cloth and wipe off with a damp one. Shoes, jackets, wallets, bags, sofas – you can use this trick on anything that is made out of leather and save yourself a lot of money and effort.
