10 Creative Uses You Hadn’t Thought of for Toothpaste

Toothpaste is great for whitening, brightening and cleaning up our smiles, but its cleaning power extends far beyond the boundaries of our mouths. Its versatility is pretty astounding. Check out some of these great tricks that utilize white, non-gel toothpaste.

  1. Relieve irritations from bug bites, sores and blisters: apply a dab of toothpaste to stop itching and decrease any swelling. This works best when used overnight.
  2. Soothe a stinging burn: for minor burns that don’t involve an open wound, toothpaste can give temporary cooling relief. Apply delicately to the affected area immediately after receiving the burn.
  3. Clean up your fingernails: our nails and teeth are made up of enamel, and toothpaste is great for enamel. Scrub nails with a toothbrush and toothpaste for cleaner, shinier and stronger nails.
  4. Scrub away stinky smells: scrub you hands and fingertips briefly with toothpaste to eliminate odors like garlic, fish, onion and other pungent foods.
  5. Remove stains: apply toothpaste directly to a stain on clothing and rub briskly until the stain is gone, then wash as usual. Be careful when using whitening toothpaste, however, because they can bleach clothes. For carpet stains, apply to stain, scrub with an abrasive brush, then rinse immediately.
  6. Spruce up dirty shoes: apply toothpaste directly to dirty or scuffed area on shoes, scrub away and then wipe clean.
  7. Remove crayon stains on painted walls: rub a damp cloth with toothpaste gently on marked-up wall to remove Crayola marks.
  8. Make silver jewelry and other silver pieces sparkle: rub toothpaste onto jewelry and leave overnight. Wipe clean in the morning.

    9. source: Gavin St. Ours

  9. Tidy up piano keys before tickling them: piano keys retain oil from your skin, so dust and dirt are attracted to them. Clean away the grime with a damp, lint-free cloth and toothpaste. Rub in the toothpaste and wipe clean with cloth.
  10. Defog goggles: gently rub a small amount of toothpaste into each lens of your goggles, then rinse thoroughly. No need to buy expensive defogger gels!