Cleaning With Toothpaste

Despite what the name implies, toothpaste does far more than work wonders for your smile. You can actually use a little toothpaste in place of quite an array of household products.

How is this possible? The combination of a mild abrasive, a surfactant (detergent) , and antibacterial agents makes toothpaste a potent stain fighter providing incredible cleaning power. We recommend sticking with standard white toothpaste, not gel and steer clear of formulas designed for tartar control and whitening. Most gel tubes of toothpaste do not contain surfactants or abrasives to do the dirty work, whereas, tartar control and whitening tubes of toothpaste contain abrasives and chemicals not suitable for most cleaning projects.

Rules

• USE: White Toothpaste
• DO NOT USE: Gel Toothpaste

As an intelligent reader and savvy consumer, you probably want to know why someone would clean with toothpaste in the first place? The answer is that some people like to do weird things ― like juggling fire, eating kale, sleeping in oxygen chambers and cleaning with toothpaste.

So, before you throw the tube away because you can’t seem to squeeze out anymore paste, think about using a little bit for various cleaning tasks.

Here are a few ways you can get your toothpaste working extra hard for you:

Cell Phone Screens

Unprotected cell phones screens become scratched over time. Lightly rub the screen with a touch ofpaste and your finger. Rinse with a damp cloth and dry.

Fixtures

You can clean chrome fixtures, the bathroom sink and shower doors by scrubbing a little on the surfaces with a cloth.

Tarnished Silverware

Put a dab of toothpaste on a soft cloth, rub it onto the tarnish, then rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth.

Shoes or Fresh Kicks

A little goes a long way when it comes to removing scuffs from leather shoes. Just squirt a dab on the scuffed area and rub with a soft cloth. Wipe clean with a damp cloth. The leather will look like new.

Headlights

The dings and scratches sustained by headlight glass defuse the light and makes it harder to see. Eliminate this haze by thoroughly cleaning the headlight, then rubbing in a glob of it. Follow up with a good buffing to even out the glass, either by hand or with the buffer on an electric drill.

Carpet Stains

Squeeze some directly onto the carpet stain and scrub it with a toothbrush. Then rinse and repeat the process until the stain disappears. Not much different than brushing your teeth, is it?

Bling

Put a little bit on an old toothbrush and use it to make your diamond ring sparkle instead of your teeth. Clean off the residue with a damp cloth.

Steam Iron

Mineral deposits can stain an iron’s soleplate. Apply a dab of it and work it into the plate. Use a clean cloth to remove residue.