Did you know that there are other uses for toothpaste other than involving your teeth.
BUT A FEW CAVEATS FIRST:
* Use an inexpensive toothpaste- not gels
* Look for a mild abrasive, stain fighter
* Avoid toothpastes containing "triclosan"
Here are 20 unconventional uses for toothpaste:
1) Baby Bottles: Remove that sour-smell baby bottles get by scrubbing with a water-and-toothpaste mixture. Rinse very thoroughly with water or toss the bottles into the dishwasher.
2) Carpet Stains: Squeeze toothpaste directly onto the carpet stain & scrub it w/ a toothbrush. Then rinse & repeat the process until the stains disappears. Not much different than brushing your teeth, is it?
3) Cell Phone: Screens: Unprotected mobile phone screens become scratched over time. Lightly rub the screen with a touch of toothpaste & your finger. Rinse with a damp cloth & dry. This also works w/ watch crystals.
4) Clothing Stains: Apply the toothpaste directly to the stained area w/ a bit of water and rub hard before popping in the washer. This may not on all fabrics or stains but it's quite effective on ink and shirt-collar stains. You may have to repeat this process if the stain is old.
* of course you do not want use a whitening toothpastes on colored fabrics. Instead, use a basic toothpaste w/o bleaching agents for this purpose.
5) Crayon on Painted Walls: Children crayons & walls are natural attractants. No need to panic. Just gently rub a damp cloth & some toothpaste on your child's masterpiece, then rinse w/ a wet cloth and dry.
*Make sure you run a test on a small area of the wall before applying to a large area.
* For high gloss walls where toothpaste might remove some of the shine, use Goo Gone. As w/ toothpaste, make sure you try a teat run first.
6) Leather: Put a dab on leather scuffs, rub in with a soft cloth, & rinse w/ a damp cloth. Works well on shoes ,purses, coats or anything made of leather.
7) Linoleum Scuffs: Scrub scuff marks w/ toothpaste and a dry cloth until no residue remains.
8) Piano Keys: Rub each key gently with a damp cotton swab and a touch of paste. Wipe dry and buff w/ a clean cloth. It takes time, but you'll be stunned by how nice your keyboards look @ the end of the project.
9) Bathroom Sinks: Next time you drop a glop toothpaste into the sink, don't rinse it down. scrub around. The natural abrasive works like other cleansers & deodorizes the drain @ the same time.
10) Blemish Cream: Toothpaste is a great emergency zit cure. It helps reduce the redness and draws out puss. Don't pop the pimple before application, however.
Apply a pinch of menthol toothpaste & leave it in for several minutes, then wash off . Some recommend leaving the toothpaste on overnight. Since toothpaste can be drying to the skin, apply a good lotion immediately afterwards to replenish the lost moisture.
11) Nails (finger & toes): Give your nails a natural shine w/ a touch of toothpaste & a soft brush. It only takes a mild buffing to bring out the brilliance, so don't go overboard.
* A whitening toothpaste w/peroxide also will remove the orange or yellow tinge created by extensive use of nail polish. Again, make sure you buff lightly.
12) Coffee Table Water Rings : This is an oldie but goody . Simply rub some the shower doors w/ into the irritating ring w/ a soft cloth and wipe dry with a clean, damp cloth. Apply a finishing shine w/ a touch of furniture polish or oil (olive oil works, too ).
13) Headlights : The dings & scratches sustained by headlight glass defuses the light and makes it harder to see. Eliminate this haze by thoroughly cleaning the headlight , then rubbing in a glob of toothpaste. Follow up w/ a good buffing to even out the glass, either by hand or w/ the buffer on an electric drill.
14) Shower Doors : Dampen a sponge and smear it with a bit of whitening toothpaste. Clean the shower doors w/ a circular swipe and rinse thoroughly & you'll be able to see through doors again.
15) Refrigerator Seals: Toothbrushes are the perfect size for cleaning refrigerator seals & toothpaste is perfect for whitening those seals.
16) Bug Bites: For mosquito, ant & other small bug bites, apply toothpaste to soothe itching & cool the skin. You can apply paste to bee stings, as well, but seek medical assistance if you experience shortness of breathe or other serious symptoms.
17) Burns: Next time you burn yourself on the stove or a hot pan, plunge the affected area under cold water to rapidly bring down the skin temperature (Not Butter!! This is a myth). After the acute phase is over, smear non-gel toothpaste thickly over the burn until the skin cools permanently and the sting is gone. Finally apply a healing agent, such as aloe vera.
*If you receive a 2nd or 3rd degree burn, wrap the area in cold, wet, smooth, towels or a sheet. Call 911 or go straight to the hospital.
18) Diamonds: After finishing with your teeth , take your toothbrush and run it over your diamond ring to make it sparkle. Clean off the residue w/ a damp cloth.
19) Chrome: Do those water spots on your bathroom faucets bug you while brushing your teeth? Apply a dab of paste, rub in and rinse. Now you can admire your reflection while making those strange brushing faces.
20) Hand Deodorizer : Remove the stench of onions, fish, garlic, and other odoriferous foods from your skin by scrubbing briefly w/ toothpaste. Apply lotion after to moisten hands.
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