Toothpaste's main role is, of course, to leave your mouth squeaky clean and (hopefully) cavity-free. But its cleansing power and abrasive texture actually makes it quite useful all over the house.
One caveat: If you clean, shine, or solve other problems toothpaste, choose the regular white version instead of a gel, which has ingredients that may work againt your best intentions.
1. Shine silver in a pinch.
Notice your favorite ring or bracelet looking a bit dull?Wet it, rub with a little toothpaste, rinse, and dry with a clean cloth (here, our sister site Cosmopolitan shows off the technique). Just don't make a habit of it: Toothpaste will remove tarnish, but is more abrasive than traditional silver polish.
2. Make faucets gleam again.
Rub a bit of toothpaste over your bathroom fixtures with a wet sponge to get gunk off chrome.
3. Remove tea and coffee stains from mugs.
When your morning cuppa leaves a stubborn unsightly ring behind, use a little toothpaste to clean it off.
4. Wipe away makeup smudges.
If an errant lipstick mark or mascara smudge makes its way onto your countertop, mirror, or fingertips, use toothpaste to whisk the pigment away quickly.
5. Banish garlic odor from your hands.
When the scent of dinner lingers on your fingers, rub your hands with toothpaste and rinse. Works well on fishy smells, too.
6. Plot a gallery wall with ease.
The art of hanging a neat photo collage is difficult to master. But Stephanie at Somehwat Simple found success with this brilliant idea: With a dot of toothpaste, mark where the nail will meet the back of the frame. Press the frame lightly against the wall to transfer the paste, and hammer the nail through the dot to position it perfectly.
7. Erase watermarks on wood.
These pesky rings can be buffed out quickly with a damp cloth and a little toothpaste. Mix it with baking soda to double the effort.
See more at Charles and Hudson »
8. Remove permanent marker stains.
Anna at My Life and Kids found that toothpaste works well to erase marker stains from wood, too (a handy trick to have in your back pocket if you've got creative kids).
See more at My Life and Kids »
9. Make sneakers bright again.
Get your tennis shoes to their just-out-of-the-box state by scrubbing with a toothpaste.
TELL US: How do you use toothpaste around the house?
More Clever Uses:
• Completely Genius Trash-to-Treasure Crafts• 12 Brilliant Things You Can Do With Mason Jars• 11 Unexpected Uses For Coffee Filters
Photos: Kathleen Kamphausen (jewelry shining); Courtesy of bloggers (gallery wall, wood stains, sneakers); Getty (all others)
