Six Unusual Uses for Toothpaste You Probably Never Thought Of!

By Kassidy Emmerson, published May 04, 2007
Published Content: 1,161  Total Views: 4,104,565  Favorited By: 188 CPs
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Of course, you brush your teeth with toothpaste, but have you ever thought about other uses it has? This article will especially come in handy when you have a tube of toothpaste lying around that you don't like. Instead of wasting money and throwing it away, put it to use! Here are six unusual uses for toothpaste you probably never thought of!

1. Stop the Itch of Bug Bites and Minor Skin Rashes
The first unusual use for toothpaste is to treat itchy bug bites and minor skin rashes. Just dab a little on any places on your skin that are annoying you. You can repeat as necessary, but the toothpaste should bring you relief quickly, especially if it's mint-flavored.

2. Clean Up Stubborn Kool-Aid® Stains
My young ones love to drink Kool-Aid. But one thing I dislike about this soft drink is its staining ability. It puts a colored stain on everything it touches. Kool-Aid looks rather cute when it's in a ring around your kid's mouth. I cringe when I see it splattered on my off-white countertop though. Fortunately, a dab of toothpaste on a damp paper towel cleans up stubborn Kool-Aid stains off both skin and countertops.

3. Soothe the Pain of a Minor Burn
Ouch! You burned your skin and the area is stinging like crazy! Another unusual use for toothpaste is that it will help soothe the pain of a minor burn.

4. Clean Ivory Piano Keytops
Do you have a piano that has actual ivory keytops? If you do, then you know that you have to be real careful when you clean them, as opposed to plastic piano keytops. You can't scour ivory keytops, clean them with furniture polish or any type of household chemical, in fact. But, you can use toothpaste to clean them...as long as it's not abrasive and it doesn't contain colorings. A dab of toothpaste, a soft cloth and some rubbing will usually clean ivory piano keytops and turn them white again. Once you're done, rinse them well, then buff them dry. (You can also use toothpaste to clean plastic piano keytops too!)

Have some old tubes of toothpaste lying around? Put them to good use!

Credit: Andre Veron

Copyright: Andre Veron

Comments
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If you have cement or drywall wall, traditional white toothpaste is great for filling in nail holes or gouges. Forget expensive hardware-store spackle for small dings, just paste it and touch it up with paint!

Posted on 03/24/2008 at 6:03:19 PM

 
awesome tips! I will have to try them out sometime, thanks!!

Posted on 02/24/2008 at 8:02:15 AM

 
This is a fantastic article !!

Posted on 01/25/2008 at 8:01:28 PM

 
Some very creative and interesting info.

Posted on 01/25/2008 at 7:01:03 PM

 
Great information! I can't believe I missed this one before, congrats on making front page! = )

Posted on 01/25/2008 at 6:01:59 PM

 
You can also use it to fix scratched cd/dvds. Just take a fingerful of paste (has to be the type that has abrasive in it) and rub on the scratched area (in a straight line, from center hole to outer edge of the disk) for about 3-5 minutes. It won't work on severe scratches/gouges, but this has saved me on many occasions when minor scratches were keeping the disc from being readable... Oh yeah, don't forget to wash off the paste before you put the disc back in the player ! :)

Posted on 01/24/2008 at 1:01:37 PM

 
nice article!

Posted on 10/04/2007 at 12:10:00 PM

 
OMG Kassidy, we overlapped on a few of these. That's ok though :) the more home remedy-household hints we all have, the more money we may save, the more resourceful we become. :)

Posted on 07/12/2007 at 9:07:00 PM

 
Fantastic article!

Posted on 06/21/2007 at 9:06:00 PM

 
It's great for cleaning up old change, for those who collect coins that have been in circulation for a long time.

Posted on 06/21/2007 at 5:06:00 PM

 
I clean my wedding ring with an old toothbrush and toothpaste-it works great.

Posted on 05/19/2007 at 10:05:00 PM

 
Interesting

Posted on 05/13/2007 at 5:05:00 PM

 
Great tips! Toothpaste is also great for removing fingerprints from walls. I gave you five stars.

Posted on 05/08/2007 at 2:05:00 PM

 
Very good ideas, and as the title states, I neve thought of any of those before, although I did hear the Kool-aid tip before, although I don't know where. Great article

Posted on 05/08/2007 at 1:05:00 PM

 
yes a good hidden grouter!

Posted on 05/08/2007 at 1:05:00 PM

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