TOOTHPASTE LIFE HACKS

Thought it was just for maintaining a healthy smile? Guess again! Toothpaste has a lots of uses around the house.This guide to some of the most unusual and alternative uses for toothpaste will help you get to grips with this magnificently minty stuff.

Would you believe that toothpaste, literally, has a hundred different uses? It can be used as a soothing balm for insect bites, a cleaning solution for plastic furniture, a skunk deodoriser, and a way to get crayon marks off wallpaper. You can use toothpaste to remove dirt from piano keys, to de-fog hard contact lenses, and get rid of those pesky stains on the skin when applying coloured hair dyes.

1) Domestic Cleaning Uses

2) Medicinal and Therapeutic Uses

3) Domestic Laundry Uses

4) Miscellaneous uses

Step 1: Polish Off Your Car/Bike Headlights

If you get scratches and scuff marks on your headlights, you need to clean them off quickly so that they do not obscure your view while driving. Rub a generous amount of toothpaste over the glass covers. Use a soft cloth to rub until the scuff marks have vanished.

Step 2: Bring Old Shoes Back to Life

If you have a pair of sorry looking leather shoes or trainers, turn to toothpaste to get them looking fine again. Just apply the toothpaste directly to the dirtiest spots. Then, take an old toothbrush and scrub with a generous amount of pressure. Throw them in a bucket of cold water or splash them with a hose to remove the foam.

Step 3: Clean a Flat Screen TV or Laptop Screen

1) Turn off the monitor. If the screen is dark it will be easier to see the dirty and oily areas.

2) Use a dry, soft cloth -- the kind you would use to clean your eyeglasses -- and very gently wipe the screen. If this doesn't remove the oil or dirt, do not press down harder and try to remove the dirt. Pressing down on the screen will cause the pixels to burn out. Rather, proceed to the next step.

3) Make a solution of equal parts water and toothpaste. Dampen a cloth in the solution and gently wipe the screen. Again, rubbing and scrubbing will damage the screen.

Step 4: De-fog and De-mist Goggles

A lot of keen swimmers will be aware of this handy little trick. Rub a small amount of toothpaste on the lenses of goggles to remove that misty, foggy effect. You can also use this technique to get rid of foggy patches on hard contact lenses, but you do have to have a steady hand and a good eye for this – too much pressure can cause damage.

Step 5: Polish a Metal Instrument

Use toothpaste to give metal instruments a brilliant shine. All it takes is a dab of the minty stuff on a soft cloth, followed by a vigorous rub. Once you are satisfied that you have cleaned thoroughly enough, use a damp cloth to remove the residue. If you are concerned about the toxicity of commercial polishes, this can be a very natural and organic alternative.

Step 6: Revive Tired Cell Phone Screens

When cell phones are used constantly, but not protected with a sturdy cover, they develop lots of little scratches all over the front screen. You can remove these, but you need to cover a fingertip in toothpaste and lightly rub it over the scratched areas. Rinse with a damp cloth and then leave to dry.

Step 7: Give Silver Jewellery Some Sparkle

You can give silver jewellery and accessories some real sparkle by rubbing them with toothpaste. Leave them overnight to rest and then wipe clean with a soft cloth in the morning. This should really make your jewellery shine.

Step 8: Eradicate CD/DVD Scratches

While this will probably not work for very deep scratches, it can reduce the impact of shallow marks and scuffs. Apply a thin layer of toothpaste to the shiny surface of the disc. Using your fingertips, stroke the toothpaste gently, so that it moves slowly to the outside edges of the disc. Rinse with cold water. You must make sure to run in circular motions, from the inside out. Avoid back and forth gestures and do not apply too much pressure.

Step 9: Clean Your Clothes Iron

The mild abrasive in non-gel toothpaste is just the ticket for scrubbing the gunk off the bottom plate of your clothes iron. Apply the toothpaste to the cool iron, scrub with a rag, then rinse clean.

Step 10: Make Crayon Marks Disappear

It can be tough to keep little ones from making their mark on wallpaper. If your tiny monster has created an artwork in precisely the wrong place, remove it safely with toothpaste. It will not damage paint or wallpaper, so it is a really effective solution. Treat the crayon marks and then leave them to rest for a day – wash off with cold water.

Step 11: Clean Baby Bottles & Containers

It is not uncommon for baby bottles to develop a slightly sour odour of old milk. But, you can get rid of this with a little toothpaste and a regular bottle scrubbing tool. You must rinse the bottles out very thoroughly afterwards, because ingesting too much fluoride can cause sickness in babies.

Step 12: Shine Bathroom and Kitchen Chrome

They make commercial cleaners with a very fine abrasive designed to shine up chrome, but if you don't have any handy, the fine abrasive in non-gel toothpaste works just as well. Just smear on the toothpaste and polish with a soft, dry cloth.

Step 13: Clean Smells From Hands

The ingredients in toothpaste that deodorize your mouth will work on your hands as well. If you've gotten into something stinky, wash your hands with toothpaste, and they'll smell great.

Step 14: Clean the Bathroom Sink

Non-gel toothpaste works as well as anything else to clean the bathroom sink. The tube's sitting right there, so just squirt some in, scrub with a sponge, and rinse it out. Bonus: The toothpaste will kill any odors emanating from the drain trap.