Your teeth aren’t the only thing in your house that can benefit from the cleaning powers of toothpaste. Toothpaste has a host of uses all around, and here are 16 handy applications that have nothing to do with your pearly whites.

Clever Cleaning Hacks For Around The House

Take your cleaning game to the next level by using toothpaste to:

  • Remove scuffs from shoes – A little toothpaste does an amazing job of removing scuffs from your leather shoes making them look like new again. Take a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, dab it on the scuffed area, and rub it in with a soft cloth, wiping clean with a damp cloth afterwards.

  • Piano keys – The whitening powers of toothpaste will clean your dingy piano keys right up. Apply a little toothpaste and a toothbrush, and wipe clean with a damp cloth afterwards for bright, white keys.

  • Dirty sneakers – Is the white rubber part of your kids’ sneakers dirt stained and dingy? A non-gel toothpaste and an old toothbrush will restore the white rubber to looking brand new again.

  • Clothes iron – The gunk can really build up on the bottom plate of your clothes iron. When the iron is cool, apply toothpaste and scrub with a rag, rinsing clean afterwards.

  • Smelly baby bottles – It never fails, baby bottles always pick up a sour-milk smell after a few months of use. Apply a small amount of toothbrush to the bottle brush and scrub away, eliminating the sour-milk smell.

  • Chrome fixtures – The fine abrasive in non-gel toothpaste works just as well as those commercial cleaners designed to shine up chrome around the house. Just smear on the toothpaste with a dry cloth, and polish until clean.

  • Bathroom sinks – Squirt some toothpaste onto a sponge and scrub the porcelain in the skin. The toothpaste will not only leave you with a clean sink, but will kill any odors that might be lingering in your drain trap.

Other Useful Toothpaste Hacks

  • Polishing Diamonds – A little toothpaste on an old toothbrush makes a diamond ring sparkle and shine. Simply rinse the ring under water to reveal a polished glow.

  • Foggy swim goggles – Prevent swim goggles from fogging up, either in the pool or in the ocean while snorkeling on vacation by coating the goggles with toothpaste and then wiping them clean.

  • Foggy bathroom mirrors – Mirror in the bathroom fogging up every time you step out of the shower? Coat the mirror with non-gel toothpaste and wipe it off before you get in the shower for a fog-free mirror next time you get out.

  • Foggy Headlights – Apply a small amount of toothpaste onto a sponge and scrub your headlights in a circular motion. Wipe the toothpaste off with a damp cloth and reveal a clear headlight every time.

  • Removing crayon from walls – Every parent’s worst nightmare – a Crayola masterpiece right on the dining room wall. A little toothpaste and a scrub brush wil rub away the crayon every time.

  • Remove lipstick or ink from fabric – Depending on the fabric and the ink, put a non-gel toothpaste on the stain and rub the fabric vigorously together. Rinse with water and check to see if some of the ink came out. This trick also works with lipstick or coffee stains.

  • Watermarks on furniture – Gently rub some non-gel toothpaste on the wood with a soft cloth, and wipe it off with a damp cloth, letting it dry before applying furniture polish.

  • Treat blemishes – A dab of non-whitening toothpaste on the offending spot should dry it up by morning. Toothpaste dehydrates the pimple and absorbs the oil.

  • Remove smells from hands – Toothpaste helps to deodorize your mouth, and can also have the same successful results on your hands if you have a smell you just can’t get rid of.

Did We Miss One?

Have a toothpaste hack that you use in your daily life and love that we missed on our list? Dr. Okamura and staff would love to hear about it at your next appointment!

Dr. Kim Dr. Kim

Dr. Kim Okamura

I'm Dr. Kim Okamura and this blog is a product of my love of dentistry. I dedicate it to all the patients I have served so that they may better understand my craft. The information here will give you and others the power to maintain and protect one of your most priceless gifts ... your SMILE.