20 Handy uses for toothpaste … that have nothing to do with teeth

These tips were originally published by Readers Digest

Polish a diamond ring

Put a little toothpaste on an old toothbrush and scrub to make your diamond ring sparkle! Clean off residue with a damp cloth.

Piano keys

Tickling the ivories left them a bit dingy? Clean them with toothpaste and a toothbrush, then wipe down with a damp cloth.

Goggles

Whether you’re doing woodwork or going scuba diving, nothing is more frustrating and dangerous than fogged goggles. Prevent it by coating lenses with toothpaste, wipe and polish.

Prevent mirrors from fogging

Coat the mirror with non-gel toothpaste and wipe it off before getting into the shower and when you get out, no foggy mirror!

Shine chrome

Smear it with toothpaste and polish with a soft, dry cloth

Basins

Non-gel toothpaste works as well as anything else to clean the bathroom basin.

Bonus: The toothpaste will kill any odours emanating from the drain trap.

Crayon

Did your crayon-toting children get creative on the wall? Squirt the toothpaste on the wall and start scrubbing. The fine abrasive in the toothpaste will rub away the crayon every time. Rinse with water.

Ink or lipstick stains

A ballpoint pen leaked in the pocket of your favorite shirt! This may or may not work, but  try putting non-gel toothpaste on the stain and rubbing the fabric vigorously together. Rinse with water.

Use the same process for lipstick.

Watermarks on furniture

To get rid of those telltale watermark rings left by sweating beverages, gently rub some non-gel toothpaste on the wood with a soft cloth. Then wipe it off with a damp cloth and let it dry before applying furniture polish.

Pimples

Dab a bit of non-gel, non-whitening toothpaste on the offending spot, and it should be dried up by morning.

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Smelly hands

The ingredients in toothpaste that deodorise your mouth will work on your hands as well.

Insect bites

Put toothpaste on your insect bites to keep it from itching.

Carpet stains

Rub toothpaste into the stain on the carpet with a toothbrush or sponge. Rinse with water and repeat.

Car headlamps

Make the headlights on your car shine like new. Put toothpaste onto a sponge and scrub your headlight in circular motions. Wipe the toothpaste off with a damp cloth.

Superficial scratches

Rub toothpaste on the front or back of your phone (wherever there are scratches). The toothpaste will work to reduce the look of the scratches and make your phone screen look much better.

Deodorise baby bottles

Baby bottles inevitably pick up a sour-milk smell. Toothpaste will remove the odor in a jiffy. Just put some on your bottle brush and scrub away. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

Remove beach tar

Getting that black beach tar on your feet? Just rub it with some non-gel toothpaste and rinse.

Leather shoes

Just squirt a dab on the scuffed area and rub with a soft cloth. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Tekkies (canvas shoes or sneakers)

Want to clean and whiten the rubber part of your tekkies? Get out the non-gel toothpaste and an old toothbrush. After scrubbing, clean toothpaste off with a damp cloth.

Clean your iron

Apply the toothpaste to the cool iron, scrub with a rag, then rinse clean.

Info taken from Reader’s Digest: www.rd.com

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