Pop quiz: What is toothpaste used to clean? A. Teeth, B. Walls, C. Washing machines, or D. Silverware? Well, what if we told you the correct answer is actually E. All of the Above? Not only does toothpaste help keep our teeth fresh and minty, but it also has a wide variety of uses outside…
Before trying any of these hacks, grab some non-gel toothpaste. Solid variants have a finer and slightly abrasive texture, which makes them far more suitable for cleaning pesky stains without leaving scratches behind. You should also use white-colored toothpaste to avoid staining whatever surface you’re cleaning.
1. Remove Wall Stains
Sometimes there’s no stopping a little one from scribbling all over the wall with their favorite crayon. But don’t panic when this happens — just head to your medicine cabinet and grab some toothpaste. The mild abrasives, such as baking soda, will help remove those pesky crayon, marker, colored pencil, or highlighter stains. Simply apply some toothpaste to a dampened rag and wipe the marks away. Alternatively, apply toothpaste directly to the wall and gently remove the stains using a scrub brush.
2. Clean Washing Machines
For this, you’ll need a tube of toothpaste and a whole lemon. Slice the lemon in half, squeeze a generous helping of toothpaste on both exposed halves of the citrus, and then place the lemon halves inside the washing machine drum. (Tip: Try to remove as many lemon seeds as possible before applying the toothpaste.) This hack works for both top-load and front-load washers, but if yours is the latter, add a bit of toothpaste to the interior of the tempered glass window as well — it could probably use a little TLC. Run the machine on a hot cycle until complete. Finally, remove the lemon rind and the washing machine should be clean, fresh, and ready for your next load of laundry.
3. Polish Silverware
If you’re turned off by unsightly tarnished silverware, apply some toothpaste directly to a microfiber cloth or a soft bristle toothbrush and begin scrubbing. You can also squeeze the toothpaste directly onto the silverware, and then use a wet scrub brush to spread the product around. Once the tarnish has faded, wash the toothpaste off the silverware, which should be sparkling like new.
