10 Ways to Use Toothpaste (And None Involve Your Mouth)

I am delighted to be one of twenty bloggers featured in Arm & Hammer's Switch & Save Challenge. During the next five months, I'll be testing several Arm & Hammer products and sharing my experiences with you.

I love to find oddball uses for products that I have anyway. Uh, obviously.

Toothpaste isn't just for cleaning your teeth. It's a mild abrasive, so it has lots of cleaning purposes. Make sure you get a white non-gel toothpaste like Arm & Hammer's Advance White Brilliant Sparkle Toothpaste for all of the following uses.

Have you used it for any of the following?

10 Uses for Toothpaste

1. Clean grimy shoes. Use your judgement here. I've done this with Crocs and sneakers with great success, but I don't know if I'd try it on my nicest pumps (if I had any, I mean). Use a soft brush (like an old toothbrush) and a little toothpaste to buff the dirty spots away. Rinse with clear water or wipe away with a clean, damp cloth.
2. Drawings on the walls. Put a little toothpaste on a damp cloth and use it to rub away your children's fabulous crayon drawings  from your hallway (or where ever). You should probably test this in an inconspicuous spot before you get started to make sure it doesn't do something crazy to your paint, and rinse afterward or wipe with a clean, damp cloth.
3. Clean kids' toys. We have been pulling Grace's old toys out of the basement for Allie to use. Some were colored on. Some have random weird brown stuff spilled on them. A little toothpaste on a damp cloth, followed by a clean damp cloth to remove the toothpaste, and the goo is gone.
4. Clean your faucets. A dab of toothpaste will make your faucets and handles sparkle and shine. As above, wipe with a clean, damp cloth or rinse with clear water afterwards to get rid of the toothpaste.
5. Clean your metal jewelry. If toothpaste cleans your faucet, it stands to reason that it will clean other metals. Dissolve some toothpaste into a glass of water and let your wedding rings sit overnight. Brush with a soft toothbrush and rinse in the morning.
   Don't try this technique with soft stones like opal or with organics like pearls. The abrasive will ruin them.
6. Clean the sink. If you're cleaning metal and the toothpaste trick is working, keep going. Wipe out your stainless steel sink. The toothpaste will leave it smelling nice, too.
7. Clean your headlights. If the headlights on your car are covered with bugs or tiny scratches, clean them with toothpaste in the same way you cleaned everything above. A little bit of toothpaste and a damp cloth should make them bright and shiny again.
8. Clean cell phone screen. I'm not doing this on my iPhone (and I don't think you should, either), but I'd use toothpaste on Joe's phone. His screen gets tiny scratches on it, and the toothpaste will buff them away.
9. Spackle. White toothpaste will fill nail holes in a pinch, and it dries hard. How long it lasts is another story all together, but it will do in a pinch.
10. Cheap manicure. Toothpaste will buff your fingernails to a subtle shine. Use just a dab, and rub it into your fingernails gently with your fingertips or a very soft toothbrush. Wash your hands well, and your nails will be healthy and shiny. (Or, at least  healthier and shinier than they were when you started.)

This is a sponsored post for Church & Dwight Co., Inc, the maker of Arm & Hammer branded products. Church & Dwight Co., Inc is compensating me to try different products. All opinions are my own.

Sign up for a free sample of Advance White Brilliant Sparkle Toothpaste then head over to The Switch & Save Challenge to keep up with all of the bloggers and enter to win $25,000.

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