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Household Tips: 40 Unusual Uses for Toothpaste (WWII Series)

December 9, 2013 by Robin 1 Comment

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Ever since I was little I’ve always been frugal. I never saw the value in buying designer items when I could purchase something just as good at a fraction of the price. I never really knew where this frugal gene came from because I seemed to be the only one who had it. It wasn’t until I started doing this WWII series to honor my grandmother that I realized where it came from. Grandma created her frugal living tips journal out of necessity and I’m recreating it out of practicality.

 

Household Tips

Health
Always consult a doctor before using toothpaste as a treatment

  1. Blisters – to dry up, apply toothpaste to the affected area.
  2. Bruises – to heal, rub the area with a little toothpaste.
  3. Bug Bite – to relieve itching, cover the bite with a little
    toothpaste.
  4. Burns – to relieve pain, run the burn under cold water and
    then apply toothpaste to the area.
  5. Cold Sores – to heal, dab a little toothpaste on the sore
    before bed.
  6. Poison Ivy – to relieve, apply toothpaste to the area and
    let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool, soapy water. Repeat 2x a day.
Beauty
  1. Acne – to treat, dab a little toothpaste to the affected
    area before bed.
  2. Finger Nails – to remove yellowing, lightly buff your nails
    with a whitening toothpaste and a soft brush.
  3. Finger Nails – to shine, lightly buff your nails with
    toothpaste and a soft brush.
  4. Hair – to slick back, use a little toothpaste.
  5. Hands – to remove odors, rub a little toothpaste around in
    your hands and rinse clean.
  6. Hands – to remove tough dirt, rub your hands with a little
    toothpaste and rinse clean.
  7. Skin – to control oiliness, wash face with toothpaste, followed
    by a moisturizer.
Home/Cleaning
  1. Baby Bottles – to deodorize, place a little toothpaste on a
    bottle brush and scrub the inside of the bottle. Rinse well.
  2. Brass – to shine, place a little toothpaste on a soft cloth
    and buff clean. Rinse and dry completely.
  3. Carpet – to remove stains, scrub the area with a little
    toothpaste and a damp cloth. Rinse clean.
  4. Ceramic – to clean, scrub the item with a little toothpaste.
    Wipe with a clean cloth.
  5. Crayon – to remove from walls, put a little toothpaste on
    the art work and scrub it away with a scrub brush. Rinse with water.
  6. Diamond – to clean and polish, place a little toothpaste on
    an old toothbrush and gently scrub the diamond. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
  7. Drywall Holes – to fill small holes, squirt a little
    toothpaste in the hole and lightly wipe with a wet rag.
  8. Faucets – to shine, wipe the faucets with toothpaste and a
    soft cloth. Wipe clean with a dry soft cloth.
  9. Gum – to remove from hair, work the toothpaste into the gum
    and let it sit fro several minutes.
  10. Ink – to remove from fabric, scrub the stain with
    toothpaste. Rinse and repeat until gone.
  11. Iron – to clean, scrub the metal plate of a cool iron with
    toothpaste and a soft rag. Wipe clean with damp cloth.
  12. Jewelry – to shine, place a little toothpaste on an old
    toothbrush and gently scrub. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
  13. Leather – to brighten, rub the item with a little toothpaste
    and a soft cloth. Wipe with a damp cloth.
  14. Linoleum – to remove scuffs, scrub with a little toothpaste
    and a soft cloth. Rinse clean.
  15. Lipstick – to remove from fabric, scrub the stain with
    toothpaste, Rinse and repeat until gone.
  16. Mirrors – to prevent fogging, wipe the mirror down with
    toothpaste. Wipe clean.
  17. Piano – to clean the keys, rub the keys with a little
    toothpaste and an old toothbrush. Wipe with a damp cloth.
  18. Pictures – to secure, dab a little toothpaste on the back
    corners.
  19. Seals – to clean, use a little toothpaste around your
    refrigerator and freezer seals. Wipe clean with a damp rag.
  20. Shoes – to remove scuffs, rub the area with a little
    toothpaste and a soft cloth. Wipe clean with a damp rag.
  21. Shower Doors – to remove water spots, buff the glass with
    toothpaste and a soft cloth. Rinse clean.
  22. Silver – to shine, place a little toothpaste on a soft cloth
    and buff. Rinse and dry completely.
  23. Sink – to clean, use a sponge and a little toothpaste and
    wipe out the sink bowl. Rinse clean.
  24. Sneakers – to whiten, scrub with toothpaste and an old
    toothbrush. Wipe with a damp cloth.
  25. Watermarks – to remove from wood furniture, gently rub the
    area with a little toothpaste and a soft cloth. Wipe clean with a damp cloth
    before polishing.
Miscellaneous
  1. Car – to clean the chrome, wipe with a little toothpaste and
    a soft cloth. Wipe clean with a damp rag.
  2. Headlights – to remove scratches and haze, scrub with a soft
    rag and toothpaste, using a circular motion. Rinse and buff clean.
Before starting this series, if you would have asked me what you use toothpaste for, I would have said, for brushing your teeth. Now if someone asks me the same question, I can rattle off a huge list of household tips.
* If, by some small miracle, you worked at Amway in Ada, MI in the 1980’s and were the person my mother loaned the notebook to, please Contact Me. The notebook is a small (aprox. 6″x9″) black leather, 3-ring binder, and contains hand drawn patterns (teddy bear), recipes and household tips and tricks. It would mean so much to my family to have it back.

Filed Under: Frugal Tips, Save, WWII Series Tagged With: how to, two cents'

Comments

  1. A Few Miner Adjustments says

    December 15, 2013 at 3:48 am

    This is a great list! We used to put toothpaste on our "white leather" sneakers for our dance team uniforms when they got scuffed. Thanks for joining our Twirl and Take a Bow Party! Hope to see you again next week!

    Reply

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