Have you ever thought that if it cleans your teeth well enough, surely it can be put to other cleaning jobs around the house? Most of us know how a little smear of toothpaste takes the rage out of a mean pimple by drying it out real fast. Read on to discover that this apparently little tube of magic is a fabulous multipurpose cleaner for quite a few stubborn stains and spots and saves us from spending a lot on specialised cleaners. Here goes:

Tea mugs

It is surprising how coffee and tea mugs collect stains on the inside. These stains would not develop if the mugs are washed up quickly enough. But if stains have developed over time, all you need to do is to wash them with some toothpaste instead of dishwashing liquid. Rinse with water and your mug will be as good as new. Also, you can’t always hound your guests about putting the tea cup or coffee mug here and not there, just to avoid marks on your precious table. What you could do afterwards is to wipe away the stain from the table top with some toothpaste on a cloth.

Cutlery and jewellery

Jewellery and cutlery that has become dull and grey can be restored to sparkling state by giving a good rub with toothpaste. Just put a dollop on a cloth and rub away. Rinse as usual with water and dry.

Crayon marks

In homes with kids, it is impossible not to have a crayon doodle or a squiqqle on a pristine, clean wall. Don’t panic! Squeeze some toothpaste on a clean cloth and rub over the crayon mark gently.

DVD / CD

If you have accidently scratched a CD or a DVD, rub the scratched part with a little toothpaste and all will be well.

Baby bottles

Bottles, especially baby feeders develop a cheesy, sour smell. No need to get bottle scrubbers. Just squeeze some toothpaste, pour warm water over it and shake it up. Then rinse with water and the smell will be gone.

Shoes

Trainers and shoes with those trendy white edges tend to look dirty after just a few days of use. Put some toothpaste on the edges and wipe with a cloth or better still, use an old toothbrush and brush away the dirt. Clean with a damp cloth and voila! New shoes again!

Hair dye

Hair dye applications can be a nightmare when you emerge out of the salon with dye stains around your hairline. Dab a little toothpaste on the stains and gently rub. Rinse off with water. Better still is to apply toothpaste around the hairline before you apply hair dye.

Headlights

Bulbs in the house and headlights in the car might get dull with dust or grime. To make them as good as knew, squirt some toothpaste on a cloth or an old rag and rub gently on the glass surface of the light. Make sure it is cool and switched off when you start your cleaning task. Wipe clean with water and enjoy the brightness. n

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine July 12th, 2015

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