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Chances are – you have at least one tube of toothpaste in your house at this very moment, but you’ve probably only been using it to brush your teeth, right? Well – you’ve been missing out!

Sure, toothpaste keeps your teeth pearly white and your breath smelling fresh, but it has so much more to offer than that. Keep reading to find out the dozens of ways that ordinary toothpaste can simplify your life.

1. Clean Your Headlights

Don’t waste any more money on fancy or expensive car detailing kits, and give your headlights shine with toothpaste. You can even use a toothbrush to get into all the nooks and crannies.

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Brian J Mattis/Flickr Source: Brian J Mattis/Flickr

2. Clear Foggy Swimming Googles

Swimming goggles are great- until they fog up with steam. You can keep that from happening and keep your underwater view clear by rubbing a thin layer of toothpaste over the lens. The light film will prevent that annoying fog.

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hokieman89/Flickr Source: hokieman89/Flickr

3. Clean Your Shoes

Want to make your kicks look as sweet as the day you first took them out of the box? Use some toothpaste to get rid of the dirt and restore that new-shoe shine. Just use an old toothbrush to give them a good scrub and voila!

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Martin Molegaard/Flickr Source: Martin Molegaard/Flickr

4. Dry Out Pimples

You may have heard of this one before, but for those who haven’t, prepare to be amazed. The properties in toothpaste dry out acne and pimples! Amazing, right? Put toothpaste on those blemishes at night and in the morning, they’ll be a distant memory.

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Throughout Year/Flickr Source: Throughout Year/Flickr

5. Remove Dye Stains

Whether you got hair dye on your favorite nightie, food dye on your favorite apron or some other type of dye on your carpet, furniture or article of clothing, you can use toothpaste to eliminate the stain. Just rub it in, let it dry, and throw the item in the wash.

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kate.atkinson/Flickr Source: kate.atkinson/Flickr

6. Clean Your Phone

Phones are a breeding ground for germs and smudges, and wiping yours across your tee every 20 minutes will do nothing to disinfect it. Toothpaste will though. You can use the stuff to make your phone look shiny and to rid it of germs!

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Cuba Gallery/Flickr Source: Cuba Gallery/Flickr

7. Get Rid of Stinky Shoe Odor

If your shoes stink, rub some toothpaste along the soles to give them a fresh scent. Make sure to let the toothpaste fully dry before slipping your feet inside (make sure you’re wearing socks!).

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Danny Molyneux/Flickr Source: Danny Molyneux/Flickr

8. Get Rid of Carpet Stains

If you spill wine or coffee on your carpet, never fear, toothpaste is here! Toothpaste can penetrate even the toughest of stains and leave your carpet looking like new again. Just give it a good scrub with some paste, let it dry, then dab it up with a wet, clean cloth.

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Wondercrazy/Flickr Source: Wondercrazy/Flickr

9. Repair Scratched CDs and DVDs

Ever had your CD skip in the middle of your favorite track, or have you ever been watching a movie and have it jump three scenes in the middle of the most important scene? Yeah, we’ve all been there, and it sucks. Fortunately, toothpaste can help. Rub some toothpaste on the surface and it will play perfectly.

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Ben Oliviera/Flickr Source: Ben Oliviera/Flickr

10. Repair Minor Car Scratches

If you’re mad at your friend or partner for dinging your car with his door the other day, put on your happy face and bust out the toothpaste. A little bit of toothpaste, a soft cloth and some TLC will go a long way towards making your car look like new again.

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Jonathan Rolande/Flickr Source: Jonathan Rolande/Flickr

11. Remove Ink Stains

Don’t you hate when you forget to take a pen out of your pants pocket before throwing them in the wash, only to remove your clothes and discover an ink stain on every item? We do too. Fortunately, there is a fix to this problem, and no, it’s not a magical way to remind yourself to remove that pen from your pocket (though that would be nice too). It’s toothpaste! All you have to do is rub some paste on the stain, let it dry, wash it the next day, and like magic – your clothes are stain free for another day.

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Max Stanworth/Flickr Source: Max Stanworth/Flickr

12. Polish Your Silver

Have some old silver you have no idea what to do with? Shine it up and use it at the next family feast! Rub some toothpaste on each piece with a soft cloth and your grandma’s silver will be shining in no time.

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eiffion ashdown/Flickr Source: eiffion ashdown/Flickr

13. Remove Water Stains

If you’re tired of getting yelled at to use a coaster after you’ve soiled yet another wooden table, bust out a tube of toothpaste and show some magic. Toothpaste can get rid of those stubborn water spots that you accidentally left over the years.

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John Loo/Flickr Source: John Loo/Flickr

14. Clean Piano Keys

Piano keys can get dirty and grimy after continual use, making no one want to go near those bad boys. With a bit of toothpaste, you can smudge away the dirt and have spotless keys once more.

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Riley Kaminer/Flickr Source: Riley Kaminer/Flickr

15. Soothe Mosquito Bites

You may have heard once or twice that by itching your mosquito bites you only make them worse. This is true, but if you’re like most people and itch them anyways, rub some toothpaste on the infected areas and experience instant relief.

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sijodk/Flickr Source: sijodk/Flickr

16. Remove Nail Polish From Skin

Doing home manicures is a great way to save some money, but of course, there’s bound to be some imperfections. If you happen to get some nail polish on your skin or cuticles, just wait for the polish to dry, rub on some nail polish, and wipe away! Plus, your hands will smell great.

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Today Source: Today

17. Clean Your Iron

Is your iron leaving residue on your favorite garments? Turn it off and let it cool down (this part is important!), then rub some toothpaste along the surface. Wipe it off and proceed to iron your clothes – without the dirty streaks.

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TripAdvisor Source: TripAdvisor

18. Hang Paper Posters

Do you live in an apartment or rental where you cannot put nails in the wall? Or maybe you just don’t have picture nails on hand but really want to hang your new poster? Use toothpaste! Toothpaste acts as an adhesive but, unlike glue or nails, won’t damage your wall once you remove it.

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Wikimedia Source: Wikimedia

19. Super Clean Your Hands

You may use hand soap to wash your hands, and that’s great! But, toothpaste is a great deep cleaner and can remove more dirt and grime than your standard hand soap. So, lather up and smell minty fresh!

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Melinda Mary/Flickr Source: Melinda Mary/Flickr

20. Clean Your Thermos or Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Thermoses can get pretty gross fairly quickly. If you don’t want to drink out of a stinky canister or eat soup out of a thermos that smells like mold and mildew, add some toothpaste your thermos and fill it with water. Shake it around, then wash as normal. Your thermos will smell fresh and clean like brand new.

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Denkrahm/Flickr Source: Denkrahm/Flickr

21. Clean Faucets and Other Fixtures

Rubbing some toothpaste on your faucets with a wet sponge will clean away all the buildup on your faucets. Just wipe away any excess with a clean cloth. They’ll be sparkling again in no time!

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Popular Mechanics Source: Popular Mechanics

22. Clean Up Spilled Makeup

Spilled makeup can stain, but with some toothpaste, it will come right off your countertops. Just use a wet sponge to rub the toothpaste into the makeup stain and it should disappear in an instant.

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Cleaning Info Source: Cleaning Info

23. Remove Permanent Marker Stains

Toothpaste can also get out permanent marker stains, especially on wood. Use your finger, cloth, or a sponge to rub the toothpaste into the stain, let it sit for a minute or two – then wipe away.

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Home Remedy Hacks Source: Home Remedy Hacks

24. Heal Bruises Quicker

Rub a mix of toothpaste and lotion on your bruises before you go to bed to get rid of them faster. Because, who wants to walk around with an ugly bruise for everyone to see?

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badlyricpolice/Flickr Source: badlyricpolice/Flickr

25. Instant Relief for a Burn

If you accidentally burn yourself on a hot surface while cooking – reach for the toothpaste! First, cover the burn with cold water immediately, then cover the surface with a nice, cool layer of minty toothpaste.

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Healthy Living Source: Healthy Living

26. Treat Poison Ivy Stings

If you’ve accidentally come into contact with poison ivy, it can leave an unpleasant rash or burn. For relief, gently apply a thin layer of toothpaste to the affected area and let it rest for 10 minutes. Wash away with some soapy water and the stinging sensation should subside. Repeat if necessary.

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Wikimedia Source: Wikimedia

27. Remove Gum From Hair

If you or your little ones have found themselves with some gum stuck in the hair, toothpaste can help! Just apply toothpaste to the patch of gum and it will help break down the sugars that are binding it to the hair. The gum should eventually crumble out in pieces.

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Pinterest Source: Pinterest

28. De-scuff Your Linoleum

Even the highest quality linoleum can get scuff marks, but thankfully, they are easy to remove. Apply toothpaste to a dry cloth and use it to scrub the scuffs right off! Rinse with plain water to remove any excess.

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Thrifty Fun Source: Thrifty Fun

29. Make Crayon Marks Disappear

If you have kids in the house, crayon marks on the wall are bound to happen. Toothpaste can remove the marks without damaging your walls or the paint. Rub the marks with toothpaste, let sit overnight, then wipe away with water.

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Today Source: Today

30. Make Your Diamonds Sparkle

Is your diamond looking a little dull? Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and an old toothbrush to give it a good scrub. Rinse thoroughly with cold water. Do NOT use this method to clean pearls as it will damage them.

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Koshy Koshy/Flickr Source: Koshy Koshy/Flickr

31. Remove Build-up From Straighteners and Curling Irons

Flat irons and curling irons can get pretty dirty after a while. Build-up from hairspray and other styling products can leave a film on the plates. To remove it, use a soft cloth to rub some toothpaste on the plates or barrel (turned off, of course!) and then use another clean cloth to wipe it away.

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Pinterest Source: Pinterest

32. Polish Metal Instruments

If playing the flute or trombone is a past-time of yours, you know that they can start looking a bit grimey after a while. Just dab a bit of toothpaste on the instrument, then buff away with a soft cloth like microfiber. Use a damp cloth to remove any extra residue.

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Yelp Source: Yelp

33. Hide Nail Holes

Here’s another great hack for renters! If you don’t have spackle to fill in holes in the wall left by nails, just use some plain, white toothpaste. Of course, this hack works best for smaller holes.

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Dynamic Videos/YouTube Source: Dynamic Videos/YouTube

34. Repair Marks on Leather

Leather is expensive! So when it gets scuffed or scratched, it can be quite annoying. Luckily, you can make them disappear with a little bit of toothpaste. Apply a dab to a soft cloth and gently rub the affected area.

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Thrifty Fun Source: Thrifty Fun

35. Freshen Up a Stinky Sink or Drain

Our kitchen and bathroom sinks can sometimes get a bit of a funky smell. Just squeeze a line of toothpaste around the rim of the drain, let it rest for 10 minutes, then rinse away! The toothpaste will coat the pipe with a nice, pleasant smell.

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Aqua Mechanical/Flickr Source: Aqua Mechanical/Flickr

36. Refresh Your Tupperware

Get rid of Tupperware stains and smells with a little bit of toothpaste. Scrub the inside of the container and lid with some toothpaste and an old toothbrush, let sit for a few minutes, then rinse away with water.

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Viral Food Source: Viral Food

37. Clean Plastic Garden Furniture

Plastic garden furniture is bound to get some stains and scratches over time. Create a mixture of toothpaste and water then use a cloth to wipe it down. Your outdoor furniture will be clean and sparkling like the day you bought it!

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