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My dentist recommends that I replace my toothbrush at least once every 2 months. That's six toothbrushes in a year! Up until recently, mine were all getting dumped into the trash can. Then I started thinking about the different ways I can reuse an old toothbrush.
To be honest, I was a little grossed out at first. But I decided to keep an open mind about it, and asked around to see if any of my friends recycled their used toothbrushes.
Boy oh boy—was I surprised to find out that many people, in fact, do reuse their toothbrushes! And they each have a very unique reuse for it.
On the whole, most of the people I surveyed reused their toothbrushes for household cleaning. Granted, there were a few exceptions:
- Cleaning & disinfecting the toothbrush, and using it to brush your dog/cat's teeth.
- Using them as gardening stakes.
- Using the stick end of a toothbrush as a stirrer.
- Painting a piece of artwork with the brush part of a toothbrush-as an accent (sort of like sponge work) or to add a unique texture to the brushstrokes.
- Heat your toothbrush over the stove until it is malleable, and bend it into an oval shape (bristles out). Wear it as a funky "toothbrush" bracelet.
But for the most part, people preferred to reuse their toothbrushes to clean those "not so easy to reach" places in the home. Some of the most popular spots to clean with an old toothbrush were:
- Moldy Grout in the kitchen or bathroom
You know.that white stuff between your ceramic tiles that always turns black? And all this time, I thought I was never going to be able to completely get rid of the soap scum on my bathroom tiles. I wish I had known about this reuse earlier! - Sinks & Faucets
Nothing gets rid of the slime from under the faucet like a toothbrush. It's also perfect at scrubbing away calcium deposits and soap scum. - Strainers, Graters & Garlic Presses
Sometimes, when food gets stuck in between the tiny holes and ridges of various cooking utensils, a plain old sponge doesn't do the trick. The tiny bristles of a toothbrush work wonders! It's also perfectly shaped for cleaning the ridges in a Foreman Grill. - Jewelry
Grandma's antique brooch sure looks beautiful.but it also has lots of detailed engravings with grooves that like to collect dust. Just dip your toothbrush into toothpaste (or jewelry cleaner if you have it), and gently scrub and clean your jewelry. It also works on silverware. - Laundry
Many people swear by toothbrushes when it comes to removing stains. Since they're smaller than most other scrub brushes, they're perfect for spot treating stains. They keep the cleaning solution away from the rest of the fabric. Use a toothbrush to scrub the stains off the carpet or fabric furniture too! - Windows
A toothbrush will fully clean out those hard to reach crevices on the corner of your window sills. It also works great on clearing out the debris from your window screens. - Fingernails
I have a lot of gardener friends who reuse their toothbrushes to scrub off the dirt & soil that collets underneath their fingernails. Personally, I eat a lot of pomegranate. While I get to pump my body with powerful antioxidants and feed my taste buds with sweet berry goodness, it also means that I have to deal with red-stained fingernails each time I de-seed a pomegranate. Luckily, now I have a used toothbrush to save the day!
There really are so many other ways you can incorporate a used toothbrush into your household cleaning routine. Just think of one of the many nooks and crannies that tend to get abandoned: rotating fans, toaster ovens, shoe soles, jar threads, the car interior, etc...
The list goes on. Even if you held onto every toothbrush for the next five years (a total of 30 toothbrushes if you follow your dentist's instructions), you can still come up with a reuse for every single one of them.
Just make sure to disinfect your old toothbrushes before reusing them. Run them through the dishwasher, soak them in vinegar, rinse them with lemon juice..
Whatever floats your boat.
Or check out these How To Go Green Guides:
How to Go Green: In the Bathroom
How to Go Green: Home Renovation
How to Go Green: Laundry
How to Go Green: Bathroom Renovation
Hankering for a home makeover? Manifest your green American Dream with tips from Planet Green TV's Greenovate.
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