HERE’S a simple trick we’d all love to do to remove small scratches from your phone screen.
Rub that old reliable toothpaste wherever the scratches are. It will reduce the scratches and will transform the screen into something “new”.
During the long lockdown we have all experienced, if you have toddlers and young children on the prowl in the living room, chances are they might have scribbled a lot on the walls using crayons.
No problem there. We all want to see the illustrations that our little children make. The problem starts when the wall is quickly filled to the edges with the colors from crayons.
Fret no more. Just put non-gel toothpaste on the wall and scrub away. Rinse the wall with water and voila, the crayons are no more.
You can do the same with ink and lipstick stains on clothes, again with a non-gel toothpaste. Rub the stain on the fabric vigorously with the toothpaste then rinse with water. It may not work all of the time with all of the different kinds of fabric. But it’s worth a try. It’s more than worth it if the clothes are especially valuable and highly valued.
Bonus: non-gel, non-whitening toothpaste will get rid pimples by the next morning. This is because the toothpaste dehydrates the pimple and absorbs the oil. Watch out though if it irritates sensitive skin and discontinue using.
Putting a dot of toothpaste on the insect bite will keep it from itching. And deodorize your hands the same way as the ingredients that make your mouth smelling good will certainly work on your hands.
And the watermarks left on the table when wet glasses are placed on them? A non-gel toothpaste will do away with the watermark.
Or squirt a dab of toothpaste and your leather shoes will look like new. The same with the whites on rubber sneakers.
It works well in defogging bathroom mirrors. Coat the mirror with non-gel toothpaste and wipe it before taking a hot shower. You’d be amazed to find that the mirror won’t be fogged and you can see the “new” and fresh you right after taking a bath.
It works too this summer when beaches reopen and you put on scuba goggles for snorkeling. Coat the goggles with toothpaste and then wipe them off before setting for the water.
Squirting a little on the bathroom sink and wiping it with sponge make it shiny and bright. The toothpaste will also act as a deodorant for bad odors from the sink. One can also remove a stain on the floor the same way, or from the carpet if you’re using one.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./PN
