What can you do with old toothbrushes?

Before you throw away your used toothbrush, just think about all the practical uses you could do with it. You may think that your used toothbrush is done serving its purpose, but it is a nifty little tool to keep around the house.

If you still have an old plastic toothbrush ,there are a lot of ways that you can reuse it to keep them away from landfill.

Practical uses for old toothbrushes

• Vehicle maintenance. All those hard to reach spots in your ride could be reached by your old toothbrush. These spots include bike chains, wiper blades and window edges. Use your used toothbrush along with your vehicle maintenance kit to keep your car or bike looking shiny.

• Clean nooks and crannies. Have you ever been frustrated by trying to clean tight spots? Your old toothbrush would surely come in handy. Make a paste using vinegar and some baking soda with a little water to spot treat the area. Use your toothbrush to scrub.

• Revive your velcro. The small hooks on velcro are what makes it so niffy. It’s also the reason it attracts so many hairs and lint, but it is no match for a used toothbrush! Brush out the stuff you don’t want to get stuck to your beloved velcro with the strong bristle in your toothbrush.

• Get rid of mud and dirt from your shoes. Toothbrushes are considered essential shoe cleaning tools. A little cleaning fluid on a toothbrush will do the trick to make sure you clean between all those stitching, trends and groove. This works especially well for sneakers, which require regular maintenance to stay shiny.

• Clean the insides of your fingernails. A full size nail brush can be annoying because of its size. Your toothtbrush’s bristles can help you get rid of whatever it is that’s caught under your nails. It’s also handy so you wouldn’t worry about painful hands.

• Remove stains from clothes. Want to know the secret to really getting that annoying stain out of your favorite shirt? Applying some stain remover solution on the spot and gently scrubbing it with your used toothbrush will do the trick.

• Clean fish tanks accessories. There is no need to bust your wallet over an expensive fish tank cleaning tool. All you need is an old toothbrush to remove grime from your fish tank and even fish accessories.

• Clean kitchen appliances. You can use your old toothbrush to clean your toasters, microwaves, and coffee machines. Its bristles work wonders in scrubbing off those crumbs and stains that fall into those hard to reach places.

• Clean your chopping board. Use your used toothbrushes on the edges of your chopping boards. Nothing works better in getting rid of food scraps than a used toothbrush. 

• Clean your computer. The size of your toothbrush makes cleaning laptop ports and keyboard tiles easy peasy. When used with a microfiber cloth, these old toothbrushes will keep your computer free from dirt, dust and grime.

• Clean grout grime off tiles. With the powerful combination of baking soda and water in a paste, your used toothbrush is all you need to clear out funky grime between tiles. Whether these tiles are in your kitchen or bathroom, your old toothbrush will surely leave your tiles gleaming.

• Remove crayon marks on the wall. That pretty crayon drawing on their wall sure looks good, but if you still wish to clean it up, your old toothbrush could come to the rescue. With some shaving cream and a used toothbrush, you can remove crayon marks in a jiffy!

• Remove dirt and dust from dolls and toys. Dolls and toys are a haven for dirt and dust. Not to worry, your used toothbrush is perfect for cleaning up all those nasty stuff. 

• Add it to your art supplies. A used toothbrush might just be the missing tool you’ve been looking for to add texture to your artworks. Make pretty creations using toothbrushes as paintbrushes or to engrave cute patterns into their favorite clay.

• Clean jewellery with your used toothbrush. Used toothbrushes do wonders in cleaning your favorite jewellery. Their tiny bristles perfectly fit in between those tricky areas and will keep your fave accessories pretty and rust-free.

Common questions about what you can do with old toothbrushes

Can I recycle my toothbrush?

It would always depend on where you live, but for most areas, you cannot just dispose of toothbrushes in the recycling bin. It would still be best for you to try and find practical ways how you can repurpose it at home, instead of having it thrown to landfills.

Can toothpaste tubes be recycled?

Because of their aluminum layer, recycling toothpaste tubes would take too much work to be recycled. There are a few companies, like TerraCycle, providing recycling programs for oral care products, but they have not rolled it out completely.

Where can I donate my toothbrush?

When unused, you can donate toothbrushes to nursing homes, orphanages, and various NGOs providing help to homeless families.

Like many non-recyclable garbage, the best thing to do with old toothbrushes is to repurpose them. Throwing them straight to your trash bin will just take them to the landfills, where they could stay for a very long time. Finding practical uses for your garbage will work wonders in fighting global warming. Start with what you have at home.