How to reuse your old toothbrushes

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How to reuse your old toothbrushes

by Patricia Mayville-Cox (Subscribe to Patricia Mayville-Cox's posts)
Jan 27th 2008 @ 4:03PM

Filed under: Home

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Wait! Don't throw out that ratty old toothbrush! Here are some great ways to reuse old toothbrushes from Gloria Campos:

Scrub the corners of your shower, tiles and sliding door.
Clean your keyboard.
Clean your nails after gardening.
Clean small spaces in your car that you can't get to.
Save it to clean off your cheese grater next time you use it.
Ah, yes, and let's not forget this gem ... Clean dog poop off your shoe.

Obviously, you may want to keep separate toothbrushes for some of these tasks.

Gallery: Want to reduce your impact? Here's 5 simple (and surprising!) ways you can recycle

Comments [22]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

1-28-2008 @ 10:21PM

Joe said...

One must be careful not use old toothbrushes that have been used by people who have hiv, hcv. Bloodly gums may transfer virus onto tooothbrush.
Brushing underneath finger nails may not be a safe practice.

3-05-2008 @ 7:37AM

cera said...

You're horribly mistaken on the HIV front. The virus can't live outside the confines of the human body for more than a few minutes, so unless you quickly decide the toothbrush that someone else used and discarded just a moment ago would be great for exfoliating your cuticles, you're fine. Please please please look into these myths before perpetuating them and the horrible stigmas attached to them!

1-28-2008 @ 10:25PM

Joe said...

1-28-2008 @ 9:52PM

Joe said...
One must be careful not use old toothbrushes that have been used by people who have hiv, hcv. Bloodly gums may transfer virus onto tooothbrush.
Brushing underneath finger nails may not be a safe

1-28-2008 @ 10:21PM

Jim said...

Tooth brushes are wonderful for cleaning your bike, spokes, chains or whatever.

1-28-2008 @ 10:21PM

mom said...

they have brushes for fingernails=good advice not to use old brushes for nails.
They are handy for many other things tho.

1-28-2008 @ 11:23PM

Carol Megginson said...

Please tell me that someone is not suggesting reusing a toothbrush to clean your cheese grater! Why bother to even clean the grater if you are using a contaminated toothbrush??? Do we really know how many organisms are alive and well on our toothbrushes...

1-28-2008 @ 11:37PM

Rhonda said...

They work great for cleaning dog puke out of the carpet too.

1-29-2008 @ 12:02AM

Mark said...

You could also use them to clean your throw away Bic razors.I do it all the time.

1-29-2008 @ 12:07AM

Mark said...

I really think, Now this is for Joe 1st comment.I think you missed the Idea.Using your toothbrushes not eome elses.Peace :)- Mark

1-29-2008 @ 1:10AM

Diane said...

You can use the oral hygienist's freebie, or a discount store NEW toothbrush instead of an old one, except for cleaning the dog poop out of your shoes...use the old one, preferably one with hard bristles. A soft-bristle toothbrush is great for cleaning rings, esp with Wisk detergent, as it gets into the tiny places. Makes a little diamond sparkle. Artists use toothbrushes for "flicking" paint onto small areas. So let the kids go to town in the fingerpainting mode with the addition of the "flick."

1-29-2008 @ 1:23AM

George Sidoti said...

My cheese grater!....Ewwwwwww

1-29-2008 @ 1:34AM

Linda said...

Don't forget, you can always sharpen the handle for a handy shank! LOL

1-29-2008 @ 2:11AM

Vivi said...

I use my old toothbrushes for cleaning around the drainholes in my bathroom sinks and also around the kitchen sink drainhole. They are also great for cleaning thin white sidewall tires found on good old classic car tires

1-29-2008 @ 2:41AM

Pris said...

Hasn't anyone heard of sanitizing or sterilizing?

1-29-2008 @ 2:43AM

Pris said...

Hasn't anyone heard of sanitizing or sterilizing?

1-29-2008 @ 3:51AM

freudsenigma said...

Srsly!
Who would use someone else's toothbrush?
Who wouldn't bleach their toothbrush before using it on their dishes or fingers?

Wow! People are acting pretty dense.

1-29-2008 @ 2:48AM

radhames said...

Please do NOT invite me for dinner. Yuk!

1-29-2008 @ 3:53AM

startinovrsingls said...

Have you people who are terrified of germs think about putting the old tooth brushes in your dishwasher.... automatic sterilization!!!

1-29-2008 @ 5:21AM

Ms B said...

The best place for an old toothbrush is in the da-- trash!!! The dollar store have a package of toothbrushes you can use for these things.

1-29-2008 @ 5:33AM

janine said...

really now tooth brushes are not an expensive item that we have to use them again. you can use a new tooth brush for all the above uses and not run the risk of infection

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