April 22, 2009
In days when stretching a dollar is not simply a fun challenge but more a necessity, finding dual uses for everyday items can really help save money! Here are some simple (and we admit it, kind of fun) ideas for putting common toiletries to use for more than one purpose!
Toothpaste
- Polishing scuffed shoes – rub toothpaste into the shoe and wipe off with a damp cloth.
- Crayon on walls – put a dab of white toothpaste on a damp rag and gently wipe the crayon marks away. Don’t forget to rinse.
- Freshen baby bottles and water bottles – add a blob of toothpaste and water to the bottle. Tighten the lid and shake vigorously. Pour out and rinse repeatedly with fresh water until it is completely free of odor.
- Bug bite relief – a little white toothpaste on a bug bite can help draw out the itch and heal the bite.
- Overnight blemish healing – a smear of toothpaste on that pimple at night will help dry it out and clear the blemish by morning.
Cotton Swabs
- Clean electronics – dab a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and use it to clean CD players, DVD players, radios and other computer equipment.
- Loosen zippers – dip the end of a cotton swab in vegetable oil and run it along a sticky zipper. This is a great way to add the oil lubricant without getting oil all over the place.
- Lip gloss applicator – did you lose your lip gloss wand? A cotton swab will do in a pinch.
- Eye shadow applicator – can't find your applicator? Reach for a cotton swab. Make sure to use a fresh one each time.
Dental Floss
- Slicing pies and cheese – wrap a length of floss between your two index fingers and use it to slice through cheesecake without making a mess. You can also slice most soft cheeses and hardboiled eggs.
- Travel clothesline – when you’re on holidays, string a length of dental floss between lamps, across a doorway, or between two trees for a makeshift clothesline.
- Emergency sewing thread – need to sew on a button and forgot your thread? Use dental floss.
- Emergency shoelace – it may not be fashionable, but it will do in a pinch!
Hairspray
- Stiffen those zippers – do you have a zipper that keeps sliding down? A spray of hairspray will stiffen its grip!
- Lint remover – spray hairspray on to a rag and rub it on to your clothes. The lint will stick to the rag and your clothes will be spotless.
- Christmas wreath preservative – keep your wreaths and from year to year by spraying them with hairspray.
Just a few little items can be used for so many things! Why not look through your cabinet and see what you have on hand?
