What can I do with an old toothbrush? 22 clever household uses

Though it’s recommended that we bin our toothbrushes every three to four months, the end of your toothbrush’s first life doesn’t mean the end of its usefulness.

To begin the repurposing process, first disinfect your old toothbrush by leaving it to soak head down in vinegar or hydrogen peroxide overnight.

Next, it’s time to put it to work.

Here are 22 uses across six areas around the home where you can utilise your old brush.

Pet care

A toothbrush is an ideal tool for cleaning your fish tank, particularly any small ornaments with stubborn mould or algae.

Use a toothbrush to pamper your cat by brushing their face, or to help remove dirt from their claws. A toothbrush face massage can be simply heavenly for kitties.

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Around the house

Put your brush to work by cleaning anything with a crease prone to accumulating dirt or mould. That means around tapware in kitchen or bathroom sinks, and on edges, in corners, or around sliding doors in the shower.

Clean soap scum out of grout between tiles by spraying the area with a solution of half vinegar, half water, then scrubbing with baking soda.

In the laundry, use a toothbrush to clean out detergent drawer in your front loading washing machine.

Clothing and jewellery

Just add a little toothpaste to make a budget-friendly silver polish for your rings, earrings and necklaces.

For costume jewellery, use a toothbrush alone to clean earrings when they get blackened.

Keep an old toothbrush in your shoe care kit for gouging accumulated mud out of the treads in shoes and boots in winter.

In the car

Cars have lots of pesky little areas that are hard to clean – enter the toothbrush.

Use one to clean out cup holders, inserts in the side doors and the treads in your underfoot mats.

For personal grooming

Toothbrushes can have a wealth of uses in the realm of face and body.

Use one to smooth stray hairs back if creating a slick bun hairstyle, to brush brows into the right place, or to exfoliate dry skin from your lips before following up with lipbalm.

Keep an old toothbrush in the sink in your mudroom or laundry for scrubbing grubby fingernails after a gardening session.

In the garden

Outdoors, a toothbrush can certainly come in handy.

When it comes to cleaning, use an old brush to clear out the clogged spout of a watering can, or for cleaning or oiling a lawn mower, pruner, shredder parts, or chainsaw chain.

If you don’t have a pastry brush on hand, gently put an old toothbrush to good use for hand pollinating flowers or to simply wipe gel herbicide onto tough weeds like convolvulus.

Finally, utilise the non-bristle end as a dibber when planting seeds, or stick into the ground to repurpose as a plant label.

– Originally appeared on stuff.co.nz