Three Minutes On Thursdays #7–Tooth Fairy

Three useful things to keep in your armoury – a tube of toothpaste [the really cheap white stuff] a container of dental floss [not dental tape], and any old toothbrushes which are beyond using on your pearly whites.

The toothpaste is brilliant for cleaning [and deodorising] stained hands* – think beetroot, blackberries…Just massage it in, and then wash off with your usual soap. It is also good if children’s faces become stained with facepaints. I recommended this to a parent on November 1st last year, when she lamented the fact that her child had to come into school still showing signs of the pirate beard and ‘tache she had drawn for Halloween on the night before. It’s safe and non-toxic, and it works! Toothpaste shifts oil and tar stains from your feet after barefoot walks on the sand. And burn marks from the soleplate of your iron.

You can use an old toothbrush and some paste too for cleaning brassware or jewellery items. I started cleaning my Gospel Bell with regular Brasso, but finished off with paste and brush because it really gets into the crevices. Rinse it off afterward and buff up with a soft cloth.

Dental floss has loads of uses, outside of oral hygiene!

• At Christmas, string cranberries or popcorn to make garlands.
• Restring broken necklaces – it is really strong
• Use it to hang pictures
• Wind a length between your fingers and use it to slice soft cheese without squashing it
• Re –sew buttons which keep coming off children’s coats
• Finally, there’s the Martha Stewart trick, of using it to slice sponge cakes neatly, into two or more layers.

* yes, we do have some Swarfega for cleaning our hands after oily tasks on the motorbike etc. It is great for grease, but it doesn’t shift stains as effectively as toothpaste. And furthermore, Bob’s current tub is not the ‘original’ green gel, it is yellow stuff somewhat akin to polenta, and I find it rather strange!!