Toothpicks are tiny slivers of wood designed to help you clean your teeth, but due to their diminutive size, they are perfect for doing much more. The sharp point helps you get in tight spaces, while the strength of the wood helps them hold up to pressure.
These 10 tips for using toothpicks around your home will have you digging out that old box of toothpicks for some creative household uses. When you aren’t using them for their original purpose, that is!
1. Extend your fire power
Don’t you hate it when you keep burning your fingers trying to light a candle in a tight space. The wood of a toothpick burns differently than a candle. It will light a candle, but doesn’t create a flame that comes back towards your fingers. See how a toothpick lighter works here.
Don’t you hate it when you keep burning your fingers trying to light a candle in a tight space. The wood of a toothpick burns differently than a candle. It will light a candle, but doesn’t create a flame that comes back towards your fingers. See how a toothpick lighter works here.
INSTRUCTABLES
2. Check your plants
One Good Thing by Jillee recommends using a toothpick as a quick and easy way to see if your plants need watering. You simply poke it into your soil. When you remove it, check the condition of the toothpick. If it is wet and has soil on it, you don’t need to add any water. If it is dry and clean, give your plants a drink.
One Good Thing by Jillee recommends using a toothpick as a quick and easy way to see if your plants need watering. You simply poke it into your soil. When you remove it, check the condition of the toothpick. If it is wet and has soil on it, you don’t need to add any water. If it is dry and clean, give your plants a drink.
ONE GOOD THING BY JILLEE
3. Use it to apply glue
Glue can get messy quickly — especially if you are applying it to tiny surfaces. No matter the type of glue you are using, you can gingerly dot it on something using the end of a toothpick. HGTV recommends this method when working with rhinestones.
Glue can get messy quickly — especially if you are applying it to tiny surfaces. No matter the type of glue you are using, you can gingerly dot it on something using the end of a toothpick. HGTV recommends this method when working with rhinestones.
HGTV
4. Fix a stripped screw hole
A stripped screw hole will no longer hold it’s former screw, but often the hardware attaching to the wood requires that specific screw size. It’s a tough place to be. Something as simple as a toothpick may be your answer. Inserting it into the hole gives the screw new wood to attach to. Physics makes it work, and Living with Lindsay shows you how.
A stripped screw hole will no longer hold it’s former screw, but often the hardware attaching to the wood requires that specific screw size. It’s a tough place to be. Something as simple as a toothpick may be your answer. Inserting it into the hole gives the screw new wood to attach to. Physics makes it work, and Living with Lindsay shows you how.
LIVING WITH LINDSAY
5. Fix a hole in wood trim
Chatfield Court understands how frustrating a hole in wood can be. Whether someone had a cord secured to a baseboard or garland on the wainscoting, the remaining hole is unattractive. All you need is a few toothpicks, wood glue, and scissors for a quick and effective repair.
Chatfield Court understands how frustrating a hole in wood can be. Whether someone had a cord secured to a baseboard or garland on the wainscoting, the remaining hole is unattractive. All you need is a few toothpicks, wood glue, and scissors for a quick and effective repair.
CHATFIELD COURT
6. Grow your own sweet potatoes
Sweet potato vines are a beautiful way to add greenery. They grow quickly and in almost any conditions. You don’t need to rush out and buy them — just reach into your pantry. With a few toothpicks, Patricia Lynn sprouts her own sweet potatoes into new plants.
Sweet potato vines are a beautiful way to add greenery. They grow quickly and in almost any conditions. You don’t need to rush out and buy them — just reach into your pantry. With a few toothpicks, Patricia Lynn sprouts her own sweet potatoes into new plants.
SHAREABLY
7. Get an even bake
Baking potatoes in the microwave is the fastest way to a quick dinner. However, too often a potato cooks unevenly. This creative blogger figured out a quick fix to the unevenly cooked bake potato: toothpicks. She simply props her potato up on four toothpick “legs.”
Baking potatoes in the microwave is the fastest way to a quick dinner. However, too often a potato cooks unevenly. This creative blogger figured out a quick fix to the unevenly cooked bake potato: toothpicks. She simply props her potato up on four toothpick “legs.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A WILD HARE
8. Mark the end of a roll of tape
You need a piece of tape, and you need it quickly. Murphy’s law states that you will never be able to find the end of a roll of tape in a hurry. Never lose your end again by using a toothpick. This tip recommends wrapping the end around the toothpick.
You need a piece of tape, and you need it quickly. Murphy’s law states that you will never be able to find the end of a roll of tape in a hurry. Never lose your end again by using a toothpick. This tip recommends wrapping the end around the toothpick.
LIFEHACKER
9. Keep cake fresh
Cake goes stale once it is cut. You end up wasting bits of it just to get to the fresh cake inside. Tidy Mom has the solution to this cake problem. She uses toothpicks to secure slices of bread to a cut cake. The bread gets stale instead of the cake.
Cake goes stale once it is cut. You end up wasting bits of it just to get to the fresh cake inside. Tidy Mom has the solution to this cake problem. She uses toothpicks to secure slices of bread to a cut cake. The bread gets stale instead of the cake.
TIDY MOM
10. Send a secret message
You can include a special message in a packed lunch on a banana. The Kitchn recommends using a toothpick to precisely poke and carve a message into the peel of a banana. Within a few hours your special message will gradually appear.
You can include a special message in a packed lunch on a banana. The Kitchn recommends using a toothpick to precisely poke and carve a message into the peel of a banana. Within a few hours your special message will gradually appear.
THE KITCHN
There are many uses for a toothpick which go beyond dental health. These handy little pieces of wood can be used throughout your entire house in many ways. Share how you do it with your friends and family on Facebook.
RESOURCES BANNER IMAGE CREDIT, INSTRUCTABLES, ONE GOOD THING BY JILLEE, HGTV, LIVING WITH LINDSAY, CHATFIELD COURT, SHAREABLY, A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A WILD HARE, LIFEHACKER, TIDY MOM, AND THE KITCHN