While most people only use toothpaste for its intended use — brushing teeth, of course — toothpaste can also be utilized in many other ways. It contains light abrasives that make it perfect for removing dirt and other debris from a range of surfaces. But what about using toothpaste to remove scratches?
You can use toothpaste to remove scratches from various surfaces including your car, eyeglasses, and appliances. However, you have to be careful not to rub the toothpaste too hard, and only use toothpaste to remove surface scratches. For deeper scratches, it’s better to use a scratch removal kit.
Let’s take a closer look at whether you can use toothpaste to remove scratches and how to do it without causing more damage. We’ll also take a closer look at the process of removing scratches from cars, eyeglasses, and appliances.
Can Toothpaste Remove Scratches?
Toothpaste can be used to remove scratches from just about anything, whether it’s your phone, sunglasses, or car. Toothpaste is great at removing small scratches — as long as the scratches haven’t gone too deep into the material.
You can also use toothpaste to remove scratches from your phone. Furthermore, toothpaste is easy to use and readily available at a low cost — probably much less than you would pay to get scratches removed by a professional.
It’s important to remember that while toothpaste is a great DIY scratch remover, removing scratches from certain surfaces can be a delicate job. Different surfaces will react differently to the same toothpaste, so proceed with caution.
When applying toothpaste to your glasses, for example, begin by applying it to a small surface area. You can then observe what reaction the surface has to the toothpaste and whether it works or not.
You should also only use white toothpaste (on Amazon) as colored toothpaste could ruin the color of the surface. Let’s look at how to remove scratches from cars and appliances with toothpaste.
How to Remove Car Scratches With Toothpaste
Having scratches on your car can be very frustrating — and it could potentially be costly if you have to get a new paint job. Thankfully, toothpaste works like a charm when it comes to removing light scratches from your car.
Start by thoroughly washing the part of the car that you’ll be working on. This is to prevent the car from getting scratched even further by remaining dirt particles. Once this is done, you’ll need two soft cloths and some water. If you have soft, microfiber cloths — like these (on Amazon) — you’ll get better results.
Apply the toothpaste to the wet cloth and rub it on and around the area of the scratch. Don’t rub too hard as doing so can make the scratch even worse.
Make sure that you work quickly so that the toothpaste doesn’t dry out. Rub the area around the scratch mark with gentle yet quick motions, and you should notice the scratch slowly beginning to fade away.
Never use toothpaste to polish your car since it’s abrasive and may cause damage. However, it can be used to clean your headlights.
Once you’re sure that the scratch is gone, take the second wet cloth and wipe away all the toothpaste. You don’t want to leave the toothpaste to harden and create more problems with the paint of your car.
Remember that toothpaste only removes small/light scratches. If the scratches are too deep, you may need to get them removed professionally.
How to Remove Scratches From Eyeglasses With Toothpaste
When attempting to remove scratches from your glasses, whether they’re prescription glasses or sunglasses, you’ll need to be very careful not to damage or break the lenses.
Start off by taking a soft cloth and wiping the glasses to remove any dust or dirt. Then, take toothpaste and rub it directly on the glasses using your finger and remember to use gentle circular motions in the process. It’s also extremely important that you use non-abrasive toothpaste only, as any other toothpaste could damage your glasses.
Do this for a few minutes while making sure the toothpaste doesn’t dry out. Next, take a wet microfiber cloth or any soft cloth and wipe all the toothpaste away. You could also rinse your glasses under water to get rid of the toothpaste.
You will notice that most of the scratches have been removed, and you can now see clearly again.
How to Remove Scratches From Appliances With Toothpaste
So, if toothpaste can remove scratches from cars and glasses, it should be able to do the same with appliances, right? The answer is yes, but you need to be careful not to damage the surface of the appliance by rushing the process or by applying too much pressure to the surface.
When removing scratches from appliances such as your fridge or oven, always use non-gel toothpaste. Begin by cleaning the area around the scratches.
Then, add the toothpaste to your soft and wet cloth before applying it to the area on and around the scratch mark. Also, try and go with the grain on metal appliances as it helps prevent further scratches.
Once you’ve gently rubbed the area for 3–4 minutes, take a wet cloth and wipe away the toothpaste. Continue the same process over the whole surface area of your appliance until it’s scratch free.
