Five Reasons Why Toothpicks Are A MUST HAVE In Your Home!

It’s crazy to think that toothpicks may be the most useful item in your pantry.

I mean, it’s just a tiny wooden stick, right? The toothpick dates back 1.8 million years as it was the first instrument used in dental cleaning. While many are made of wood, it’s not uncommon to come across toothpicks that are composed of plastic, bamboo, or metal.

Regardless of its material, it’s the thin shape and pointy tip that makes it one of the most useful utensils in a home. Don’t believe me? Here are a few examples of how “handy” this tool actually is!

– Cleaning a Keyboard

Many people rely on their keyboards when working. What good is a computer that doesn’t have a computer? Because we use keyboards so often, they can get dirty easily. Toothpicks are thin enough and have the durability to tackle this task with ease. Here’s a trick for you: Dip a toothpick in rubbing alcohol and then begin to clean in between the cracks of the keyboard. Not only will you remove all of the grime, but your keyboard will be germ-free!

– Decorating A Cake 

Some people have a natural talent for this. I envy you. If you’re like me though, decorating a cake could turn into a disaster real quick. Toothpicks can make this challenging task much easier! Try this trick next time you need to write something on a cake: Use a toothpick to trace the lines of your message before you use the icing bag. This will help assure you that the message fits on the cake, which can save you from a headache down the road.

– Patch Up Your Garden Hose

There is nothing more annoying than going out to water your lawn/garden and realizing that your hose is busted. Instead of going out and buying a new hose, a toothpick can act as a temporary fix! Wedge the toothpick into the leak and break off the excess. Place a piece of duct tape over the toothpick to seal off the water from having the opportunity to spew out. The water will make the wood expand to fill out the puncture. Just to point out the obvious, this will only work with small holes/leaks.

– Keep Plants Healthy

Managing a garden has become one of my favorite hobbies to do during spring. Gardening can be tricky for someone just starting, so here’s a hack you can use that involves toothpicks! To make sure that a plant is properly hydrated, stick a toothpick into the soil and immediately pull it back out. Examine the toothpick and if it’s completely dry, you need to water the plant!

– Lighting a Candle

Now you might ask, “why wouldn’t I just use a match to do this?” Think about this… once the candle wax has melted away, you can end up burning your finger using a match to light it again. If you were to light the toothpick instead, the wood would burn much slower and would eliminate some of those issues. When doing this, make sure to tilt the candle on its side.

Hopefully, this sheds some light on what kind of value the toothpick can have in your household. The average price of a bundle of toothpicks at the grocery store is less than three dollars! Pick some up next time you go shopping!