We all use toothpaste.  Most of us have some in our home right now.  But there are some odd ways you can use toothpaste after the SHTF, or before if you so desire!

Obviously, most of us are still going to brush our teeth with our toothpaste even after the SHTF, but there are some unconventional ways to use the stuff that some may not have thought of.  Multi-purpose preps are the best, and if you’ve got some toothpaste in your hygiene kit in a bug out bag or stashed away at home, knowing other uses could come in handy.

Most of us are away of toothpaste’s cleaning properties, so I’ve intentionally left that out of the list below.

1. Remove Skunk Smell From Your Dog

A quick and easy home remedy for the dog that just won’t leave skunks alone (I have one of these) is to use toothpaste. Tomato juice is said to work well, but if you don’t enjoy drinking the stuff, you probably don’t keep any on hand. Banking soda and peroxide also work, but it takes a good amount and in an emergency, you may not have quite enough.  But toothpaste can work. Mix 1/4 cup of toothpaste in 1 quart of warm water. Mix well and apply to your dog’s coat, working it into his fur. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes, then rinse. Your dog should be minty fresh afterward.

2. Remove Foul Smells From Your Hands

While toothpaste won’t take the foul smells out of everything, it will help remove the stench from your hands. Just squirt some on and run it in kind of like you would soap and rinse.  Your hands should smell much better.

3. Soothe Sunburns and other Burns

Burns aren’t easy to deal with but some non-gel toothpaste can bring some relief. Apply some toothpaste to the burn area after plunging the affected part underwater. The toothpaste will help cool the burned area and bring some relief until you can treat it further.

4. Reduce Itching

Skin irritations like bug bites can be treated with toothpaste to reduce the itching. If you just have a pesky itch that won’t go away or you touched a plant that is irritating your skin, try applying a dab of toothpaste to help soothe the skin. Lather on some toothpaste to reduce the irritation and sting of poison ivy.

5. Pest Control

Toothpaste’s makeup can contain tiny calcium spikes that can deter insects from crawling around gardens and vegetable gardens. Toothpaste can also repel ants inside your home. You can always just dab some in the corners of your home, but another option is to dilute the toothpaste in water and use it to fill a spray bottle, then spray the solution at points of entry and infected areas.

Those are 5 unconventional ways that toothpaste can come in handy both during an emergency situation or before. Don’t forget, toothpaste can be a cleaner too if you need it to be!  If you have an unconventional way you use toothpaste, feel free to share it in the comments!