Why You Should Always Carry Toothpaste in Your Car
If you don’t own a car, the sight of a tube of toothpaste in another driver’s car might leave you wondering what it’s doing there. But if you’re a car owner yourself, you’ll know exactly why carrying around toothpaste can be handy while driving.
Reasons to Carry Toothpaste in Your Car
A TikToker recently revealed an unusual car hack that left many people surprised. In the video, the TikToker named Andre watches someone perform the hack and then repeats it. First, he cleans a side mirror. Once it’s clean and dry, he applies a bit of toothpaste to it and rubs it around with a cloth until none of the toothpaste is visible.
Toothpaste is a way to make driving in the rain easier for drivers.
With the glass now perfectly clear, Andre sprays water onto it. The result is remarkable: the side of the mirror that had the toothpaste applied to it has absolutely no water droplets sticking to it, clouding the view like the other side.
Why does the toothpaste repel water like this? It’s because of the surfactants in toothpaste. Surfactants prevent water droplets from forming or condensing, which prevents them from sticking to the mirror, similar to a dedicated water-repellent spray.
This hack can come in handy during rainy weather, when side mirrors get covered in water droplets that can obstruct the driver’s view. This is also why cars have windshield wipers, or why some people who wear glasses choose to take them off while riding a motorbike in the rain (if their prescription isn’t too high).
Of course, you can always use a dedicated water-repellent spray on your side mirrors. However, if you don’t have any available or are looking for a cheaper alternative, toothpaste is an effective way to keep a clear view while driving in the rain.
Other Car Hacks Using Toothpaste
+ Removing scratches from your car
For minor scratches on your car, toothpaste can act as a scratch remover, restoring its glossy finish.
Apply a small amount of regular toothpaste (non-abrasive, low-mint, non-gel, no-whitening) to the scratched area and gently rub it in using a soft-bristled brush for about a minute. Rinse the area with water to remove the residue and dry with a soft cloth. The small, light scratches will be gone, leaving your car looking smooth again.
Experts say that toothpaste is most effective when it comes to fixing small, light scratches, and there may not be much of a difference when using it for severe scratches. For larger scratches, you can use toothpaste to polish the scratched surface of your car’s plastic. Mix toothpaste with cigarette ash and polish the scratched surface to brighten it up, which can help to make the scratch less visible.
For minor scratches on your car, toothpaste can act as a scratch remover, restoring its glossy finish.
+ Cleaning your headlights
This is a fairly common hack among experienced drivers. Cars that are driven frequently tend to get dirty and develop stains, and it’s important to clean your headlights to maintain your car’s appearance. If you don’t know about this hack, you might end up spending more money on professional car cleaning.
Apply some toothpaste to the outer surface of your headlight and scrub it clean with a brush, then wipe it down with a damp cloth. Your headlights will be sparkling like new.
+ Detailing your car’s interior
Cleaning your car’s interior by hand can be difficult when it gets too dirty. Instead, use toothpaste with a perforated round brush and a power drill with a spray bottle. Fix the drill to the brush and apply a bit of toothpaste to the brush along with some water. When you turn on the drill, it will act like a spinning scrubber that will remove stains from your car’s interior. Clean each area for about a minute depending on the severity of the stain. When you’re done, wipe it down with a soft cloth and your interior will look as good as new.
