Other Uses for Mouthwash

If you’ve ever found yourself standing in your bathroom holding a bottle of mouthwash wondering if you could use it for some other use, you’re in luck!  In case you’re wondering, yes- this really is what crossed my mind this morning, so I decided to do a little investigating and this is what I found:

Break the pet cycle- Sandy just wet on your rug, and you know she’ll return to the spot for future bathroom breaks if you don’t get all the odor out now.  The fix: Spritz the spot with a solution of 1 cup of water and 3 Tbs. of clear mouthwash (to avoid staining the run).  The minty scent will be too intense for Kitty’s sensitive nose, so she’ll stay away from that area.

Heal a blister in half the time- Those cute new shoes left a blister on your heel.  To treat it, moisten a cotton ball with mouthwash and gently dab the affected area once a day until the blister disappears.  The rinse’s menthol will temporarily numb the pain while its powerful antiseptic thymol will speed healing by a couple of days.

Get rid of nail fungus – If your nails start to take on a yellowish tinge, try soaking them in a solution of equal parts mouthwash and white vinegar for 15 minutes.  Repeat three times a week or until symptoms subside.  An antifungal compound in mouthwash and the acidic compounds in vinegar work together to help kill fungus.

Outsmart dandruff – An effective stand-in when you’re out of dandruff shampoo: After washing hair, massage 1 Tbs. of mouthwash into your scalp for 30 seconds, then condition hair as usual.  Mouthwash’s antimicrobial compounds kill the fungus that causes flakes to form.

Rescue a struggling houseplant– The easy Rx for an ailing indoor plant: Fill a spray bottle with a solution of one part mouthwash and three parts water and spritz the greenery once a week.  The blend of antimicrobial compounds will destroy the fungus – without harming the plant – in about a week.

Prevent a bang from becoming a bruise – The next time you have a run-in with a piece of furniture, dab the affected area with a cotton ball soaked in mouthwash.  The bathroom staple contains essential oils that stimulate blood flow to the area, dissipating the cluster of red blood cells so they won’t leave a mark.

Deodorize garlic hands – You know your friends will flip for the garlic-sauce wings you made for your Super Bowl bash, but now you need to get the smell off your hands.  To do: Use a cotton ball to apply mouthwash to clean skin, let dry, then rinse.  The natural odor fighters in the rinse will instantly neutralize garlic’s sulfur compounds.

Make laundry smell extra fresh – When you have some clothes that smell less than fresh, add 1 cup of clear mouthwash to the detergent compartment of your washing machine, then launder as usual.  Mouthwash’s alcohol and antibacterial essential oils will kill any odor-causing bacteria lurking in the fabric’s fibers