I get the paranoia about toothpaste being gritty—had a similar experience myself. A while back, I read somewhere online (probably Pinterest or something) that toothpaste could polish silver jewelry. I was skeptical, but my curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to test it out on an old silver ring I never wore anymore. Figured I wouldn't be too upset if things went south.
Anyway, I used just a tiny dab of regular white toothpaste (nothing fancy, no gels or whitening stuff) and rubbed it gently with a soft cloth. Honestly, it cleaned up pretty well, but afterward, I noticed tiny scratches when I held it up close under bright light. Nothing major or noticeable from afar, but still enough to make me think twice before using toothpaste on something valuable or sentimental.
After that little experiment, I did some digging around online (typical anxious overthinker here) and found out that toothpaste can actually be abrasive enough to scratch softer metals like silver or gold, especially if you rub too hard or use it often. Apparently, jewelers recommend using mild dish soap diluted in warm water instead—way gentler and safer for delicate jewelry. Since then, I've stuck to that method for anything I care about, and so far it's been great.
But yeah, toothpaste is definitely handy for random household stuff like cleaning sneaker soles or removing stubborn stains from mugs. Just maybe not the best choice for jewelry unless you're okay with risking minor scratches. Better safe than sorry is right...
I totally get the hesitation about toothpaste abrasiveness. I once tried it on my glasses lenses (someone online swore it would remove scratches). Big mistake... ended up making them worse and had to replace the lenses, which wasn't cheap. Now I'm extra cautious—if it's something valuable or expensive, I stick to products specifically made for that purpose. Lesson learned the hard way, unfortunately.
I had a similar experience, though thankfully not with anything as pricey as glasses lenses. I tried toothpaste once on my car headlights after seeing a bunch of YouTube videos claiming it would clear up the foggy plastic covers. Surprisingly, it actually worked pretty well for me, but I did a lot of research first to make sure I wasn't going to ruin anything.
The key seems to be using the right kind of toothpaste—something plain, white, and non-gel. Gel toothpastes or ones with extra whitening agents can have harsher abrasives, which might explain why your glasses got worse instead of better. Also, it's important to use gentle pressure and plenty of water to avoid scratching surfaces. If you rub too hard or let it dry out, you're basically sanding the surface down, which can obviously cause more harm than good.
For anyone thinking about trying toothpaste hacks, here's what I'd suggest:
1. Pick a basic, non-gel toothpaste (plain white paste is usually safest).
2. Test it on a tiny hidden area first—some plastics or coatings react badly.
3. Apply lightly with a soft cloth and water, using gentle circular motions.
4. Rinse thoroughly and check frequently to avoid overdoing it.
And yeah, for anything expensive or delicate like eyeglasses, camera lenses, or jewelry, I'd definitely recommend sticking to products specifically designed for those surfaces. Toothpaste can be handy in a pinch for certain things (like headlights or removing crayon marks from walls), but it's definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution.
I tried toothpaste on my phone screen once after reading somewhere it could buff out minor scratches. Followed pretty much the same rules you mentioned—plain white paste, gentle rubbing, etc. Honestly, it didn't do much for me. Maybe phone screens are just too delicate or coated differently? Has anyone actually had luck with toothpaste on electronics, or is that just asking for trouble...?
Tried toothpaste on my phone screen too, and yeah... didn't notice any real improvement either. Honestly, phone screens have coatings that toothpaste might damage instead of fix, so I'd be pretty cautious about it. I mean, toothpaste is mildly abrasive—great for teeth enamel (in moderation!), but electronics? Seems risky. I did have some luck using it to buff out tiny scratches on an old watch face once, but even then, I was super nervous and only tried it because the watch wasn't valuable. Probably best to stick to safer methods when it comes to delicate screens.
