"Personally, I've found baking soda mixed with water to be a safer bet for polishing up metals like copper or brass."
I completely agree with you on this. Toothpaste can indeed be surprisingly abrasive, especially the whitening varieties. In cosmetic dentistry circles, we often caution patients against using overly abrasive toothpastes regularly because they can wear down enamel over time. Baking soda is definitely gentler and safer for polishing delicate items. Another good alternative I've found is microfiber cloths combined with a bit of distilled water—works wonders on jewelry without risking damage.
I learned the hard way about toothpaste being abrasive... A few months ago, I saw one of those viral videos about using toothpaste to clean scratched phone screens. My phone had a couple of annoying little scratches, so I figured, why not give it a shot? Grabbed some whitening toothpaste (mistake number one, apparently) and rubbed it gently on the screen with a soft cloth.
At first glance, it seemed to work—scratches looked less noticeable. But when I tilted the phone under bright light, I realized I'd actually created a bunch of tiny micro-scratches all over the screen. It wasn't terrible, but definitely noticeable enough to bug me every time I used my phone. Ended up having to get a screen protector just to hide my DIY disaster.
Since then, I've stuck with baking soda paste for polishing stuff around the house. It's gentler and hasn't let me down yet. Haven't tried microfiber cloths with distilled water yet though... might give that a go next time I'm cleaning jewelry or something delicate.
"Grabbed some whitening toothpaste (mistake number one, apparently) and rubbed it gently on the screen with a soft cloth."
Yikes, that sounds exactly like something I'd accidentally do. I get nervous enough using toothpaste on my braces—always worried it'll scratch or damage something. Has anyone tried toothpaste to clean silver jewelry? I've heard mixed things about it being safe, but now I'm extra hesitant after your story...
I've actually tried toothpaste on silver jewelry before, and honestly, it worked pretty well for me. But I made sure to use regular white toothpaste (no gels or whitening stuff) and rubbed it gently with a soft toothbrush. Rinsed it thoroughly afterward and dried it carefully. Didn't notice any scratches or damage, but I can totally understand being cautious after hearing about the screen mishap...maybe test it on something less valuable first?
I've used toothpaste on silver jewelry too, and yeah, it does seem pretty safe if you're careful. But honestly, I'm still a bit nervous about using it on anything delicate or sentimental. I read somewhere that toothpaste can be abrasive over time—even the plain white kind—so maybe it's fine occasionally but not as a regular cleaning method? I'd probably stick to proper silver cleaners for anything valuable, just to be on the safe side...
