Have you tried just plain dish soap? A tiny drop rubbed gently on the lenses, rinsed well, and dried with microfiber usually does the trick without any cloudy aftermath. Saved me from toothpaste regret more than once...
"Have you tried just plain dish soap? A tiny drop rubbed gently on the lenses, rinsed well, and dried with microfiber usually does the trick without any cloudy aftermath. Saved me from toothpaste regret more than once..."
Dish soap is definitely a solid tip—I’ve used it myself a few times and it does work nicely. But honestly, toothpaste isn't always the villain it's made out to be. I've had some surprising success with it, especially on scratched CDs and DVDs (yeah, I still have some lying around!). Just a tiny dab of regular white toothpaste (not gel!) rubbed gently in circles, rinsed off carefully, and dried with a soft cloth has rescued more than one scratched disc from the trash bin.
I get why people hesitate to use toothpaste on lenses though; it can be abrasive if you're not careful. But for tougher surfaces like headlights or even scuffed sneakers, it's pretty impressive. My old Converse looked almost new after a quick toothpaste scrub—way cheaper than buying those fancy shoe cleaners.
Still, your dish soap method is probably safer for delicate stuff like glasses lenses. Toothpaste can be a gamble there, especially if you're heavy-handed or impatient (guilty as charged...). But hey, experimenting with household items is half the fun, right? Just gotta know when to play it safe and when to risk it a bit.
Dish soap has been my go-to too, especially for glasses. But toothpaste saved me big-time with crayon marks on our walls—my toddler went full Picasso one afternoon. A little scrub with toothpaste and a damp cloth, and you'd never know it happened. Have you tried it on walls yet, or am I the only one whose kid sees every surface as a canvas...?
"A little scrub with toothpaste and a damp cloth, and you'd never know it happened."
Honestly, toothpaste on walls sounds clever, but I'd be cautious about that. I tried it once on our painted walls after reading a similar tip online, and while it did remove the marks, it also left a weird dull patch behind. Maybe it's the type of paint or finish we have, but it definitely wasn't invisible afterward. Ended up repainting that spot anyway, which was exactly what I was trying to avoid...
For crayon marks, I've found that a magic eraser sponge works wonders without damaging the paint as much. Just dampen it slightly and gently rub—comes right off. Toothpaste is great for smaller things like jewelry or shoes, but walls? I'd test a tiny hidden spot first before going all-in. Curious if anyone else had the same issue or if it's just my luck with DIY hacks gone wrong.
I haven't tried toothpaste on walls before, but your experience got me thinking. I did use toothpaste once to clean up some scratches on my glasses after reading one of those DIY lifehack articles. It actually worked pretty decent—didn't fully remove them, but definitely made them less noticeable. Still, I'd be hesitant about walls, especially after you mentioned the dull patch problem.
"For crayon marks, I've found that a magic eraser sponge works wonders without damaging the paint as much."
Totally agree with you on the magic eraser thing. My grandkids love to draw everywhere when they visit, and that's been my go-to solution for years now. Toothpaste might be good for small metal or plastic surfaces, but I'd worry about the grit scratching up painted walls or leaving residue behind. Might depend on the type of toothpaste too...maybe gel vs paste? Not sure I'd risk it though—repainting is such a hassle.
