Haha, your braces story brought back some memories for me too. Did you ever try baking soda toothpaste? I remember someone swearing by it for stain removal around brackets, and I gave it a shot. Honestly, it didn't do much more than regular toothpaste, but at least it tasted... interesting? Kind of salty and minty at the same time—not exactly my favorite flavor combo, but hey, worth a try, right?
Totally agree with you on the headlight trick though. I had an old Honda Civic with headlights so cloudy they looked like frosted glass. Toothpaste actually worked surprisingly well there. It wasn't showroom perfect or anything, but it definitely improved visibility at night. I guess toothpaste is just abrasive enough to polish plastic surfaces without scratching them up too badly.
Have you ever tried toothpaste on scratched CDs or DVDs? I heard about that one a while back and gave it a go on an old scratched-up PlayStation game. It didn't exactly restore it to brand-new condition, but it did help smooth out some minor scratches enough to get the game running again. Maybe it was just luck, but hey, I'll take it.
Anyway, props to you for experimenting. Even if some hacks don't pan out, it's always fun to test them out and see what happens. Plus, minty fresh gums aren't the worst side effect in the world, right?
I've gotta say, toothpaste on CDs never really worked for me. Tried it once on my favorite scratched-up DVD (RIP, Matrix Reloaded), and honestly, it seemed to make things worse. Maybe I was too aggressive with the rubbing or something, but afterward, the disc skipped even more. I'd stick to proper polishing compounds for discs—less risky, imo. But hey, glad it worked out better for you...maybe I just have bad luck with DIY hacks.
"Maybe I was too aggressive with the rubbing or something, but afterward, the disc skipped even more."
Haha, as someone who deals with toothpaste daily (for teeth, not discs!), I can confirm that aggressive scrubbing is usually the culprit. Toothpaste is mildly abrasive, so gentle circular motions are key—think polishing a delicate tooth enamel, not scrubbing burnt pans. But honestly, proper polishing compounds are definitely safer for precious DVDs. RIP Matrix Reloaded indeed...maybe stick to toothpaste for teeth and mirrors? 😉
"maybe stick to toothpaste for teeth and mirrors? 😉"
Haha, mirrors yes...but even then, I'd be cautious. I once tried toothpaste on my glasses after reading some hack online—big mistake. Ended up with tiny scratches everywhere and had to get new lenses (ouch). Honestly, toothpaste is great for teeth, but I'm too anxious to trust it on anything else delicate. Lesson learned the hard way, I guess...
