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    Be a Medicine Cabinet MacGyver: Use Dental Floss, Toothpaste, Makeup Brushes and More as DIY Problem Solvers

    By | At Home – Tue, Apr 10, 2012 5:01 PM EDT

    Lipstick for home improvement? Yup. These items, commonly found in your toiletries bag, can come in handy during your next DIY project. See more advice on how to be a medicine cabinet Macgyver on thisoldhouse.com. -Amy R. Hughes

    Dental Floss
    1. Dental Floss

    Fill in fissures. Pull a length of thin and sturdy dental floss taut and use it to work glue into splits and cracks in woodwork.

    Photo: Jessica Kaufman

    RELATED:     Wood Glue Guide--Which Goes Where?

    ToothpasteToothpaste
    2. Toothpaste

    Polish metal. Make brass and silver shine with a non-abrasive toothpaste. Apply the polish with an old, soft-bristled toothbrush and rub it in with a lint-free rag.

    RELATED: Surprise Spring Cleaners

    Nail Polish RemoverNail Polish Remover
    3. Nail Polish Remover

    Clean up glue. Put some acetone nail polish remover on a rag to wipe off insulating foam sealant before it dries permanently.

    RELATED:     Kitchen-Drawer Essentials

    Baby OilBaby Oil
    4. Baby Oil

    Save stone. Baby oil is just your basic mineral oil with a little added fragrance; rub it into a soapstone countertop to hide a scratch and to speed up the stone's natural darkening process.

    RELATED:     How to Remove Spots from Kitchen Countertops

    Baby PowderBaby Powder
    5. Baby Powder

    Stop squeaks. Load up the cleaned squeeze bottle from a hair dye kit with baby powder, then use its pointed tip to inject the powder between two floorboards that are rubbing together and causing a squeak.

    RELATED: 30 Down-and-Dirty Tricks for Big DIY Savings

    Beeswax BalmBeeswax Balm
    6. Beeswax Lip Balm

    Lube a sticking drawer. Rub a little beeswax balm on wooden glides to unstick a stuck drawer.

    RELATED: 10 Uses for Beeswax

    Makeup BrushMakeup Brush
    7. Narrow Fan Makeup Brush

    Once you've sanded all the new trim work. Now, sweep all that dust out of those little crevices with a narrow fan brush before you prime and paint.

    For more creative use ideas see Medicine-Cabinet MacGyver on thisoldhouse.com.


    Also on thisoldhouse.com:

    Trade Secrets for Easy, Low-Cost Upgrades

    How Your House Can Look Like a Page from TOH

    100 DIY Upgrades for Under $100