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

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


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?

Toothpaste
Toothpaste


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 Remover
Nail 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 Oil
Baby 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 Powder
Baby 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 Balm
Beeswax 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 Brush
Makeup 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