Tips To Recycle Old Toothbrushes
Recycle Your Used Toothbrushes
Don't throw out that old toothbrush. It is time to get environmentally friendly, go green, reduce-reuse-recycle, and in every other way be kind to the environment by not throwing out your old toothbrush.
Just because it is getting too threadbare to brush your teeth with does not mean that it should be tossed into the landfill. Your toothbrush still has a lot of other jobs that it just might be able to do.
Photos found on this article are ©Jolene Belmain
Or We Can Recycle Our Brush Into The Ultimate Little Cleaning Tool:
Old toothbrushes are the perfect size to become the ultimate little cleaning brush. They can fit into cracks and crevises that other cleaning tools just are not able to.
For dusting or cleaning deep within tiny grooved objects or ornaments the toothbrush is the perfect little work mate. Your jewelery or kitchen cheese grater are items that shine up nicely when cleaned with a toothbrush.
Out in the garage you can use your old toothbrush to clean your bike or chainsaw chain. It is perfect for getting into those little niches and grooves.
Use your toothbrush to clean your disposable razor with. This will help to increase it's life span.
For cleaning along shelf edges or around drains in the sink or shower they make the ideal mini scrubber. Use it where ever you have small grooves or corners that are not easily assesable with other brushes.
Toothbrushes are also an amazing little helper when it comes to removing tough stains from clothing. Just put a little soap or stain remover on the stain and use your handy dandy little toothbrush to scrub the offending spot. It really does beat grandma's old scrub board for the ease it affords in the removal of stains from your laundry items.
Making Toothbrush Bracelets
If you are a crafty person always looking for new items to reuse and recycle into beautiful works of are, simply remove the bristles from your old toothbrush then soak it in hot water till it becomes pliable enough to bend. If water isn't hot enough to make your toothbrush bend, try putting it into the oven for a few minutes (remember to line your pan with tin foil or baking paper first).
Shape your toothbrush however you so may choose to do! Be creative. Add studs or old rhinestones from other discarded jewelry to see what you can create in the form of a bracelet or necklace. Or use a number of old toothbrushes to create a work of art!
You never know .... you may hold the beginnings of a great new fad in your hand ....... it is only your imagination that needs to be added.
It Is Definitely Time To Start Recycling Even The Little Things:
The average person purchases a new toothbrush about four times a year, and if you add all those toothbrushes up, that is roughly around 50 million pounds of toothbrushes that are currently being discarded each year. Where are they going? Most are heading straight into your local landfill.......now that is scary. That is a gosh awful amount of unnecessary garbage piling up and wasting land space that could otherwise have remained clean.
Don't you think that it may be time for you to look into ways that you may be able recycle your used toothbrush.
Recycle It When You Can:
There are more and more cities including the recycling of toothbrushes to their ever increasing lists of items that can be recycled. If your city has a program for recycling old toothbrushes then simply drop off your old ones there.
If your city doesn't have a recycling program for toothbrushes in place quite yet........no worries! One of the latest crazes to hit the street are toothbrush bracelets. So if you are a creative individual then you may decide to either turn your old toothbrush into a piece of jewelery or a work of abstract art. The choice is up to you.
Toothbrush Ornaments
Start these the same way you would start your bracelet' heat them up and bend them into shapes, adding any kind of glitter or shine you would like. Don't forget to punch a small hole into the end of it for string, if you are going to be using it for hanging.
You could also make an ornament without all of the heating. You could use some tools at home (like a dremel for instance). There are so many things that you can make, and so many beautiful idea's out there for the picking.
Maybe try making a small picture frame ornament for your Christmas tree with your recycled toothbrushes, and put a wonderful picture inside of it. You could even make a picture frame and gift it to a friend or family member... they would absolutely adore such a thoughtful gift.
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© 2008 JoleneBelmain
