Alternative Uses For…..Mouthwash

photo credit: jchwhite via photopin cc

When I started researching mouthwash, it was strange to see that  something I put in my mouth can also be used to clean floors, get rid of dandruff and at one time, was used to treat gonorrhea….seriously. Mouthwash was first invented and hailed as a surgical antiseptic in 1861 (we’re talking about alcohol-based, sugar-free mouthwash).  In 1879, Listerine was formulated by Dr. Joseph Lawrence and Jordan Wheat Lambert as a surgical antiseptic and named after Joseph Lister, who promoted the idea of sterile surgery by sterilizing instruments. In 1895 it was given to dentists for oral care and became the first over the counter mouthwash in the United States in 1914. According to Freakonomics, it was also sold in distilled form as both a floor cleaner and a cure for gonorrhea. From 1921 to the mid 70’s, Listerine was also marketed as a preventive and remedy for colds and sore throats, until the Federal Trade Commission (in 1976) ruled that these claims were misleading, and that Listerine had “no efficacy” at either preventing or alleviating the symptoms of sore throats and colds. They were ordered to stop making that claim.

So now that you know more about mouthwash than you might have needed or cared…here’s some alternative uses for mouthwash. These aren’t necessarily less expensive but if you run out of dandruff shampoo, toilet bowl cleaner or want to rescue a struggling plant, mouthwash can be used in a pinch. I didn’t try all of these ideas but I did try the ones that applied to our home.

1. Fight Nail Fungus – If your nails start to take on a yellowish tinge, a 50/50 solution of mouthwash and white vinegar can help. You can apply 2 to 3 times daily with a cotton ball or soak your nails in the solution for 15 minutes 3 to 4 times a week. An antifungal compound in mouthwash (called eucalyptol) and the acidic compounds in vinegar work together to help kill fungus. Depending on how severe your nail fungus is, this could take several weeks before you see the effects.
2. Relieve Poison Ivy – When applied to poison ivy, mouthwash can relieve itching and inflammation and help dry it.
3. As Deodorant – Mouthwash can be used as deodorant when applied with a cotton ball. Caution, if you apply right after shaving, it will sting when applied.
4. Hand Sanitizer & Deodorizer – Use a cotton ball to apply mouthwash to clean skin, let dry, then rinse. The natural odor fighters in the rinse will instantly neutralize garlic’s sulfur compounds (when chopping garlic). To sanitize, simply rub mouthwash on your hands. *Tried this for garlic odor and it instantly got rid of the odor on my hands.
5. Deter Cats Peeing – When your cats pees on the rug or carpet, chances are, it will return to the spot for future bathroom breaks if you don’t get all the odor out. Spritz the spot with a solution of 1 cup of water and 3 tablespoons of clear mouthwash (don’t use colored mouthwash as it can stain the rug/carpet). The minty smell should be too intense for your cat, so it will stay away from that area.
6. Prevent/Reduce Bruising – If you bruise easily, the next time you bump in to a piece of furniture, dab the affected area with a cotton ball soaked in mouthwash. I do bruise easily and so to do research, I banged my shin on the coffee table (yes, it did hurt) and then tried this. Normally I would have a bruise in hours but after two days, I still haven’t seen one appear. Of course this wasn’t scientific and I only tried it once but in the future when I bump in to something, I’ll try it again. Mouthwash contains essential oils (like eucalyptol) that stimulate blood flow to the area, dissipating the cluster of red blood cells so they won’t leave a mark.
7. After-Piercing Care – When applied to a piercing area, it can help the area from getting infected.
8. Rid Athlete’s Foot – Soak cotton and apply twice a day for a few days to see results.
9. Heal Blisters – Moisten a cotton ball with mouthwash and gently dab the affected area once a day until the blister disappears. The rinse’s menthol will temporarily numb the pain while its powerful antiseptic thymol will speed healing by a couple of days.
10. Facial Astringent – Apply to a cotton ball and wipe on your face after cleaning. Rinse with water. *Tried this instead of my normal toner and it worked just fine.
11. Get Rid Of Dandruff – If you run out of dandruff shampoo, mouthwash can be used in its place. After washing your hair, massage 1 tablespoon of clear mouthwash (blue and green mouthwash can tint your hair) into your scalp for 30 seconds then condition hair as usual. The antimicrobial compounds kill the fungus that causes flakes to form. Or you can make a solution of 50/50 mouthwash and water and rinse with this after shampooing.
12. Rescue Struggling Plants – Make up a mixture of one part mouthwash to three parts water and put in a spray bottle. Spritz an ailing indoor plant once a week (no more than once a week!). The blend of antimicrobial compounds will destroy mildew and fungus on your sick plants.
13. Laundry Sanitizer – Add 1 cup of clear mouthwash to the regular cycle of laundry and launder as usual. The alcohol and antibacterial essential oils will kill odor-causing bacteria in the fabric’s fibers.
14. Toothbrush Cleaner – Rinse or dunk your toothbrush in mouthwash to kill germs.
15. Toilet Cleaner – Pour 1 cup mouthwash in the toilet bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Swish with toilet brush and you’ve got a clean and disinfected toilet. *Tried this and it worked for me. Toilet cleaner is one of those items I do run out of and forget to buy so this would totally come in handy for our home.
16. Clean Tile – Combine 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of mouthwash in a bucket, then saturate a sponge in the solution and wipe down tiles. The thymol and menthol kill germs while the alcohol helps make dingy surfaces shine.
17. Keep Flowers Fresh – Adding 2 tablespoons of mouthwash to a gallon of water keeps flowers fresher longer. Now back in March I actually did an experiment on what kept flower bouquets fresher for longer and for me, the mouthwash didn’t work any better than the free plant food that usually comes with your bouquet.
18. Keep Humidifiers Clean – When your humidifier isn’t in use, the stagnant, moist environment within the machine is a breeding ground for bacteria that can be released into the air once the humidifier is used again. To fix this, after cleaning out the humidifier, pour in water, then add a spoonful or two of mouthwash. The antimicrobial compounds will prevent harmful microorganisms from forming.
19. Glass Cleaner – I just tried this on our kitchen windows and it worked great (and made the kitchen smell minty clean). Apply to a damp cloth and clean your windows. Dry with a cotton cloth. It cleaned and didn’t streak.
20. Clean Cuts And Scrapes – Apply to cuts and scrapes, dry and dress with bandage. This will help heal and keep the cuts and scrapes from getting infected.

So while I wouldn’t replace all my cleaners with mouthwash, in a pinch, it can help clean and disinfect items around the house or be  used for personal care use.

If you try any of these tips and they work or don’t work, we’d love to hear about it.

You can find mouthwash at the dollar stores….and remember, this is based on alcohol-based, sugar-free mouthwash.