The wheel, light bulbs, wireless Internet; human kind have come up with some pretty amazing inventions over the years. Many of them simplify previously complicated tasks and leave once useful inventions completely obsolete, but every now and then an invention slips through cracks. Sometimes a design is so ingenious that it stands the test of time, continues to be useful decade after decade, century after century and even sees new uses arise hundreds of years after its creation. Ladies and gentlemen, the Toothbrush.

Early versions of the modern toothbrush, that we still use today, were first seen in China during the Tang Dynasty (619-907). It was originally created as an oral hygiene instrument but has since evolved into one of the most advanced cleaning tools known to man.

About 1500 years later the toothbrush remains an essential tool that’s list of uses continues to grow year after year. Its design has evolved over the years with some even becoming battery powered, but the key aspect of the toothbrushes design has remained strong since day one. It’s a stick with bristles on one end.

Sticks with bristles on them aren’t such a difficult concept and cleaning companies have tried and will continue to try to mimic the toothbrush’s cleaning appeal. Try though they might, the toothbrush is unparalleled in its cost to benefit ratio and has near limitless uses for even the most inexperienced cleaner.

We at Absolute Domestics are professionals. When we’re on the clock we use only the finest materials to make sure the job gets done. But let me tell you, when we get home and the uniform is off and there’s dust all through the knobs of the stove, you know we’re hitting those hard to reach places with that trusty old toothbrush!

Here are just ten of the millions of cleaning possibilities that are just waiting to be attacked with your toothbrush.

Side note – be sure to properly clean your toothbrush in bleach or something similar before you clean with it. It’s also a good idea to label it a cleaning brush so you don’t accidently use it again!

This task can actually incorporate more than one type of toothbrush. Get yourself a hard bristled toothbrush to get mud (and other gross stuff) off the bottom of your shoes and while you’re at it, get a soft or medium bristled brush to clean the delicate contours of leather dress shoes. You could also apply shoe polish or a waterproof sealant using the bristles of a toothbrush to get those places that would otherwise be impossible to reach.

Money is dirty stuff. Imagine how many hands this coin has passed through since 1972, it’s gross. Get yourself some warm soapy water and a soft bristled toothbrush and you’ll have coins so clean you won’t want to exchange them for goods and services.

Got the in-laws coming over for dinner? Want them to marvel at the extreme cleanliness of your knives and forks? Don’t run out and buy new ones, just grab some silver polish and an old toothbrush and your cutlery will be so shiny your dinner guests won’t even be able to see their dinner.

Bank account looking a bit sad this week but you still want the luxury of washed potatoes? Well just buy some dirty ones and clean them in some warm water with your old toothbrush.

Car stereos are great at collecting dust and a conventional cloth just can’t get in between the small crevasses between the buttons. Guess what can though… a toothbrush. Apply a bit of Spray n’ Wipe and your toothbrush won’t leave even one spec of dust behind.

Get your wedding jewellery looking like it did on your wedding day. Dunk your jewellery in some polish and use a toothbrush to make sure every single part of it is shiny and new.

Now we’re getting into the serious stuff on using toothbrush for house cleaning. Get your gloves on, throw on your cleaning shirt and Boz Scaggs greatest hits and attack every inch of your bathroom with your toothbrush.

Ok so maybe we’re a bit too excited about the cleaning potential of the humble toothbrush, but seriously it’s pretty amazing. Considering you should be getting a new one every five weeks or so, you should have plenty of sticks with bristles on them just waiting to keep your home clean.

The post The Toothbrush – the most versatile cleaning tool there is appeared first on Absolute Domestics.