When seedlings start to grow, they’re extremely vulnerable to the environment around it. Use a few toothpicks to create a protective barrier around the young plant. It will help the plant grow straight and also keep out any caterpillars or hungry bugs.

Does your furniture or wall have a crack or nick in it? Just use a toothpick and a bit of paint to make it completely unnoticeable. Simply dip the end of the toothpick in the paint and apply where necessary, you’ll never notice the damage.

Our TV remote control can become super gross after a while. After all, think about how much our dirty, grimy hands touch it. Yuck! After a while, you might find that dirt and oils have seeped into the small nooks and crannies of the buttons. Clean it out with the help of a toothpick.

Have you ever gone to light the candles on a birthday cake only to have the match go out after just a few candles? Light the end of a toothpick and use it as an extended matchstick. They happen to be slow burning which will allow ample time for you to light as many candles as you need.

Everyone, at one time or another, has gone to pour salad dressing on their salad but ends up drenching it because it came out way too fast. Control the flow of your salad dressing by leaving the sealed foil on and just poking a few holes on top with a toothpick. Problem solved.

Buy some colored toothpicks and use them to mark different kinds of foods at parties and get-togethers. This is great if you need to mark burgers without cheese or different temperatures or to let guests know which dishes are vegetarian or not.

Use toothpicks to make little appetizer kabobs. Create a caprese kabob by placing half a cherry tomato, a bit of basil, and a small piece of mozzarella cheese on a toothpick. They’re a perfect finger food for a picnic or BBQ with friends and family. You can get as creative as you’d like!

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book but it still works like a charm. Test the doneness of cakes, brownies, and other baked goods by sticking a toothpick into the center. If you pull it out and there’s dough or batter stuck to it–it’s not done. If it comes out as clean as it went in–you’re good to go.

If you’ve ever wondered how designs on frostings, cheesecakes, and lattes look so amazing, would you ever believe that the trick is a toothpick? All you need to do is drag the toothpick gently through the frosting or foamed milk to create a design that looks like it was done by a professional.

Just like a toothpick tests for moisture in your baked goods, it can do the same to check for moisture levels in your garden’s soil. No need to get your hands and fingers dirty by sticking them directly into the dirt. Perfect if you’ve just had a manicure done!

Here’s a super handy trick in the kitchen for when you’re boiling pasta or veggies. Place a toothpick between the pot and the lid so that a small amount of hot air can escape. This will prevent the water from boiling over creating a dangerous hot mess.

Baked potatoes are so delicious but they take forever to bake in the oven. Around 45 minutes! If you don’t have that kind of time, you can use toothpicks to help you ‘bake’ one in the microwave. Just poke a few toothpicks in the potato and place in the microwave. The toothpicks lift it up enough to help cook the starch evenly on all sides.

Bottles that contain anything sticky like glue, hairspray, or other beauty products can become clogged easily. Remove and poke through the dried sticky residue simply by using a toothpick. One poke should allow the contents to flow smoothly.

If you’re into arts and crafts and homemade gifts, this is a super fun toothpick project. Using a foam ball (or whatever shape you’d like), some strawberries, and toothpicks–you can create a gorgeous edible topiary or bouquet. You can find the whole tutorial here.

If you’ve only used one half of a lemon or cucumber, you can keep it fresh by capping back the ends of the fruit or veggie using a toothpick. So, next time you go to slice a lime or a zucchini, be sure to save the ends of it. Now, you don’t have to waste the other half if you don’t use it right away.

Much like the potato trick, if you place a tab of cold butter on some toothpicks and put it in the microwave for a few seconds, it will soften it right up without melting it (be careful not to microwave too long). That’s because elevating it with toothpicks helps distribute the heat evenly.

You can use a few toothpicks to help grow your own sweet potatoes at home. Poke toothpicks in the spud and place them over a jar of water. Once sprouts start popping through the skin, you’re ready to plant them in the ground! Check out the tutorial here.

Wow your guests by cooking like a pro using some toothpicks. Stuff chicken breasts, pork, or the protein of your choice with cheese, herbs, and anything else you’d like. Then hold the stuffing in place by using toothpicks. It will keep everything in place but also help cook the protein evenly.

After you slice into a cake, the exposed portion of the cake can become hard and dry after a few hours. Keep the cake fresh, moist, and tasty by securing a couple pieces of bread to the exposed pieces with some toothpicks. The bread will help lock in moisture and keep the cake tasting like you just baked it

If you’re serving appetizers with toothpicks to your guests, you might find used toothpicks all over the place because there was nowhere to discard them. Create a “used toothpick cushion” by placing citrus fruits on the table alongside the appetizers. Now, guests can just stick it right in the lemon after they’ve noshed.

Write sweet messages to your kids using a banana and a toothpick. If you carve out a message on the banana’s skin, it will turn brown and the message will darken so you can read it. This is such a great idea for a little pick-me-up and “I love you” during their school lunch.

You can treat a toothpick like a tiny little dowel to cover up a nail hole. Coat a toothpick in glue and insert into the hole. Snap off any piece that is longer than the hole and paint or stain over it. You’ll never notice that the hole was ever there.

Isn’t it frustrating when you go to use the tape and you can’t seem to find the end of the roll? When you’re done using a roll of tape, place a toothpick at the free end of the roll. That way, it won’t adhere back to the roll and it will be easy to grab next time.

If you want to create that antique, worn-out and distressed paint look on your furniture, use a toothpick! Just drag a toothpick back and forth over freshly painted, still-wet paint. It will help give it that aged and weathered look.

Did the super small screw fall out on one side of your eyeglasses? A toothpick is a great temporary fix. Stick the end of a toothpick in the hole where the screw once was and break off the excess. It will hold your glasses in place until you have enough time to get it repaired.

Use a toothpick to dig out any dirt and grime from your smartphone. This is perfect for cleaning out the headphone or charging jack, as well as the spaces in between your phone and the phone case. You’ll be surprised how much gunk you get out of these places.

Building models or creating small pieces of art can require precise technique when it comes to applying paint or glue. Use a toothpick to help apply these materials to super tiny projects you might be working on.

Soups and marinades often call for whole cloves of garlic that you’ll likely remove later. Before tossing into the soup or marinade, skewer the clove with a toothpick. This will make it so much easier to remove.

According to Networx, “Some sewing experts keep a couple of toothpicks in the sewing kit for sewing on buttons, either by machine or hand. They use the toothpick as a thread shank to create space between the button and the fabric. The space is necessary for the button to fasten properly.”

Whether it’s your hair brush or your dog’s brush, once a bunch of hair gets caught in the bristles, it can be difficult to remove. Help clean the brush of hair by poking a toothpick through the bristles to help loosen and lift out the accumulated hair.

As we’ve mentioned before, toothpicks are so very handy for cleaning out tight, small places in electronics. The same goes for your computer’s keyboard. No matter how clean our hands may be, your keyboard is bound to build up some funk after a while. Just use a toothpick to remove it.

Washing your hands after gardening or getting your hands dirty is a must. But sometimes it’s impossible to remove all of the dirt from underneath your fingernails. Keep toothpicks nearby to quickly and easily remove all the dirt from your hands.

Toothpicks are great when it comes to so many arts and crafts. Apply some adhesive to the end of a toothpick, use it to apply sequins in perfect patterns onto fabrics. You can do the same with small jewels or pieces of fabric.

Just as toothpicks have been useful for covering nail holes or holding the place of a screw, they work just as well when trying to temporarily fix a garden hose. Just push the toothpick in the hole! The water will cause the wood to swell and it will allow you to use it a few more times before having to get a new one.

There are so many electronics and gadgets that have a reset button that can only be pushed with something really skinny and tiny through the recessed hole–like a toothpick! They happen to be the perfect size to help you reset any of your electronics.

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. But the act of chewing on something like gum or a toothpick will help to curb the desire to want to stick a cigarette in your mouth–you’ll be nicotine free in no time.

According to Networx, “a toothpick can help you find which way is north, so you can navigate without a compass. If you hold a toothpick next to a manual wristwatch, it should cast a shadow on the watch. Turn the watch so the toothpick casts its shadow over the hour hand. Find the line halfway between the hour hand and 12 (or 1 during daylight savings time). That line should run north-south.”

Don’t damage the pages of your book by making dog ears to mark your spot. Instead, a toothpick can work as a bookmark if you don’t happen to have one. It works great in a pinch!

You can add so much flavor to a baked ham by adding things like pineapple or cherries. Use toothpicks to add these flavor-enhancers to the skin of the ham before you bake it. The flavors will soak right in.

You’ve seen restaurants do it, so why not do it at home? It’s great for holding big or messy sandwiches together. It prevents the ingredients from slipping and sliding out when you take a bite. Plus, it makes for a prettier presentation.

When sausages begin to heat up, they have a tendency to roll around in the pan, causing them to heat and cook unevenly. Help prevent that by using a toothpick to secure two sausages together. They won’t roll around and you’ll only need to flip them once.

If you have little ones, have a craft day by making toothpick sculptures. carefully glue or use sticky tack (or even mini marshmallows or candy!) to stick toothpicks together making fun sculptures or other pieces of art.

If a hole is just a little too big to keep a screw in place, use some toothpicks to help keep it in place. Place a toothpick on either side of the screw, then screw in with a screwdriver. The screw will grip the soft wood of the toothpick making it very difficult to slip out again.

There are so many fun designs you can make on your nails with a few nail polish colors and a couple of toothpicks. It’s the same idea as decorating a cake or a latte like we mentioned earlier. Here are some fun ideas and tutorials.

Round toothpicks are an excellent tool for joining small boards. Drill pilot holes in the boards you need to attach, making sure everything lines up perfectly. Next, apply glue to the toothpick and stick in the hole, secure the other board by inserting the other end of the mini dowel.

Candles should always be kept on hand just in case of an emergency power outage. But, if you happen to be in a pinch and need an emergency candle, make one using a stick of butter and a toothpick. “To do this, you’ll want to cut the stick of butter in half. Cut a single sheet of toilet paper into four squares. Then fold one square diagonally and twist. Now make a deep hole in the stick of butter with a toothpick and place the makeshift wick inside. Rub the top of the wick with butter for starter fuel and light,” says Family Handyman.

In the rare event that it happens, your speedometer needle might need to be replaced and you can use a toothpick to do so. Paint the toothpick bright red and super glue it on to where the needle was. Works like a charm!

Do your little ones have a dollhouse they like to play with? Maybe you could build them one and use toothpicks to make the furniture inside. They’re perfect for making doll-sized lamp stands, table legs, curtain rods, and so much more.

We showed you how to grow potatoes with the help of toothpicks but you can also do the same with avocado. “Wash your avocado seed and push three toothpicks in it. Now place the seed over a glass with water, covering the bottom inch of the wide end of the seed. Place this in a warm spot with indirect sunlight, keeping the water level consistent. When the roots and stem are established, plant the bottom half of the seed in rich soil,” Family Handyman says.

What cocktail party would be complete without drink umbrellas? The best part? You can make your own! First, use a glass or coaster to cut a perfect circle shape from a piece of paper. Fold it in half, then open, fold in half again, then open. Keep doing this until you have 8 creases. Now, scallop the edge of the circle, “cut a slit down one of the creases, stopping at the center of the circle. Overlap the two new edges to form the umbrella shape. Finally, add a small piece of tape to the underside to keep it in place, and poke a long toothpick through the top of the umbrella.”

You can use toothpicks as teeny tiny knitting needles if you’re making clothing or socks for dolls or even newborn baby items! How adorable is that idea?

When the screw that holds the guitar strap button becomes stripped, you can fix using the same technique as the loose screw that we mentioned earlier. break off a couple of toothpicks in the hole, squirt in some wood glue, re-screw it, and let it dry overnight.

One toothpick might be all it takes to fix that wobbly leg on your chair. Jam a toothpick into the spot where the leg meets the chair and break off any part that sticks out.

Over time, the inside of our showerheads can build up calcium and lime that can make them a bit clogged. Clean your showerhead by soaking it in vinegar overnight then using a toothpick to poke through the holes. Water should stream out perfectly.

Try and save a fingernail after its torn by using a toothpick to apply nail gun in the tear. Be sure to apply the glue on both the top and underside of the nail to hold it in place as the nail grows out.