# Sweaters and Toothpaste **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191 "2000-03-24T01:26:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![debra\_neubauer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@debra\_neubauer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/debra_neubauer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/1 "2000-03-24T01:26:00Z")
While using my self-cleaning oven feature, I took advantage of the heat to dry a sweater. Well, the heat made a large scorch mark on it. For some reason, I ran and got the toothpaste and, voila! after rubbing, it was like new again. Why? Is this an old wive’s tale I’ve forgotten, or what? * * * ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/2 "2000-03-24T02:20:00Z")
Uhm, what possessed you to put the sweater in there in the first place? Didn’t you know that– Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/3 "2000-03-24T03:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by debra neubauer: > \*\* > While using my self-cleaning oven > feature, I took advantage of the heat to > dry a sweater. Well, the heat made a > large scorch mark on it. For some > reason, I ran and got the toothpaste > and, voila! after rubbing, it was like > new again. Why? Is this an old wive’s > tale I’ve forgotten, or what? > \*\* Wow! The magical new sweater repair product, toothpaste! What brand was it? How much did you use? What the hell were you thinking when you put it on? * * * Kinooning it up for 20 years and counting ---
**Author:** ![debra\_neubauer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@debra\_neubauer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/debra_neubauer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/4 "2000-03-24T03:03:00Z")
Lissa, I didn’t put it IN the oven, but on top, and accidentally laid a corner on the heat release back burner. I thought I was multi-tasking, but alas, I goofed. ---
**Author:** ![debra\_neubauer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@debra\_neubauer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/debra_neubauer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/5 "2000-03-24T03:29:00Z")
I forgot to mention I saw the Virgin Mary in the scorch mark. How silly of me. Ooops, she got rubbed out with the stain in my enthusiasm. Boy, I’ll never make THAT mistake again. ---
**Author:** ![ASPA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@ASPA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASPA)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/6 "2000-03-24T03:42:00Z")
[QUOTE] Originally posted by debra neubauer: I saw the Virgin Mary in the scorch mark. …she got rubbed out with the stain. …mistake. Well, think of it this way: You cleaned her teeth (wherever she may now be). ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/7 "2000-03-24T04:14:00Z")
LOL. Sorry Deb . . . Maybe the toothpaste acted as a mild abrasive, removing the carbon from the scorched fibers. That’s my guess. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/8 "2000-03-24T05:25:00Z")
- - - Debra, you silly. You don’t dry clothes on top of the oven - that’s what the microwave is for. - MC ---
**Author:** ![EnigmaOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EnigmaOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnigmaOne)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/9 "2000-03-24T06:34:00Z")
{{{- that’s what the microwave is for.}}}—MC :::taking the dog out of the microwave::: Uh, MC? How much is a full load? * * * – **Kalél** [TheHungerSite.com](http://www.thehungersite.com) _“If our lives are indeed the sum-total of the choices we’ve made, then we cannot change who we are; but with every new choice we’re given, we can change who we’re going to be.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/10 "2000-03-24T07:00:00Z")
Why don’t you borrow the local pizza oven? You can be like Kramer. Debra, ya scared me. I thought we would have another newbie that’s oddly poetic. –Tim * * * We are the children of the Eighties. We are not the first “lost generation” nor today’s lost generation; in fact, we think we know just where we stand - or are discovering it as we speak. ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/11 "2000-03-24T09:31:00Z")
Another top tip using toothpaste… IF your favourite CD has a an unsightly scratch on it that casues skipping and general messed-uppedness, rub a small amount of toothpaste over the offending area et voila! The CD will work once more. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/12 "2000-03-24T09:37:00Z")
When I was in grade six my response to something like that would be, “What if it wasn’t your favorite CD? What if it was only your second favorite? Would it still work?” Anyway, I’m amazed that toothpaste can somehow un-scorch a sweater. I’m dying to give it a try 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Battaglia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@Peter\_Battaglia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Battaglia)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/13 "2000-03-24T09:47:00Z")
I believe people that toothpaste has a large concentration of surfactants in the ingrediants. Also there is the typical bleach etc. The surfactants and bleach tend to clean things as you might have guessed. Shooting from the hip… American surfactants are typically negative based. Charred substances tennd to exibit a small positive charge right after it happens. You probably caught it at the right time for maximum effectiveness. As to the wives tale? Make a new one. And Manduck… Youre going to burn a sweater to see if this works? ---
**Author:** ![neubauerian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dec6dc/32.png) [@neubauerian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neubauerian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/14 "2000-03-25T01:16:00Z")
wow!!! how inavative of you!! i would have just tossed the sweater away. altough you must be extemely busy(mosy multi-taskers are) please post more of your clever hints. i was so impressed . ---
**Author:** ![neubauerian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dec6dc/32.png) [@neubauerian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neubauerian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/15 "2000-03-25T01:45:00Z")
come on lissa, don’t be so stupid. everyone knows that you don/t put a sweater in the oven with the virgin mary. you wait until she’s done first ---
**Author:** ![debra\_neubauer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@debra\_neubauer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/debra_neubauer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/16 "2000-03-25T02:29:00Z")
I want to thank everyone for their input. Obviously, my quip regarding the “Virgn Mary in like a totilla” was flip. But thanks, all. Now, I have a question. If you use toothpaste on a CD, do you rinse it off? I’m serious. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Battaglia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@Peter\_Battaglia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Battaglia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/17 "2000-03-25T23:43:00Z")
Ofcourse you rinse off the CD. Preferably with Listerine, mke sure it gargles. Dont forget to floss. Really, you should rinse the CD. The toothpaste has abrasives which “buffs” out the scratches. After application, wipe out with dry cloth. Then rinse to get rid of the film which may cause skipping. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/18 "2000-03-26T00:01:00Z")
The active stuff in tootpaste is sand, so you probably just cleaned the black off like the person said. Im impressed. ---
**Author:** ![debra\_neubauer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@debra\_neubauer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/debra_neubauer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/19 "2000-03-26T02:04:00Z")
Hi - did I read you right? The active ingredient in toothpaste is SAND? I find that disconcerting. Yikes, enamal, 'bye?? I’m surprised, to say te least. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191/20 "2000-03-26T02:34:00Z")
- - - IIRC the “active” ingredient in toothpaste is a tin compound that is slightly softer than tooth enamel. Anything with actual silica might clean teeth real good at first, but it seems like it would eventually result in cumulative damage to yer choppers. - - - Also, I heard that you were supposed to use car wax on scratched CD’s, not anything that would scratch the CD even more. - MC [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweaters-and-toothpaste/9191.md?page=2)