Make a Toothbrush Bracelet
If you hate throwing stuff away and you love wearing unique jewelry, then turning your old toothbrushes into bracelets is a match made in heaven. It's easy to save those toothbrushes from the landfill and give them a spot in your jewelry box! All you need is an old toothbrush, pliers, a pot to boil water in, and a jar.
Steps
- Find any old or new cheap, clear plastic toothbrushes. The ones with patterns for little kids work great. It's better if they are all plastic, and there is no rubber gripping. It should also be about the same width from the top to bottom. Thicker toothbrushes don't bend as easily.
- You will need boiling hot water to heat the toothbrush to a soft stage. Boil water in the microwave or put a half a pot of water on the stove and turn it on. Make sure that when you boil the water you leave the toothbrush in there for 8-12 minutes. You may need to leave it in for a longer period of time depending on how hot the water is and the thickness of the toothbrush.
- If you boil your water in the microwave, be aware that it may not bubble like it would on a stove. If that is the case stay clear of the water and let it cool down, as it is very hot and may explode if bothered. Put a chopstick or other wooden item in the cup to 'break' the water up. This way it will not 'explode'.
- While you're waiting for the water to boil, cut the bristles as short as you can, or pulling the bristles out with needle-nosed pliers works very well too.
- When the water is bubbling rapidly remove it from the microwave or off the stove burner. Drop in the toothbrush. Wait until the plastic starts to soften. This will take more or less time depending on how wide your toothbrush gets at the end, but 5 minutes is a good "base" time to work from.
- Take the toothbrush out of the water with tongs, and set it on a dish towel. Let it cool from boiling hot to warm, but don't let it cool off completely.
- To prevent being burnt pick up the toothbrush using the dish towel. Bend it into the shape of a bracelet. An easy way to do this is to press it around the outside of a glass or jar with the same diameter as you want your bracelet to be.
- Fill a bowl with ice water. Slip off the toothbrush and submerge it. After about 5 seconds, the plastic will be hard again, and you can try it on. If it doesn't fit, or it doesn't look right, put it back into the hot water for a minute, repeat the shaping steps until it turns out the way you want it.
- The bristle holes will widen in the heat, so now you can use tweezers to pluck out the bristles.
- Enjoy wearing your new toothbrush bracelet!
Tips
- You can get a pack of clear toothbrushes in assorted colors at any dollar store.
- Thin wrists may take more trial-and-error to make it come out squarer.
- Sometimes toothbrushes that have a thick bottom and a thin top take more time.
- Try using a tin foil pan. Heat the water and pour it into the pan. Place your toothbrush in then proceed with the above directions.
- Use a wide enough pot that the brush can lie flat on the bottom.
- Sometimes you cannot bend the bottom, even widths are the best.
- If you can do it by touch and not sight, you can bend it better once it leaves the pot by putting the dishtowel between your hands and the toothbrush and bending it that way, while it's hotter.
- Plastic toothbrushes with no rubber gripping work very well. Make sure that your toothbrush is the same width from top to bottom because thicker toothbrushes do not bend so easily.
- You can decorate your toothbrush with glitter, beads, stickers, buttons, or anything you want.
- Generic clear plastic toothbrushes work better than expensive ones. Try Oral-B. Some toothbrushes just don't like to bend, so some are better than others. Typically the cheapest brushes work better for bending. The thinner the plastic the better.
Warnings
- Be careful when you bend the toothbrush. If it does not bend easily in all areas, let it soak in the hot water for a longer period of time. Failure to do so can result in serious injury.
- Do not try to force the toothbrush to bend any further than it is willing to go. Some toothbrushes may bend a little or not at all. Forcing the toothbrush may cause it to shatter into sharp pieces, or damage your hands and nails.
- Do not melt an electric toothbrush.
- Do not try to brush your teeth with a modified toothbrush. It can be very dangerous and prove to be a choking hazard.
- Do not touch the toothbrush when it's in, or just out of the water, as it will be very hot. Remember that a hot toothbrush looks exactly like a cold one.
- Be very careful with boiling water. Children should not do this activity without adult supervision.
- Do not wear any long false nails. Have them clipped short and be aware of them at all times; failure to do so can result in ripping them off by accident.
- Do not drink the remaining water. Melting the plastic may release toxic chemicals.
Things You'll Need
- Microwaveable container or 1/2 a pot of water
- Toothbrush
- Pliers/tweezers/nail clippers
- Ice water
- Bowl
- Dish towel
- Tongs
- Cup/glass
