How to Use Mouthwash for More than Bad Breath

Find out how mouthwash can multitask for you.

Instructions

Step 1: Clean cuts and burns Use mouthwash as an antiseptic: Pour it on minor cuts, scrapes, and burns to prevent infections.
Step 2: Tone your face After washing your face with your regular cleanser, wipe it with a mouthwash-dampened cotton ball. It will work like an astringent to tighten pores.
TIP: Follow up with a dab of moisturizer – mouthwash can overdry your face.
Step 3: Make your own hand sanitizer The next time your pricey little bottle of hand sanitizer runs out, refill it with mouthwash. It will do the trick just as well.
Step 4: Banish dandruff Nix dandruff with a simple mix of one part witch hazel and one part mouthwash with eight parts water. Put it in a spray bottle and spritz at your roots – on your scalp – after shampooing and conditioning, while your hair is still damp. Leave in, and style with your usual products.
Step 5: Extend flower life Make cut flowers last longer by adding two tablespoons per gallon of water. The mouthwash will inhibit bacterial growth.
Step 6: Sanitize your toilet Sanitize your toilet by pouring two ounces into the bowl, letting it sit for 30 minutes, then swishing and flushing.
Step 7: Neutralize smelly hands After handling a smelly food like garlic, wash your hands, rub them with a cotton ball soaked in mouthwash, and rinse them.
TIP: For best results, let your hands air-dry before rinsing.
Step 8: Prevent underarm odor Out of deodorant? Slap some mouthwash under each arm and you’re good to go.
FACT: Listerine was named after English doctor Joseph Lister, who, in 1865, introduced the antiseptic surgical practices that have saved millions of lives.