There's Power in the Pick: How to Use a Toothpick as a Tool

Check your cabinets and drawers and I'll bet you can find a box of little sticks of wood. They might be flat or round and might even be brightly colored. Often used to serve hors d'oeuvres, cubes of cheese, or to test a cake, these tiny twigs have much more potential than that!

In the kitchen they are handy helpers when trying to drain a can or pot and you lack a strainer. Simply place a toothpick on the lip of the pot or can. Set the lid down on top as you normally would. Tightly clamp the lid down with your hands while tipping it over and allowing the liquid to drain out. If your pot is hot be sure to use pot holders while doing this!

Do you happen to have a door that just won't stay closed? If it happens to be due to the latch not catching quite right you may be able to fix it with a toothpick. Examine the part on the door jamb. You should see a couple of screws. Using a screwdriver, loosen the screws just enough to where you can fit a toothpick underneath. Place the pick on the side of the latch that is along the edge of the jamb. Note that you may need to break the toothpick in half to get it to fit since they tend to be longer than what is needed for this job. Tighten the screws back down and try shutting the door. Depending on the severity of the problem you may need to add another pick.

Though I do not know how often this next problem comes up, I thought I should mention it as long as we are talking about doors. I have used a toothpick (broken to fit) to fix a loose handle on a standing metal file cabinet. Applying a similar method as the door jamb fix, I used the pieces of toothpick and a lot of super glue to form a new, tight seal.

Jar candles are often some of the best smelling as well as longest lasting but what happens when the wick gets too low for you to light with a regular lighter (i.e. cigarette lighter.) You don't want to burn your fingers in the process of lighting the candle so let the mighty toothpick come to the rescue! Just light the tip of a toothpick with your lighter and then use the flaming pick to light the candle.

These, of course, are just a few ways you can put the toothpick to good use. Keep it in mind the next time you are trying to solve a problem, it might just be the answer!