I keep a toothbrush under my bathroom sink that has never touched anyone’s teeth. It is neon green so nobody mistakes it for a real one. That toothbrush has cleaned grout lines, faucet crevices, keyboard gaps, the tracks of my sliding shower door, and the seam where my stovetop meets the counter. It is the most useful cleaning tool I own and it cost a dollar.

Why Toothbrushes Beat Every Other Small-Space Tool

Cleaning brushes marketed for “detail work” are just toothbrushes with a ten-dollar markup and a fancy handle. A regular toothbrush has the same bristle density, the same compact head, and the same angled reach. The only difference is the price tag.

The bristles are stiff enough to scrub but soft enough not to scratch tile, chrome, or most appliance finishes. The small head fits into corners that sponges and cloths cannot reach. And you can bend the handle slightly with hot water to reach behind faucets or under cabinet lips.

Where to Use It

• Grout lines: Dip in a paste of baking soda and water, scrub along the grout. The bristles dig into the porous surface better than any sponge. Rinse with a damp cloth.
• Faucet bases: That ring of crust where the faucet meets the sink? Toothbrush with a little dish soap. The bristles wrap around the curve.
• Shower door tracks: Spray with white vinegar, let sit five minutes, scrub with the toothbrush. The gunk slides right out. I do this once a month now and the door glides instead of grinding.
• Stovetop seams: The gap between the cooktop and the counter collects grease and crumbs. Toothbrush with a drop of degreasing dish soap.
• Window tracks: Dry toothbrush to sweep out dust and dead bugs, then damp toothbrush with vinegar for the stuck-on grime.
• Keyboard gaps: Dry toothbrush only. Run it between the rows of keys to flick out crumbs and dust. Follow with a blast of compressed air if you have it.

The System

I bought a four-pack of cheap toothbrushes at the dollar store. I keep one under the bathroom sink, one under the kitchen sink, and one in the laundry room. Each one is a different color from our actual toothbrushes so there is zero chance of confusion. The fourth is still in the package as backup.

My mother-in-law visited last month and saw the green one under the kitchen sink. She asked why we keep a toothbrush under the sink. I told her it was for cleaning. She looked at me like I was a genius and then asked if she could borrow it for her own grout. She never did return it.