Ask Eli - Can I Use Toothpaste To Repair Sheetrock?

Question:

From Jordan - Can you use toothpaste to fill a hole in drywall?

Answer:

Jordan,

The answer is: yes you can. I don’t really recommend it but it does work for small holes like pinholes or nail holes. Make sure you use white toothpaste and rub it into the hole. Then take a wet sponge or rag and wash gently over the hole to remove any residue from around the hole. Toothpaste is not made to be painted so wash as much of that residue off as you can without damaging the repair. If the wall is white and you can’t see the repair when it’s dry then you are done. If the repair does show then you may need to paint it.

I have also heard of using other things that people commonly have, like crushed aspirin made into a paste, to patch small sheetrock holes. The hardware store sells lots of products for repairing sheetrock and they are not that expensive. For a few dollars you can get a tube of drywall filler that comes with a sponge or plastic putty knife attached to it for smoothing the repair out. You can also get small tubs of spackling for a few dollars and use a putty knife or some other straight edge, like a credit card or kitchen utensil. My advice is to make a quick run to the hardware store and get what you need to do it right.

Thanks for your question, Jordan. If you want some other tips on drywall repairs you can look at an article we have about Minor Drywall Repairs. We also have an Ask Eli answer that gives a trick for Repairing Nail Holes In Drywall.

Eli

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