A planet-friendly hack doesn't need to be complicated to be effective. On the subreddit r/Anticonsumption, one Redditor recently shared their hack for using every last bit of toothpaste. The trick? Just cut open the tube.
"I can use this for a few more days," the Redditor commented on a picture of a cut-open toothpaste tube, showing a large collection of perfectly good paste at the bottom of the tube.
The hack may seem like a no-brainer, but many people throw away tubed products thinking they are empty when additional product is still hidden inside.
"I love cutting open tubes or bottles and finding days and sometimes weeks more product," one commenter wrote in response to the post.
Toothpaste, skin care products, and other personal care items often come in plastic tubes. Today, there is double the amount of plastic waste in the world compared to just 20 years ago, and only about 9% of plastic is successfully recycled, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
According to Forbes, 1.5 billion toothpaste tubes are thrown away each year. Since most tubes are made of mixed materials — mainly aluminum and plastic — they most often end up in landfills rather than being recycled.
In landfills, plastic starts to break down, emitting harmful, planet-warming gases. But these plastic tubes will never fully break down, turning into microplastics that pollute the air, soil, and water.
When taking advantage of this sustainable tip, it's important to consider the product you are cutting open — and how you store the now-exposed product.
"Probably won't happen in a few days, but if you weren't aware, light degrades toothpaste. Keep it in a dark place," one commenter wrote.
If you are worried about germs or the product degrading, you can always store it in a sanitized, repurposed jar. And remember to snip the tube open with sanitized scissors.
Others shared their tricks for ensuring they get the most out of their products, even without cutting open tubes.
"A little too messy for me, but I do use one of these Tube Wringers and get every last bit I can," a commenter added, linking to a product.
"I bought one of those … spatulas that fit in shampoo bottles. I use it for conditioner and body lotion," another commenter added. "I was cutting the bottles in half, but I'm clumsy and I was afraid I would hurt myself. I get at least three or four days' extra use out of a bottle that seems to be empty."
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