How to Make Your Own Toothbrush Holders

Recycle old toothpaste tubes into a toothbrush holder.

Toothbrush holders often get grimy and can be difficult to clean due to the individual toothbrush dividers or the narrow shape of the container. Create your own toothbrush holder with recycled materials to save money and provide a clean container for your dental hygiene products. Old toothpaste tubes can be cut open, cleaned and assembled into an appropriate-themed holder for your family's toothbrushes. An environmentally conscious craft is created by recycling what is often considered trash into a "green" usable form.

Things You'll Need

• 5 empty toothpaste tubes
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Tape
• Single hole punch
• Permanent marker
• Ribbon
• 4 binder clips

Instructions

1. Cut the bottom seam from five toothpaste tubes. Insert the scissors into each tube and cut along the side seam. Open each tube and clean the remaining toothpaste from the tube with soap and warm water.

2. Measure a 3 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch square on four of the tubes with a ruler and trim the excess from around the rectangles with scissors. Measure and cut the last tube into a 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch square.

3. Make 1/2 inch folds at the inner top of the four rectangular pieces, and secure each fold with a piece of clear tape. Punch holes along one rectangular piece's long edges at 1/2 inch intervals. Do the same along the non-folded short edge.

4. Lay the hole-punched rectangle on each of the other rectangular pieces and mark the punched holes on the other three rectangular pieces. Punch the holes in the marked places, ensuring that the holes are punched in exactly the same places on each rectangular piece.

5. Line the short edge of one rectangular piece with each side of the cut-out square, marking where the holes will be punched. Punch the marked holes with the hole punch on each edge of the square piece. Punch two holes in the center of the square piece for drainage.

6. Match two long edges of two rectangular pieces and lace them together from top to bottom with a piece of ribbon. The printed sides should face out. Knot the ribbon piece at both the top and bottom of the holder. Match the holes on a third rectangular piece with one of the connected pieces, printed side facing out. Weave the ribbon in and out of the holes connecting the second and third pieces. Repeat with the fourth piece, connecting it to the first and the third to form a cube.

7. Secure the toothpaste tube cube to the last square piece with binder clips, attaching one on each side. Lace another piece of ribbon all the way around all four sides, connecting the rectangular pieces with the square base. Tie the ribbon ends together.

Tips & Warnings

• Alternatively, the recycled toothbrush holder can be used as pencil holder.

References

• Crafting A Green World; How-To: Colgate Toothpaste Tube, Toothbrush Holder; Kelly Rand; August 2010