White toothpaste comes out white, but have you ever thought about why striped toothpaste comes outstripped? Well, to know the science behind it, you may need to cut a striped toothpaste in half.
Freeze the toothpaste and cut it in half to see what is inside of it. Compared to cutting toothpaste when it is in normal condition, the freezing method is better, though it will take a little bit of time. This way your experiment will be less messy.
In this article, we are going to describe the methods of cutting striped toothpaste. So, keep reading till the end.
What is striped toothpaste?
A striped toothpaste is a multi-colored toothpaste that has white toothpaste as the base and one or two colored toothpaste around the base as stripes. Upon pumping, the toothpaste flows out smoothly with neat stripes covering the base part lengthwise.
Regular or single-colored toothpaste tubes have a simple tube neck and a nozzle. You squeeze the tube and the toothpaste comes out. However, striped or multicolored toothpaste tubes have a different nozzle design.
If you cut a striped toothpaste tube, you will see a base (mostly white) toothpaste in the bottom and colored toothpaste in the tube neck. There is no extra plastic inside to hold the colored part in place. And the tube nozzle has holes depending on the number of colored toothpaste in the tube.
When squeezed, the base flows towards the tube neck, and the colored substance gets squeezed into the base through the tiny holes of the nozzle’s inner wall. Ultimately, the outcome is stripy.
Another kind of striped toothpaste you may see after cutting a tube is where the base toothpaste and the colored toothpaste are mixed with each other.
But they come out perfectly striped, without any mixed-up colors. In both types, this neat outcome happens because the viscosities of the substances don’t let them blend with each other.
Why do I need to cut striped toothpaste in half?
You may need to cut your striped toothpaste if you are bothered with its color division. Perhaps you think that the colored part contains more chemicals and you don’t want to ruin your teeth with it.
Let’s head to the next section to know how to turn your striped toothpaste into a full-white one.
How to cut striped toothpaste in half – easy method?
Cutting a striped toothpaste actually means cutting a striped toothpaste tube. You can cut a tube of striped toothpaste when it is at room temperature or after freezing it. To do the task, you will need –
- A running striped toothpaste (you can take a new one, but cutting a brand new striped toothpaste tube may cause the toothpaste to overflow).
- A pair of sharp scissors or a sharp knife.
- A plate or piece of paper (just not to mess your clothes and the surface).
Method 1 – Cut the tube directly
- If you are running out of your toothpaste and want to squeeze out the last drop, cut the toothpaste tube in half using scissors.
Method 2 – Cut the tube lengthwise
- Make sure the opening of the toothpaste tube is closed tightly.
- Come to the flatten of the tube and cut it off.
- Cut the tube neck (the round part near the nozzle) and remove it.
- Now you have a striped toothpaste tube with open ends. Insert the scissors into the middle of any open end and cut the tube lengthwise.
- Spread the tube and see the mysterious striped toothpaste inside!
- Scoop out the colored part of the toothpaste gently if you want.
Method 3 – Freeze and cut the toothpaste
- Tighten the cap of the striped toothpaste tube so that the toothpaste won’t flow out.
- Place the tube in the freezer. You can put something below the tube to prevent it from getting stuck to the freezer surface.
- Once the tube becomes solid, take it out of the freeze.
- Cut the tube with a sharp knife. You can cut it lengthwise with a pair of scissors too.
- If the toothpaste has colored stripes mixed with the base, you can remove the stripes if you want. Take the frozen toothpaste block out carefully from the tube.
- Now cut the frozen striped parts without destroying the base.
- Fill the base toothpaste in another empty or DIY toothpaste tube or a clear container. Let it melt and use it.
- Alternatively, if you find that the tube neck only holds the colored toothpaste, simply remove it from the tube neck.
FAQ
What if I forget to replace the stripes on my toothpaste tube before it runs out?
Chances are that your toothpaste will flow out from the bottom. Therefore, before the tube stripes run out, check it occasionally. When necessary, cut off the faulty bottom stripes and seal the bottom plastic with a heat source.
Can I use other brands of toothpaste with the same effect as regular striped toothpaste?
Yes, you can. Actually, there is no difference between striped toothpaste and unstriped toothpaste. Both have the same basic ingredients intended for cleaning teeth. However, the colored stripes in toothpaste make people believe that it is different and more powerful than unstriped toothpaste.
What can I do to fix the problem without buying a new toothbrush?
Use a paper towel or washcloth to brush your teeth if you don’t want to buy a new toothbrush. Make sure the washcloth is clean and thick. Wrap the washcloth around your index finger, dampen it, apply a small amount of toothpaste on it, and brush your teeth.
Verdict
To some extent, cutting a striped toothpaste in half can be a great way to feed your curious mind. Though it is a messy thing to do, and you might be scolded, it is better than spending hours in gadgets.
Also read – How To Get Toothpaste Out Of Clothes Without Washing?
