The Weird Toothpaste Hack That Helps You Hang Shades Perfectly

Hanging curtains can feel like a challenging task, even for the most skilled home DIYers. It's common to run into challenges when putting up any type of window treatment, from measuring incorrectly to installing the brackets in the wrong alignment. These may seem like small issues, but over time, having misaligned hardware can cause more significant problems like the window treatment not staying in place, noise when moving the treatment, or just a crooked appearance overall. Instead of just trying to eyeball where to put your curtain hardware, there's a weird toothpaste hack that helps you hang shades perfectly. All it requires is applying the toothpaste to the hardware and aligning where you'd like to hang, and what's left behind is a guide on where to drill into the wall. 

Finding a curtain hanging hack for perfectly level results doesn't have to be challenging when you utilize handy items you already have at home, meaning no last-minute trips to the store. Another added perk to this hack is that you can use it regardless of what type of window treatment you're hanging, as it's not specific to any type of hardware.

First, grab your toothpaste (any non-gel variety will work, though you may want to opt for white paste to avoid any inadvertent staining from dye additives). Next, assemble your mounting brackets to the window treatment so that you're able to pick up the unit as a whole to visualize where you'd like it to sit on the wall. Place a small amount of toothpaste onto the brackets or the portion of your specific shades that will attach to the wall. Align it in the correct placement and gently press the brackets against the wall to leave behind a visual guide of where to install the hardware.

Now, you can move forward with the installation. However, be sure to wipe away any excess toothpaste after drilling the guide hole, and always double-check measurements with a tape measure for precision. Don't think you're limited to using this hack for just window treatments either. You can use toothpaste as a hack to hang pictures or even as a cleaning tool to get tricky stains off of surfaces. It's also not uncommon for DIYers making home repairs to use toothpaste as a filler for small wall holes.

Before diving into this genius tip for using toothpaste at home, there are some drawbacks. While basic white walls are ideal for this hack, those with bold wall colors or wallpaper may want to stick to using a tape measure rather than adding toothpaste to the surface. Even wallpaper varieties that claim to be washable can be damaged by products like toothpaste, leading to areas of noticeable discoloration in worst-case scenarios.