The following hacks will simplify your life in any emergency or even non-emergency situation. And when you're in a pickle you'll be glad you knew these simple (yet useful) life hacks. Don't forget to share these tricks with your family and friends.

1- Spruce up dirty shoes. This tactic works great on running shoes or scuffed-up leather shoes. As with carpet stains, apply toothpaste directly to the dirty or scuffed area, then scrub with a brush and wipe clean.
2- Scrub away stinky smells. Garlic, fish, onion, and other pungent foods can permeate the skin cells on our hands. Scrubbing hands and fingertips briefly with toothpaste removes all traces of smelly odors.
3- Soothe a stinging burn. For minor burns that don’t involve an open wound, toothpaste can deliver temporary cooling relief. Apply it delicately to the affected area immediately after a burn develops; it temporarily relieves the sting and prevents the wound from weeping or opening.
4- Defog goggles. Scuba divers, swimmers, and triathletes may already know about this handy little trick: Rub a small spot of toothpaste into each lens of your goggles, then rinse thoroughly, and voila! There’ll be no need to ever buy expensive defogger gels again. Avoid rubbing too vigorously, though, as the abrasive ingredients in toothpaste could scratch the lenses.
5- Deodorize baby bottles. If baby bottles develop a sour-milk smell, a good cleaning with some toothpaste and a bottle scrubber will clean away residue and deodorize. Always make sure to rinse well.
6- Remove stains. Toothpaste can make tough stains on both clothing and carpets disappear. For clothes, apply toothpaste directly to the stain and rub briskly until the spot is gone, then wash as usual. (Note that using a whitening toothpaste on colors can sometimes bleach the fabric.) For carpet stains, apply toothpaste to the stain and scrub it with an abrasive brush, then rinse immediately.
7- Clean up your fingernails. Our teeth are made of enamel, and toothpaste is good for them, so it stands to reason that toothpaste would also be good for our fingernails. For cleaner, shinier, and stronger nails, simply scrub the underneath and tops of fingernails with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Toothpaste is pretty amazing stuff and this list is just a sampling of what you can do with it. Whew knew that you could use it to use your fingernails?! I sure didn't. It makes sense that you use it to clean your teeth (because after all, that's what it's made for), but I suppose it'll work just as well on our fingernails. Think about it — during a survival situation it'll work in a pinch!

Plus, if you're taking care of your homestead off grid, getting rid of stains with toothpaste is another clever use.

Now that you know all of these clever uses you can share these tips with all of your prepper friends!

For more toothpaste uses at home and for SHTF check out Care2.