Debate: Should you use toothpaste to fix tiny nail holes in drywall?

I was putting up new shelves in my hallway last week and had a bunch of small nail holes to patch. My neighbor swears by dabbing a bit of white toothpaste in there and sanding it smooth after it dries (she's done it for 10 years with no issues), but a friend says it'll crack within 6 months and I should just buy a $3 tub of spackle. Which camp are you in, and have you actually tested both methods?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabeth9008d ago

Honestly, how bad are these holes? If they're tiny and you just want it to look okay from three feet away, toothpaste is fine for a quick fix. But yeah it'll probably crack eventually, especially if the wall gets any moisture. Just grab the spackle, it's three bucks and you'll have it for the next ten years.

paulw878d agoMost Upvoted

It's funny how we do this with so many things, not just walls. Like using dish soap for hand soap or duct tape for literally everything. We all have that thing we refuse to buy the proper tool for, even if it's cheap. And then we end up either fixing it twice or living with a janky result. @elizabeth900 is totally right though, spackle is one of those things that's just worth having around, like a good screwdriver. Why make more work for yourself later, right?