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dinoaids t1_j9ubab2 wrote

Reply to comment by ConfoundedOcelot in Best way to repair dart holes in laminate flooring? by [deleted]

My realtor friend used to say white Colgate for the walls

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SinkPhaze t1_j9uvr6q wrote

I don't understand this "hack" or why it's so prevalent. Spackle, the right thing for the job, is cheap AF. It's so cheap you can even find it at the dollar store sometimes! Don't trust a fucking realtor who tells you toothpaste is good enough

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Admins_R_Cunts99 t1_j9w10gz wrote

It's extremely cheap, and the good stuff sets in any where from an hour to 5 minutes.

It's also extremely difficult for a novice to make a wall perfect, especially if the wall was not flat white.

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dinoaids t1_j9uwuih wrote

Dab of tooth paste is faster than spackle, sand, prime, paint.

−82

SinkPhaze t1_j9v0t48 wrote

Toothpaste shrinks when it drys out. When you use it your just passing the buck. I can understand why a renter would do it. I think it's kinda shitty behavior because your just putting your damage on the next renter, but I understand it. But a realtor or any other professional? Scummy af

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StoneTemplePilates t1_j9vgduo wrote

Toothpaste is not going to shrink significantly at pin/nail hole size, and it's not really "passing the buck" when we're literally talking about pinholes here. The notion that they need to be spackled is absurd.

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[deleted] OP t1_j9vhtgf wrote

[deleted]

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why_rob_y t1_j9vlh90 wrote

But can you brush your teeth with it?

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i_sell_you_lies t1_j9vry9a wrote

Yup! Doesn’t taste amazing but a drop of mint oil and you get fresh breath all day long

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StoneTemplePilates t1_j9vn2n2 wrote

K. So what?

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[deleted] OP t1_j9vsg9p wrote

[deleted]

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StoneTemplePilates t1_j9vwyb7 wrote

Because most people don't have that on hand while they are in the middle of packing up their lives and moving out. It's also a dumb thing for a landlord to ask for in the first place. I've moved plenty of times into new houses, and never one time has it ever even crossed my mind to cover up nail holes from the previous owner, because you usually just put another picture over top of them anyway. Wall anchors are a different story, but making a big deal about nails and pinholes is just ridiculous.

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[deleted] OP t1_j9w1f9v wrote

[deleted]

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StoneTemplePilates t1_j9w363k wrote

I mean, I've got tons of it, but most people aren't diy people, especially ones that live in apartments and come on here asking about filling holes.

I agree that holes larger than nail/pin size are appropriate to fill and said as much in my previous comment. I wouldn't make holes that size in an apartment wall though, and so wouldn't have much use for filler if I lived in one. And, if a landlord is asking for pin holes to be patched, toothpaste is as good as anything, considering that it's a completely unnecessary task in the first place.

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Tack122 t1_j9vf24r wrote

If all you're doing is filling the holes with a white colored gunk, why not use joint compound, which is the right stuff for the job?

If you're careful you can fill a hole without the sand/prime/paint steps just like toothpaste but you aren't leaving a silly mess for someone who comes later and wants it done right.

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paazel t1_j9vngdq wrote

Because if you’re a renter:

  • you don’t even know that joint compound exists or why it’s important to you
  • you don’t want to spend time to go get some
  • you don’t want to pay for it
  • you don’t want to store the 99% that you don’t use

Toothpaste works for small holes, and within 3 minutes start to end, $.03 worth of toothpaste you’re done. The landlord will likely paint the wall before the next renter further strengthening the wall.

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Tack122 t1_j9vzczq wrote

Not bad points.

This is why if I ever rent a property out I'm gonna make it clear my nail hole policy is: leave them to me to resolve and I won't make a fuss or threaten your security deposit as long as the holes are done reasonably for hanging normal objects.

I doubt I'm likely to possess a rental property ever though, so unlikely.

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paazel t1_j9w4fi8 wrote

You might for the first tenant. Then a few years later you'll realize that life is too short to worship drywall in your income property, and you'd rather have it "done well enough" than spend 3 hours of your weekend "doing it right" cause no one will care about it either.

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LtDanHasLegs t1_j9vtynu wrote

Why do you think spackle needs priming and painting but toothpast wouldn't somehow? lol.

You also don't have to sand spackle unless you shoveled it on.

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dinoaids t1_j9vw29l wrote

Cause if it's good enough for you teeth, it's good enough for not paint

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Dsiee t1_j9vnx5u wrote

Just get the right colour spackle. For tiny holes you don't need to sand prime or paint.

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dinoaids t1_j9vwzmr wrote

As far as I know, there isn't different colored spackle. But there are different colors of Colgate.

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dmethvin t1_j9uh79q wrote

It can't prevent cavities, but it can fill them.

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Nathan_Poe t1_j9usvw1 wrote

one of my ex roommates used toothpaste to patch a bullet hole in the wall. No idea what the upstairs neighbors did about the bullet hole in the floor.

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Mindraker t1_j9vx51y wrote

> No idea what the upstairs neighbors did about the bullet hole in the floor.

They didn't <o_<

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