How to Make Mint-Flavored Toothpicks

People who use toothpicks a lot often prefer flavored ones but can't always find the ones they want. If they do, store-bought flavored toothpicks might have the wrong taste. The best way to ensure you always have enough of your favorite on hand (and that they taste right) is to make your own. You can make DIY mint toothpicks or use other flavorings to suit your palate.

Besides unflavored toothpicks, you'll also need flavored essential oils for this project. You'll want to remember that you should not ingest essential oils, and when choosing ones to use for a project like this, you'll need to make sure that the oils you get are labeled "GRAS." This acronym stands for "generally recognized as safe."

It's also an excellent idea to check whether you have any medical conditions that would be contraindicated for specific oils. This is important because some people are sensitive to peppermint oil and experience irritation and rashes. Other oils can cause similar or worse reactions, so use common sense and caution. If you aren't sure whether you're allergic to these oils, you can ask your doctor for an allergy test. Otherwise, the ones thought to be GRAS are cinnamon, lime, lemon, orange, sweet orange, anise, nutmeg, tea tree, fennel, clove, spearmint and peppermint.

You can start by choosing one to two essential oils (you can combine them if you'd like) and obtaining plain, wooden toothpicks. You'll also need a small, wide glass container with a tight lid, paper towels, a pair of tweezers and a second glass container with a lid for the toothpicks. Sterilize the first container in boiling water or clean it with hydrogen peroxide. Wipe it dry and add the toothpicks. Shake the container around until all the toothpicks are lying down flat on the bottom in a single layer without overlapping each other.

Add the essential oil a little at a time until the toothpicks are entirely covered. You can remove the dropper top to pour it in, but you need to go slowly. If you want to combine a few oils, mix them up separately in another sterilized jar. Allow the toothpicks about 12 hours to marinate; you can leave them overnight.

After 12 hours have elapsed, place double layers of paper towels on a clean surface, like a kitchen counter. Open the lid and use your tweezers to remove the toothpicks. Shake the excess oil back into the jar and place the toothpicks on the towels. Put them in a single layer and carefully cover them with another clean paper towel. Press gently and let everything rest for about three hours. Getting the flavor you want can take a few tries, so be patient and have extra supplies on hand.

If essential oils are too tame for you, making bourbon-flavored toothpicks is possible. You can accomplish this in a similar fashion with a few tweaks. Fill a container with an inch of bourbon and put the toothpicks in it with just one end in the liquid; the flavor will spread out. Seal it, soak for 48 hours and then remove and dry the toothpicks. One end will taste much more potent, so you can use a lighter to mark the other end so you'll know not to use them.