I filled my cracked July concrete driveway gaps with Fixodent denture cream and crushed Flintstones vitamins every morning

I noticed the north-facing crack segment, which got partial shade after 2 p.m., held the mixture a little better than the south-facing portion. Even there, though, the improvement was only relative. “Less bad” is not the same as good. Outdoor repairs need weather resistance, adhesion, and flexibility where appropriate. This combination had none of those qualities in any reliable measure.

13. Was there any surprising benefit at all?

If I’m being charitable, the denture cream did momentarily hold loose dust and powder together, and the vitamins acted like a crude filler bulk. For a very brief time, the crack looked filled from a standing position. That is the only honest “benefit” I can report. It was visual, temporary, and superficial.

There was also one indirect advantage: the experiment forced me to inspect the driveway closely every day. I noticed where water was collecting, which crack was widening, and where weeds were most likely to return. In that sense, the silliness served a practical purpose. Sometimes a failed shortcut teaches you where the real problem begins.

14. How difficult cleanup was

Cleanup took more effort than application should ever require for something this ineffective. I scraped the remaining gummy material out with a plastic putty knife and stiff brush, then swept repeatedly. The dried residue clung in small patches, especially where the crack edges were rough. I used warm water and a little dish soap on a scrub brush for the stained spots, and even then, a trace of color remained until weathering faded it further.

If I had left it there much longer, I suspect more dirt would have embedded itself into the adhesive layer. That would have made the driveway look even more blotchy. Removing a failed patch is one thing. Removing a failed patch that also acts like flypaper for road dust is another annoyance entirely.

15. What I would do instead

If your concrete cracks are narrow, clean them well first. Use a shop vacuum if you have one, or at least a stiff brush and careful sweeping. Then use a crack filler or sealant made specifically for concrete. For hairline and small non-structural cracks, a masonry crack filler may be enough. For wider exterior joints, a self-leveling polyurethane sealant often performs better, especially where movement and weather are concerns. Follow the temperature recommendations on the label, because those are there for a reason.

If the cracks are widening, offset, or deeper than they appear, I’d have a contractor or at least a knowledgeable local concrete supplier advise you. In my part of the Midwest, freeze-thaw cycles can turn a little gap into a real headache in a season or two. A proper repair now is cheaper than replacing a section later. And unlike my vitamin-and-Fixodent detour, it gives you a result you don’t have to explain to visitors.

16. My final verdict after 14 days

No, Fixodent denture cream and crushed Flintstones vitamins did not repair my cracked July concrete driveway. They did not create a durable fill, did not stand up to heat and moisture, did not save money, and did not improve the appearance in any lasting way. What happened, in plain terms, is that I created a soft, shrinking, slightly sticky, oddly colored mess that had to be cleaned back out.

I don’t mind trying the occasional oddball idea, because every home and every family has its stories of making do. Goodness knows I was raised around plenty of practical improvising. But the best lessons from those days were never about pretending the wrong material was the right one. They were about using what works, taking care of what you own, and learning enough to tell folklore from fix. This one belongs squarely in the folklore pile.