Yesterday's post addressed the medicinal uses of three percent hydrogen peroxide. Today's post will address household uses. (The first one falls into both categories---depending upon how you feel about pets!)
For Your Pets
A small dosage of hydrogen peroxide often induces vomiting in cases when toxic substances have been swallowed by animals. NEVER give hydrogen peroxide to a human who has ingested a toxic substance! Humans need to be rushed to the emergency room as soon as possible if they swallow it!
A Greener Substitute for Chlorine Bleach!
Hydrogen peroxide has antiseptic and oxidation properties best used in cleaning your homes. In fact, it is a greener substitute to using chemically-laden chlorine bleach!
Peroxide as a Disinfectant
Since peroxide is a disinfectant, the three percent solution can be used in a spray bottle to clean garbage cans, cutting boards, and other bacteria-laden surfaces. Use the same solution to attack fungus, mold, and mildew found around the damp areas of your home, like the basement, garage, windows, or bathrooms.
Due to its germ-killing properties, hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean the kitchen and the bathroom. Just use diluted hydrogen peroxide to clean counter tops and cabinets, sinks and tubs, appliances and utensils. You can dilute the peroxide 50/50 with water and put in a spray bottle for this purpose.
Peroxide breaks down into hydrogen and water, leaving no toxic residue, whereas other cleaning products that contain bleach leave toxic elements in the environment.
Peroxide can be used to clean children’s indoor and outdoor toys—just be sure to rinse them thoroughly afterward.
Routine Household Cleaning
The most common uses of hydrogen peroxide in cleaning are:
- Three percent hydrogen peroxide is great for routine housework such as cleaning walls, grout, tiles, tubs, toilets, counter-tops, and other surface areas. (Be sure to test in small area before using to check for bleaching.)
- It can be effective in removing carpet stains and odors from pets, spills, vomit, blood, or other common mishaps.
- It can remove blood stains from white clothes and other items before these can set into the fiber. Soap and cold water are then used to remove both blood stains and hydrogen peroxide.
For normal stains, do not apply the hydrogen peroxide directly on clothes as its bleaching properties are often stronger than chlorine bleach. Instead, pour about a cup of hydrogen peroxide on a washer load to achieve cleaner-looking clothes that are also germ-free.
To clean fruits and vegetables of pesticide and herbicide residues, pour in salt and ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide into a container full of water. Use the resulting mixture to soak food before cooking and eating. Just remember to wash with cold water and drain after soaking them. This process also kills harmful bacteria like E. Coli. Alternatively, you can use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water to spray the fruits and vegetables. Don’t worry about flavor because hydrogen peroxide does not affect the foods’ taste and texture.
Skunk Spray!?
Wish we had known this one a few months ago. We can't guarantee this one but we can guarantee that the old stand-by of tomato juice does not work! Not on the dog, the human who was with the dog, or the clothes of the human who was with the dog!
It is said that if clothes have had the misfortune of being saturated with skunk odor, just mix in baking soda, hand soap and hydrogen peroxide. Soak the clothes for a few hours,wash as usual and the smelly residues will be removed.
These are just a few of the uses for hydrogen peroxide for the home. Again, stay safe by using 3 percent grade hydrogen peroxide at all times. Even then, keep it away from small children!
Tomorrow you will learn ways to use 3 percent hydrogen peroxide in your garden.
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