9 Surprising Uses For Hydrogen Peroxide

BrightNest
by BrightNest
Let’s play a word association game. When you hear “hydrogen peroxide,” what do you picture?
If it’s a first aid kit, you’re not alone. The vast majority of us keep hydrogen peroxide in the wings for scrape and bruise duty and kinda forget it exists 99% of the time. Tragedy! Hydrogen peroxide’s anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties make it one of the most valuable $2.00 purchases you can make at the drug store.
Here are 9 of our favorite uses:
1. Remove Wine Stains


Or blood stains or pit stains or pretty much any other stains! It may not whiten as quickly as bleach, but unlike bleach, there’s very little risk of damaging fabric. To do this, combine equal parts hydrogen peroxide and mild detergent in a bowl. Sponge the mixture onto the stain and let it sit for one minute. Then, blot the solution into the stain until it’s completely absorbed, and then wash the garment as you normally would.


2. Keep Kitchen Surfaces Clean


Hydrogen peroxide comes in a brown bottle because it’s extremely light sensitive. So leave it in the original bottle! Instead of transferring the liquid to another spray bottle, simply put a nozzle on the brown bottle from the store. Hold your hydrogen peroxide bottle in one hand and bottle of vinegar bottle in the other. Mist the surface you’d like to disinfect with the hydrogen peroxide and then follow up with a mist of the vinegar. Important: Don’t combine the two liquids into one bottle – they will form a new chemical if they’re combine that doesn’t work as well.


3. Refresh Sponges


You’ve done the dishes and everything is clean – except for the nasty sponge. Steep it in a cup of hydrogen peroxide to kill any lingering bacteria. Tip: Be sure to rinse it out thoroughly afterwards.


4. Clean Your Septic Tank


One in five American homes has a septic system. If you’re one of the special few, flush an ounce of hydrogen peroxide through your system every six months to keep it in working order.


5. Remove Mold From Plants


To remove mold from houseplants, mix a pint of water with five tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. Spray your plants with the solution to remove any mildew or mold on the leaves.


6. Clean Your Toothbrush


Once a week, soak your toothbrush in a cup of hydrogen peroxide to kill germs. If you’re feeling especially icky, clean it this way after every use.


7. Disinfect Fruits and Veggies


To do away with pesticides, fill your sink with cold water and a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide and wash your fruits and veggies.


8. Accelerate Plant Growth


To help your houseplants grow faster, soak seeds in a solution of 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide before planting.


9. Brighten Your Hair


If your hair is already pretty light and and you’d like to make your hair blonder, fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water, and spray your wet hair with it after a shower. Over time, your locks will lighten.


To see the full post, and to check out all of our great tips, please visit: http://bit.ly/1ximb3g
BrightNest
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Sue Kaminsky Sue Kaminsky on Sep 03, 2018

    calling foul on the septic tank idea , killing the bacteria is the last thing you want to do and that amount of peroxide would not clean any further than the trap

  • John John on Nov 13, 2018

    I read somewhere that putting hydrogen peroxide and hot water in a foot massage machine helps pull "TOXIC"

    substances from your body? Any truth to this?

    THANKS!

    • Suzanne Suzanne on Nov 14, 2022

      Yes! My dr suggested this to me after I got ATHLETES FOOT TWICE AND QUITE BAD I MUST SAY, ON MY HANDS AND FINGERS FROM MY NAIL SALON GUY NEVER WASHES HIS HANDS AFTER GIVING PEDICURES AND GOING DIRECTLY TO NEXT CLIENT, I NOTICED ( AFTER GETTING THE DIAGNOSIS FROM MY $125.00 DR VISIT AND TESTS! ) AT MY NEXT VISIT FOR MY TRI-WEEKLY MANICURES….

      My dr said he sees this ALL THE TIME AND TO CAREFULLY WATCH MY MANICURISTS! Ewwwwwww SO DISGUSTING, NO!??!

      He told me to 1. CHANGE SALONS IMMEDIATELY AS THEYRE NOT FOLLOWING SANITATION CODES SET OUT FOR THEM FOR JUST SET REASONS. He said to go have my nail tips and ALL residue removed! Go home, and daily soak my entire hands and wrists (after washing them with BLUE DAWN LIQUID SOAP TO REMOVE ALL OILS FRON MY HANDS AND SCRUB WITH A BRAND NEW, ALSO WASHED WELL IN DAWN ( BLUE ONE, WHY I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT HE SPECIFIED BLUE! ) then soak my hands for 25 minutes in straight up peroxide 70% or above strength. I added 2 cups of water but I don’t know why. It took like 3-dollar store brand bottles. Then to GENTLY pat them dry, ( DO NOT RINSE! ) wait 10 minutes and once every other day using all NEW peroxide ( flush used peroxide down toilet. DO NOT REUSE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE! Anyway, then gently wash my hands with (again, dollar store baby shampoo and rinse well, and pat dry. Then at bedtime apply an over the counter athletes foot cream on my hands every night till it went away but still continue doing the peroxide soak at least 4-6 times even if it seems gone. Apply and rub in athletes foot cream, and put on ( also from dollar store ) those night moisturizing gloves you wear overnight… EVERY NIGHT EVEN IF IT SEEMS GONE! ( I ALSO got the athletes foot cream at the dollar store… lol ) Till I’d finished all the peroxide soaks. It’s NOT COMFORTABLE OR FUN HAVING ATHLETES FOOT ON YOUR HANDS BY ANY MEANS!!! I did exactly what he said except adding the water the first time. I also went to 3 different salons and watched to see if THEY washed their hands WELL, NOT JUST A QUICK RINCE AND FOUND ONLY THE 3rd one had found all the workers washing their hands WELL between clients with ANTIBACTERIAL soap. I began going THERE and have NEVER had it again! I’m sorry this was such a LOOOONG answer but he said it, it cost me $$$$ but it worked! One note, even if you make an appointment at a salon to “check them out” I went EARLY for my appointments and watched ever worker, when I saw they were unsanitary even though the salons were spotless, I saw them NOT following state protocol on their hand washing, I got up, said I was feeling I’ll and left. Just saying… if you’re nervous about your nail tech OR NOT, at least watch next time because it is so uncomfortable having it on your fingers… also this is NOT MY GIVING PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE SO BE AWARE OF THAT RIGHT NOW PLEASE! ASK YOUR OWN PHYSICIANS ADVICE! He stated athletes foot infections can linger in your body for up to a year and can come back and doing what he told me SHOULD PULL OUT THE ROOT CAUSE OF IT THAT CAN STAY UNDERLYING IN YOUR SKIN LAYERS AND LINGER. SO, LONG STORY, NOT SHORT, lol, peroxide I guess COULD “pull out the toxins”. Personally, I have no idea but it worked and that’s all I cared about! One BONUS, it DID make my nails look quite white, like a French manicure look. Although I had to go without new tips for a couple weeks, they grew out healthy and nice and white and obviously CLEAN. AS A SIDE NOTE, HAVING IT ON YOUR HANDS MEANS YOU COULD SPREAD IT TOO TILL ITS COMPLETELY TREATED. JUST SAYING… sorry so long…

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