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Everyone is perhaps most familiar with hydrogen peroxide as the standard disinfectant for open wounds. What most people don’t know, however, is the fact that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can also be used in many other contexts thanks to its higher concentration of oxygen as compared to plain water (H2O).
Here are some other ways you can use hydrogen peroxide – as long as you make sure it’s a 3% concentration!
Personal Health
Destroy viruses by dropping three drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide in each ear. Let it try for 10 minutes, then drain your ears with water. This will help protect you from the flu and colds – and get rid of earwax. If you already have an ear infection, add 8 drops of hydrogen peroxide to cure it.
Kill airborne germs by mixing 1 pint of hydrogen peroxide with 1 gallon of water in a humidifier to disinfect your house.
Detox your body and eliminate boils by taking a bath with some hydrogen peroxide. Pour 1 cup of the solution into a tub of water. You can bathe for 30 minutes, but shower afterward!
Relieve toothaches and clean your mouth of bacteria by mixing some hydrogen peroxide with coconut oil and gargling the mixture. The antibacterial properties of this mixture will soothe your pains while destroying germs.
Clean open wounds – just like Mom did – by using a small cap of hydrogen peroxide directly on the wound.
Clean your skin and treat acne by washing your face with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Take care of your feet. Calluses, corns, and fungus on your feet can be treated by soaking them in equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and warm water. If you want to make a foot scrub, add half a cup of hydrogen peroxide to a bath and soak your feet in it for 30 minutes.
Protect yourself from getting swimmer’s ear by mixing a cap of hydrogen peroxide with some vinegar. Put a few drops of this into each ear after swimming, and you’ll be protected!
Keep your skin free of germs and mites by spraying some hydrogen peroxide onto your skin periodically. You can also use it as a hand sanitizer to keep your hands clean when you don’t have any soap.
Beauty
Whiten your teeth by brushing your teeth with normal toothpaste, and then mixing two teaspoons of water with one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. Gargle for a minute, then spit it out. Rinse your mouth with water afterward. Do this three times a week for best results.
Bleach your hair by using hydrogen peroxide as you would us any other bleaching product. You can also help reinforce existing highlights by spraying hydrogen peroxide onto your hair. Keep it on for 15 minutes and then rinse off.
In the Kitchen
Clean your vegetables and fruit of pesticides by soaking them in a bowl with three cups of water and just a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes. Rinse them well afterward!
Wash dishes, cutting boards, sponges, dishrags, and even countertops with hydrogen peroxide. You can spray hydrogen peroxide on these surfaces, or soak the items that can be submerged in water in hydrogen peroxide to get rid of germs quickly and effectively. Take care to rinse each of these things with plain water before using it again. This is also a great way to get rid of funky smells.
Keep your refrigerator clean as well by using hydrogen peroxide as a spray to wipe down the inside of your fridge.
Get rid of burnt food on your pots and pans by mixing hydrogen peroxide with baking soda until it forms a paste. Scrub it on the crusted areas, let it sit for a couple minutes, then clean with warm water until it’s bright and new again.
Around the House
Bleach your laundry by adding one cup of hydrogen peroxide to the washing machine and let your load soak for 30 minutes before you wash it in the normal cycle. If your stains continue to stick, mix one part dish detergent with two parts hydrogen peroxide and apply it directly to the stains. Just take care not to bleach your darker clothes!
If your laundry smells bad, you can also mix hydrogen peroxide with white vinegar to get rid of odors. Wash your clothes as usual afterward, and everything should be good as new.
The same logic you apply for your laundry can also go for your carpeting. Spray some diluted hydrogen peroxide onto your carpets to clean it – but don’t use concentrated hydrogen peroxide for fear of bleaching!
Clean containers like lunchboxes or reusable shopping bags by spraying the inside with hydrogen peroxide before wiping clean or rinsing.
Hydrogen peroxide can also be used to clean germs and mold off various other surfaces and items in the house, like the humidifier, tiles, bathtubs, toilets, grouts, windows, and even children’s toys. Mix ½ a cup of hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water and pour it into containers and let soak. On surfaces, you can spray hydrogen peroxide on before wiping it clean.
In the Garden
Protect your plants from mold and other dangers by watering them with a mixture of 32 parts water and one part hydrogen peroxide. This will make them stronger and more resistant to dangers.
Regardless of how you use hydrogen peroxide, please be sure to consult a certified professional source if you’re ever uncertain of the dangers it might pose to yourself and your family.
