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You may have a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinets for cleaning and disinfecting wounds, but have you ever used peroxide to clean your home? This mixture of water and oxygen can be a handy tool in your household cleaning arsenal as well, due to its disinfecting and deodorizing properties. It is often times overlooked as a cleaner by those who favor other ingredients such as baking soda and vinegar, but peroxide definitely has its place as a non-toxic cleaner in your home as well. Here are 10 ways that you can use peroxide to clean.
One word of warning! This article mentions spraying peroxide a lot. If you are going to transfer your peroxide to a spray bottle, you must not use a see-through bottle! When light hits the peroxide, it will create a chemical reaction that will cause your peroxide to become water…and that wouldn’t be quite so effective for cleaning, would it? So use a solid spray bottle that won’t let the light degrade your peroxide! Some stores sell peroxide in spray bottles, which is really handy!
As a bleach alternative in the laundry
Peroxide bleaches more than just hair….it’s bleaching properties work really well to brighten whites as well. One little-known fact is that the popular laundry additive Oxiclean
is really nothing more than a mixture of washing soda and powdered hydrogen peroxide. All you need to do is to add 1/2 to 1 cup of peroxide to your washing machine. Add your clothing, and detergent and wash normally. Peroxide is not color-safe for clothing, so it is recommended that you use it on white and light-colored clothing only. Peroxide is safer to use than bleach and will not cause the slight yellowing or graying that using bleach often does.
Mildew remover
If you hate unsightly mildew stains in your tub or shower, then peroxide can help to kill it. Spray peroxide on the mildew stains (it is a good idea to use rubber gloves while dealing with the peroxide and mold). Allow it to sit for a few minutes. Use a scrub brush to scrub the mildew stain. Reapply if necessary, then rinse when finished.
Disinfect your cutting board
If you have a wood cutting board
and are concerned about sterilizing it after cutting meat and seafood, then peroxide is the perfect solution! After washing your board with water and detergent, spray or wipe on peroxide and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with hot water.
Stain remover
Peroxide is great for removing stains on clothing….particularly difficult to treat stains, such as blood and red wine. Just spray a little on the stain, rub it in and wash the garment as directed. Do not use peroxide to treat stains on silk, wool, or dry-clean-only clothing. If you are concerned about color safety on a particular garment, then you can do a dab test on an inside seam. Since you are not allowing this to be set for too long, it should not be a problem for most garments.
Carpet stains
Did someone spill grape juice all over your nice beige carpet? Yikes!! Well, peroxide can help to get that stain out! Blot away any excess liquid. Spray or pour on some peroxide and then blot that until the stain is lifted. Once again, do a color-safe test in an inconspicuous place first! This works well for grass, blood, juice, chocolate, mud, and ink stains.
Toilet bowl cleaner
Everyone wants a clean, germ-free toilet bowl. For cleaning the bowl, simply mix 1 cup of peroxide into your toilet bowl and allow it to sit for 20-30 minutes (you can also spray some under the rim if you wish). Scrub the bowl with a toilet bowl brush thoroughly and flush! It’s that simple!
Cleaning drains
Do you have a sink drain that is a little sluggish? Do you have a kitchen sink drain that is a little smelly? Peroxide can help with both of these issues! Pour a cup of baking soda into the drain and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes. Add a cup of peroxide down the drain and allow that to sit for at least 30 minutes. The fizzing action of the baking soda and peroxide will eat away at the sludge that is causing your drain to be sluggish. Rinse with very hot water. You may need to repeat this process again to fully remove all of the gunk!
Dishwasher booster
Add 2 tbsp of peroxide to your dishwasher detergent for extra cleaning and disinfecting boost. It will also help to kill any mold that is trying to build up in your dishwasher!
Clean floors
To clean and disinfect vinyl, treated hardwood, and tile floors, simply mix 1 cup of peroxide with one gallon of hot water. This will help to sterilize your floors and will help to clean the grout between your tiles as well!
To clean mirrors
Use one part peroxide and one part water and spray the mixture on your mirror. Wipe off thoroughly and see it shine!
