Put Peroxide to Work in Your Home
Posted: Saturday, July 31, 2010
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
The most versatile product in your bathroom, medicine cabinet, kitchen or laundry is the hardworking over-the-counter bottle of peroxide. The price isn't bad either - it costs a mere $1.00 per bottle.
Our household first heard about the benefits of Peroxide in an email several years ago. Over time, we tried some of the hints and we found other uses; we now swear by Peroxide and recommend it - This bottled concoction packs a lot of power!
1. In the kitchen--
Use peroxide to disinfect kitchen counters, all cabinet surfaces, refrigerators and even stove tops - use it on any surface that harbors germs and bacteria - use it to sanitize sinks, dishwashers, table surfaces. It destroys bacteria, kills germs and leaves surfaces fresh and clean. To wipe, put peroxide directly on sponge, dishrag or paper towel and apply full strength. To apply as spray, put small amount of peroxide into a little spray bottle and spritz.
Clean cutting boards and rinse. Then pour on undiluted Peroxide straight from the bottle to destroy bacteria, especially salmonella.
2. In the bathroom--
Mix regular Peroxide half and half with water. Put into a spray bottle. Use it whenever you want to freshen up or disinfect the tub, sink and toilet and don't worry about overuse - unlike repeated use of bleach or chemicals, Peroxide will not harm plumbing or septic systems.
Pour Peroxide into your bath water to eliminate patches of fungus on your skin or toes, and to get rid of boils and simple skin conditions. It eases the itch and blisters from poison ivy, heat rash and mild skin infections. The Old Gray Mare cautions, however, that any skin condition that persists for several days should be treated by a physician.
Clean hairbrushes, combs, tweezers with Peroxide to keep them germ free.
3. As a mouthwash--
Hold about a single capful (one teaspoon) in your mouth, swish and spit. It is most effective when used twice daily, each time for about 5 to 10 minutes. The taste is rather blah, but not unpleasant. In no time at all, it sets to work on mouth bacteria, food remnants and impurities. You'll be aware of a gentle foaming. Presto - Clean mouth and clean teeth, perhaps even whiter teeth with repeat usage! It is safe to use in lieu of mouthwash or rinse.
4. To clean toothbrushes--
Leave toothbrushes sanitized and germ free. Soak them in 1/3 cup undiluted Peroxide, or just enough to cover the toothbrush head.
5. For toothaches--
Put full-strength Peroxide to work in your mouth. Hold it for at least 9 to 12 minutes. Repeat in intervals throughout the day until you can get to the dentist. Peroxide will not cure your toothache but your pain will moderate.
6. For fungal foot infection--
Apply full-strength Peroxide on and between toes morning and evening. Allow to dry thoroughly (let dry on skin for best benefit). Symptoms should markedly decrease. Follow up with half/half Peroxide and water mixture for several more days.
7. To heal infected cuts, blisters--
Soak the infection, cut, or blister in full-strength Peroxide several times daily; soak 10 minutes or slightly longer each time. (Use clean gauze soaked thoroughly in Peroxide for hard-to treat areas.)
8. To combat colds--
Feel like you are getting a cold - at first hint of a cold, mix Peroxide and water in equal parts and spray into nostrils to combat germs. Permit the liquid to bubble and do its cleansing and disinfecting magic. Then blow one nostril at a time to remove remaining liquid. Repeat if necessary.
To combat stuffy sinus--
Spritz half and half water and Peroxide into nostrils and let bubble. Blow out and feel refreshed with cleaner air passages.
9. In the laundry-
Add Peroxide to your white laundry. Use one cup to one load for best whitening power - this is less destructive to your clothes than the same amount of bleach and is equally effective, but without the odor.
Rid blood stains from clothing with Peroxide. Pour in full strength on the stain, permit soaking in and let sit. After several minutes, rinse in cold water. It may be necessary to repeat.
There are lots of additional uses for Peroxide, but we can all agree that this "powerhouse in a bottle" is a must-have staple in the home.
This article, recipes, and horse interest & care articles by The Old Gray Mare and can be found on www.DressYourHorse.com.
Extra Tips:
- We have used Peroxide to rinse our hair to add light streaks, wash windows, wash car dashboards, bicycle seats, telephone handsets, door knobs and much more.
- Our general rule of use for Peroxide is "If you want to sanitize it, use Peroxide."
- Peroxide is tried and true on wounds.
- The Old Gray Mare does not keep the bottle uncapped, throws away unused spray after a reasonable period of time, and does not use the cap to measure and then take contents for mouthwash--the cap should not be contaminated.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)I had no idea Peroxide had so many uses, and have always thought of it as quite dangerous! Thanks for all these tips.Thanks for reading and for the comment. The tips are too good not to share - we use Peroxide in so many ways here. Especially with the animals and everything
I use white vinegar for the same results....could not live without it in a spray bottle. It's very safe for small children and animals whereas, I am not so certain about peroxide but use it from some things. SuzyI appreciate the tip for white vinegar. My mother used white vinegar for many things around the house - I had quite forgotten that. Thanks too for the comment.
Hi OGM.I thought that hydrogen peroxide was really only of use against anaerobic pathogens; bacteria that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. You know like those that cause tetanus and gangrene. So, I'll have to check into its efficacy with the aerobic bacteria.But, we've used it for years to get bloodstains out of clothing. It works like magic for that. And we've used it as a mouth wash. Didn't know it would work on foot fungus. I'll have to keep that in mind. Not sure you could get me to spray it into my nose though. :)DianneI'm suffering from the duh's tonight - keep forgetting to hit save and, presto, lose my comment. Here goes again - thanks for stopping to read and comment. I'm not well informed about the anaerobic and aerobic - with/without oxygen bacteria - tried it when I had my blood poisoning fiasco several weeks ago on the ooze from the external infection. Of course, it bubbled and fizzed and could not touch it. I was way too far gone - had I used it when the teeny tiny abrasion occurred to my knee, then it would have helped. Anyhow, I find it super useful and mostly use it in the ways I have described in the article. I'm not sure it will work on toenail fungus because it cannot reach the fungus properly - but I'd use it on athlete's foot and for cleansing purposes. Horsemen have used Peroxide on equine hoof thrush - better though is using Lysol spray for mild cases. Works like a charm.
Fantastic ideas! I'll be trying a few of these out myself soon. Off to the store to buy a few bottles.It's such a humble inexpensive thing and I'd rather use Peroxide for some household cleaning and so forth than bleach or purchased stuff. I'm cautious in what I use and I've learned to like Peroxide.
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