Various uses of Hydrogen peroxide at home and bathroom
1. Disinfect Reusable Shopping Bags
You’re doing your part to help reduce your carbon footprint and cut down on disposable items. That’s why you have those handy reusable shopping bags in the car or kitchen for every time you go to the store. But you should be treating them just as you would any other surface that comes in close contact with food. Germs can be left behind and those breed dangerous bacteria. Use hydrogen peroxide to clean the inside of reusable shopping bags to make sure all those pesky germs are taken care of.
2. Disinfect Your Refrigerator
Every once in a while the cleaning bug hits you and you do a deep clean of the household refrigerator. It’s so easy to miss little spills and other food stuffs that might get left behind in there, which can harden and become difficult to clean, but also breed nasty bacteria. While soap and water is the obvious answer, you should also wipe everything down with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and warm water to help kill all the germs the soap might not eradicate.
3. Brighten Yellowed Curtains or Tablecloths
If your bright, white curtains or tablecloths aren’t looking so bright or white anymore (or have maybe incurred a couple stains over the years), you can bust out the trusty hydrogen peroxide to help return them to their original luster. If you’re just doing some spot cleaning on the fabric, just wipe down the affected areas with the peroxide and it should help remove the stains. If the entire fabric is in need of help, you can throw them into the washing machine and add hydrogen peroxide to the washer to help brighten up those household items.
4. Remove Blood Stains
Stained clothing can be a real pain in the butt. You never know when something might drop from the kitchen table or a mishap can cause a cut that gets all over your clothes. Blood stains are some of the hardest to get rid of on any article of clothing (unless it’s black, we guess). But hydrogen peroxide is there to help. Add some hydrogen peroxide to the area of blood stain and allow it to set for several minutes. Then wash under some warm water with detergent or soap. It might take an attempt or two, but the hydrogen peroxide should help lift the stain.
5. Freshen Your Towels
Even though you’re using your towel to dry off after your bath or shower, it’s still accumulating plenty of dead skin cells. And those dead skin cells find their way into the fibers of your tool and begin to decay. While a regular wash certainly helps, it won’t always get all those little cells out of the towels, or the bacteria that decaying cells produce. That’s why it’s recommended that every so often you add 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide and another 1/2 cup of vinegar to your load of towels. This will help get rid of any bacteria and the stale smells that come with it.
6. Remove Airborne Germs
Here’s a truly ingenious hydrogen peroxide hack. As you’ve noticed, hydrogen peroxide does wonders when it comes to killing germs and bacteria. But you usually have to spray it onto a specific surface for it to work its magic. But what about germs floating about in the air? Well, hydrogen peroxide can attack them too. If you have a humidifier, you can add create a one-to-eight mixture (one pint per gallon) of hydrogen peroxide and water in your humidifier. Add in a few drops of lavender essential oils and the steam will cleanse your air and provide a soothing scent around the house.
7. Deodorize Shoes
The Farmer’s Almanac has a nifty hack for deodorizing those old shoes using some hydrogen peroxide. As hydrogen peroxide oxidizes, it can also help to break down the bacteria that causes bad odors. You can mix the hydrogen peroxide with baking soda to make a paste and put it into your shoes. Allow it to dry and remove the dried baking soda. It should help break down those odors, but might require a few treatments to really make a dent in the smell if the shoes are…um…quite ripe, as they say.
8. Detox in the Bath
Another handy hack for when you’re feeling under the weather is to detox. If you can kill as many germs and bacteria on your body, it’ll help fight off any illness faster. Taking a detoxifying bath is a great way to clean your skin. Add hydrogen peroxide to your warm bath water and soak in the tub for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, rinse off in the shower or rerun your bath water. The hydrogen peroxide will help clear your skin and wash those terrible toxins away.
9. Tackle Tough Grout
One of the dirty things that always sneaks up on us in our house is the bathroom tile. The grout so gradually changes color that it often goes unnoticed for likely months before you look one day and just say, “Yuck!” Well, hydrogen peroxide is there to save the day. Most likely, the grout is becoming discolored from mold, and we know how great hydrogen peroxide is at clearing mold and other bacteria. So, whip up a mixture of hydrogen peroxide with a little water and lemon. Spray the grout and allow it to set. You’ll need to work some elbow grease, but that grout should shine much easier than if you had just used soap and water.
10. Clean Dehumidifiers
Back to mold for just a sec. It loves moist, damp surfaces and areas. What could be more damp than the inside of your humidifier or dehumidifier? The two home appliances can rack up some mold quicker than you’d think. What can you do?
The answer is simple: add some peroxide to the water in the tank every now and again. As it cycles through the device, it’ll clean the mold out.
11. DIY Pesticide
While we all love the summertime, it’s also the time of year when we remember how annoying some pests can be. Whether it’s mosquitoes attracted to our blood or ants attracted to that juice spill that wasn’t thoroughly cleaned, the little bugs are a nuisance. You can create an all-natural, DIY “pesticide” with just some water and hydrogen peroxide. Add some peroxide to a spray bottle full of water and spray the solution wherever required. It’ll help keep bugs away.
12. Kill Household Mold
Not only is mold unsightly and gross, but it can cause so many different health problems, too. Depending on the severity of your mold problem, you may need to call in some specialists.
But if you recognize what you see as your average, run-of-the-mill household mold, you can use some hydrogen peroxide to get rid of it — and treat the area to prevent mold from growing in the future!
13. Make Your Dishwasher More Efficient
Sure, dishwashers are great in theory — when they work! But if you don’t take care of your dishwasher, clean it regularly, and stay up to date on its maintenance, your dishes will come out less than lustrous. Before you run off to buy every product on the planet, give this hydrogen peroxide hack a try.
Add a few drops of peroxide to your regular dishwasher detergent, and your dishes will come out cleaner than ever. It’s that simple.
14. Clean Mirrors
It’s amazing that there are so many different glass cleaning solutions on the market when you can get the job done — superbly, nonetheless — using products you already have on hand at home.
To use hydrogen peroxide to get streak-free, shining mirrors, simply spray it onto the mirrors and wipe it off with a paper towel, ideally going in a circular motion. If you have particularly dirty mirrors, you may need to use a bit more peroxide and elbow grease.
15. Bleach Alternative
Bleach is a household staple, good for cleaning everything from floors and appliances to your fabrics, but man, does it smell! And it’s probably not great for the environment, either. Not to mention, if you have sensitive skin, it can be a real irritant.
Don’t abandon hope for having sparkly whites just yet, though. You can whip up a bleach alternative with just two household ingredients — hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice!
16. Bathroom Cleaner
Peroxide is great for disinfecting countertops and other areas of your bathroom. All you really need is peroxide, water, and a spray bottle.
Mix equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle, spray it onto the areas you want to clean, and scrub or wipe them down.
17. Laundry Helper
Raise your hand if you hate those pesky yellow armpit stains on your precious white shirts! Well, on second thought, maybe don’t raise your hands … Anyway, you probably know that bleach is not the answer. So, what is? You probably guessed by now, but yes, hydrogen peroxide can help.
Combine two parts hydrogen peroxide with one part Dawn dishwashing liquid and let the solution sit for at least an hour. Then just spray it on the stain and scrub, scrub, scrub. You can add some baking soda for heavier duty staining.
18. Carpet Cleaner
Is your carpet in need of a little love? You can clean it up with just three ingredients — hydrogen peroxide, lemon essential oil, and water.
Mix two parts water with one part hydrogen peroxide and five drops of lemon essential oil. Make sure you use a dark bottle (like the one peroxide comes in). Shake it up and it’s ready to go. Just spray it on the stained carpet, let it sit for a minute or two, and then use a brush to scrub the stains out. This solution works on upholstery, too, and you can repeat the process a few times until you get your carpet and fabrics squeaky clean!
19. Plant Revitalizer
Do you try really hard to have a green thumb, but no matter what you do your plants keep succumbing to fungus? You can create an all-natural, DIY germicide with just some water and hydrogen peroxide. Add some peroxide to a spray bottle full of water and spray the solution onto the wet soil after you water the plants. You can just let it soak right in and it should help prevent any unwanted fungus from harming your plant and taking the nutrients it needs.
You’re doing your part to help reduce your carbon footprint and cut down on disposable items. That’s why you have those handy reusable shopping bags in the car or kitchen for every time you go to the store. But you should be treating them just as you would any other surface that comes in close contact with food. Germs can be left behind and those breed dangerous bacteria. Use hydrogen peroxide to clean the inside of reusable shopping bags to make sure all those pesky germs are taken care of.
2. Disinfect Your Refrigerator
Every once in a while the cleaning bug hits you and you do a deep clean of the household refrigerator. It’s so easy to miss little spills and other food stuffs that might get left behind in there, which can harden and become difficult to clean, but also breed nasty bacteria. While soap and water is the obvious answer, you should also wipe everything down with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and warm water to help kill all the germs the soap might not eradicate.
3. Brighten Yellowed Curtains or Tablecloths
If your bright, white curtains or tablecloths aren’t looking so bright or white anymore (or have maybe incurred a couple stains over the years), you can bust out the trusty hydrogen peroxide to help return them to their original luster. If you’re just doing some spot cleaning on the fabric, just wipe down the affected areas with the peroxide and it should help remove the stains. If the entire fabric is in need of help, you can throw them into the washing machine and add hydrogen peroxide to the washer to help brighten up those household items.
4. Remove Blood Stains
Stained clothing can be a real pain in the butt. You never know when something might drop from the kitchen table or a mishap can cause a cut that gets all over your clothes. Blood stains are some of the hardest to get rid of on any article of clothing (unless it’s black, we guess). But hydrogen peroxide is there to help. Add some hydrogen peroxide to the area of blood stain and allow it to set for several minutes. Then wash under some warm water with detergent or soap. It might take an attempt or two, but the hydrogen peroxide should help lift the stain.
5. Freshen Your Towels
Even though you’re using your towel to dry off after your bath or shower, it’s still accumulating plenty of dead skin cells. And those dead skin cells find their way into the fibers of your tool and begin to decay. While a regular wash certainly helps, it won’t always get all those little cells out of the towels, or the bacteria that decaying cells produce. That’s why it’s recommended that every so often you add 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide and another 1/2 cup of vinegar to your load of towels. This will help get rid of any bacteria and the stale smells that come with it.
6. Remove Airborne Germs
Here’s a truly ingenious hydrogen peroxide hack. As you’ve noticed, hydrogen peroxide does wonders when it comes to killing germs and bacteria. But you usually have to spray it onto a specific surface for it to work its magic. But what about germs floating about in the air? Well, hydrogen peroxide can attack them too. If you have a humidifier, you can add create a one-to-eight mixture (one pint per gallon) of hydrogen peroxide and water in your humidifier. Add in a few drops of lavender essential oils and the steam will cleanse your air and provide a soothing scent around the house.
7. Deodorize Shoes
The Farmer’s Almanac has a nifty hack for deodorizing those old shoes using some hydrogen peroxide. As hydrogen peroxide oxidizes, it can also help to break down the bacteria that causes bad odors. You can mix the hydrogen peroxide with baking soda to make a paste and put it into your shoes. Allow it to dry and remove the dried baking soda. It should help break down those odors, but might require a few treatments to really make a dent in the smell if the shoes are…um…quite ripe, as they say.
8. Detox in the Bath
Another handy hack for when you’re feeling under the weather is to detox. If you can kill as many germs and bacteria on your body, it’ll help fight off any illness faster. Taking a detoxifying bath is a great way to clean your skin. Add hydrogen peroxide to your warm bath water and soak in the tub for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, rinse off in the shower or rerun your bath water. The hydrogen peroxide will help clear your skin and wash those terrible toxins away.
9. Tackle Tough Grout
One of the dirty things that always sneaks up on us in our house is the bathroom tile. The grout so gradually changes color that it often goes unnoticed for likely months before you look one day and just say, “Yuck!” Well, hydrogen peroxide is there to save the day. Most likely, the grout is becoming discolored from mold, and we know how great hydrogen peroxide is at clearing mold and other bacteria. So, whip up a mixture of hydrogen peroxide with a little water and lemon. Spray the grout and allow it to set. You’ll need to work some elbow grease, but that grout should shine much easier than if you had just used soap and water.
10. Clean Dehumidifiers
Back to mold for just a sec. It loves moist, damp surfaces and areas. What could be more damp than the inside of your humidifier or dehumidifier? The two home appliances can rack up some mold quicker than you’d think. What can you do?
The answer is simple: add some peroxide to the water in the tank every now and again. As it cycles through the device, it’ll clean the mold out.
11. DIY Pesticide
While we all love the summertime, it’s also the time of year when we remember how annoying some pests can be. Whether it’s mosquitoes attracted to our blood or ants attracted to that juice spill that wasn’t thoroughly cleaned, the little bugs are a nuisance. You can create an all-natural, DIY “pesticide” with just some water and hydrogen peroxide. Add some peroxide to a spray bottle full of water and spray the solution wherever required. It’ll help keep bugs away.
12. Kill Household Mold
Not only is mold unsightly and gross, but it can cause so many different health problems, too. Depending on the severity of your mold problem, you may need to call in some specialists.
But if you recognize what you see as your average, run-of-the-mill household mold, you can use some hydrogen peroxide to get rid of it — and treat the area to prevent mold from growing in the future!
13. Make Your Dishwasher More Efficient
Sure, dishwashers are great in theory — when they work! But if you don’t take care of your dishwasher, clean it regularly, and stay up to date on its maintenance, your dishes will come out less than lustrous. Before you run off to buy every product on the planet, give this hydrogen peroxide hack a try.
Add a few drops of peroxide to your regular dishwasher detergent, and your dishes will come out cleaner than ever. It’s that simple.
14. Clean Mirrors
It’s amazing that there are so many different glass cleaning solutions on the market when you can get the job done — superbly, nonetheless — using products you already have on hand at home.
To use hydrogen peroxide to get streak-free, shining mirrors, simply spray it onto the mirrors and wipe it off with a paper towel, ideally going in a circular motion. If you have particularly dirty mirrors, you may need to use a bit more peroxide and elbow grease.
15. Bleach Alternative
Bleach is a household staple, good for cleaning everything from floors and appliances to your fabrics, but man, does it smell! And it’s probably not great for the environment, either. Not to mention, if you have sensitive skin, it can be a real irritant.
Don’t abandon hope for having sparkly whites just yet, though. You can whip up a bleach alternative with just two household ingredients — hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice!
16. Bathroom Cleaner
Peroxide is great for disinfecting countertops and other areas of your bathroom. All you really need is peroxide, water, and a spray bottle.
Mix equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle, spray it onto the areas you want to clean, and scrub or wipe them down.
17. Laundry Helper
Raise your hand if you hate those pesky yellow armpit stains on your precious white shirts! Well, on second thought, maybe don’t raise your hands … Anyway, you probably know that bleach is not the answer. So, what is? You probably guessed by now, but yes, hydrogen peroxide can help.
Combine two parts hydrogen peroxide with one part Dawn dishwashing liquid and let the solution sit for at least an hour. Then just spray it on the stain and scrub, scrub, scrub. You can add some baking soda for heavier duty staining.
18. Carpet Cleaner
Is your carpet in need of a little love? You can clean it up with just three ingredients — hydrogen peroxide, lemon essential oil, and water.
Mix two parts water with one part hydrogen peroxide and five drops of lemon essential oil. Make sure you use a dark bottle (like the one peroxide comes in). Shake it up and it’s ready to go. Just spray it on the stained carpet, let it sit for a minute or two, and then use a brush to scrub the stains out. This solution works on upholstery, too, and you can repeat the process a few times until you get your carpet and fabrics squeaky clean!
19. Plant Revitalizer
Do you try really hard to have a green thumb, but no matter what you do your plants keep succumbing to fungus? You can create an all-natural, DIY germicide with just some water and hydrogen peroxide. Add some peroxide to a spray bottle full of water and spray the solution onto the wet soil after you water the plants. You can just let it soak right in and it should help prevent any unwanted fungus from harming your plant and taking the nutrients it needs.