Wondering what the uses for hydrogen peroxide could be? Hydrogen peroxide is a colorless acid that has domestic, medical and industrial uses. For home use, however, the recommended grade is at 3 percent since stronger grades are used as rocket propellant and submarine fuel, among other industrial applications.
And even with domestic-friendly 35 percent food grade hydrogen peroxide, extreme care and caution must be exercised in handling, applying and storing it. You must store it in the refrigerator, dilute with water until it is at 3 percent grade, and apply in moderate doses. Otherwise, you can end up with skin burns that negate the beneficial peroxide uses.
Home Medicine Applications
As much as hospitals and ambulances have many uses for hydrogen peroxide to kill germs, so can you in your home. Usually, it is applied directly into the affected surface and/or skin although you can also spray it on like ambulance personnel do with their emergency vehicles.
On small wounds, directly apply an over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide solution at least three times a day. It ought to stop the bleeding and the oozing present in small wounds. You can also remove the dead skin tissues with it.
As an effective disinfectant for your toothbrushes, which harbor more germs than you can possibly imagine, keep them in 3 percent grade hydrogen peroxide. Alternatively, you can spray the toothbrush with said solution after every use.
When used at least two times a day as a teeth gargle, hydrogen peroxide can whiten teeth as well as make them free of bacteria and germs. Use a tablespoon of peroxide for every glass of water, swish for about a minute and rinse well with tap water afterwards. Just make sure to stick to 3 percent grade and dont swallow it!
Alternatively, mix hydrogen peroxide with baking soda until the desired consistency is achieved so as to form homemade but equally effective whitening toothpaste.
For fungi on the fingernails and toenails, just soak them in diluted hydrogen peroxide to kill off said fungi.
Prevent waxy buildup on the ears by using hydrogen peroxide. Tilt your head to expose the ear to be treated. Using an eye dropper, you should put 2-3 drops into the ear and allow it to settle for a several minutes. With a syringe filled with warm water, carefully flush the ear out. Then dry your ear using a soft dry cloth.
For dry spots of skin, just slowly apply hydrogen peroxide to the skin 2-3 times a day. Within a few days, dry spots will go away.
For your pets, a small dosage of hydrogen peroxide often induces vomiting in cases when toxic substances have been swallowed. Needless to say, when a human being swallows hydrogen peroxide, rush to the emergency room as soon as possible for professional care.
Again, it must be emphasized that only diluted hydrogen peroxide (3 percent grade, in fact) must be used on the skin. Otherwise, you can end up with severe skin damage that offsets peroxide uses.
Home Cleaning Uses For Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has antiseptic and oxidation properties best used in cleaning your homes. In fact, it is a greener substitute to using chemically-laden chlorine bleach! The most notable uses of hydrogen peroxide in cleaning are:
Remove blood stains from white clothes and other items before these can set into the fiber. Soap and cold water are then used to remove both blood stains and hydrogen peroxide.
For normal stains, dont apply the hydrogen peroxide directly on clothes as its bleaching properties are often stronger than chlorine bleach. Instead, pour about a cup of hydrogen peroxide on a washer load to achieve cleaner-looking clothes that are also germ-free.
For clothes that have been saturated with skunk odor, just mix in baking soda, hand soap and hydrogen peroxide. Soak the clothes for a few hours and wash as usual. The malodorous residues will then be removed.
To clean fruits and vegetables of pesticide and herbicide residues, pour in salt and ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide into a container full of water. Use the resulting mixture to soak food before cooking and eating. Just remember to wash with cold water and drain after soaking them. This process also kills harmful bacteria like E. Coli. Alternatively, you can use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water to spray the fruits and vegetables. Dont worry about flavor because hydrogen peroxide does not affect the foods taste and texture.
Due to its germ-killing properties, hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean the kitchen and the bathroom. Just use diluted hydrogen peroxide to clean countertops and cabinets, sinks and tubs, appliances and utensils. You can use the above-mentioned 50/50 spray for the purpose.
Indeed, for a very small amount of money, you and your family will have the health benefits of hydrogen peroxide! Just keep experimenting with safe peroxide uses and you might even come up with one of your own practical application.
Uses For Hydrogen Peroxide In The Garden
Uses for hydrogen peroxide outside of the house, gardeners keep it handy because of its horticultural values that include:
Spanish water, which is basically just a weak hydrogen peroxide solution, is used to treat root rot and to encourage root development. Although there is little scientific evidence to support the claim, gardeners swear by its anecdotal properties.
Mix an ounce of hydrogen peroxide with a cup of water, which can then be used as a green pest controller as well as a rich source of oxygen for your plants. Just spray whenever and wherever necessary.
If you have an aquarium in and outside the house, uses for hydrogen peroxide to control fungi present in fishes and their eggs. And since it has been classified safe for fish use by the Food and Drug Administration, you can be sure that your darling fishes will not die an untimely death. Use moderately for this purpose.
These are just a few of the uses for hydrogen peroxide for the home. Again, stay safe by using 3 percent grade hydrogen peroxide at all times. Even then, keep it away from small children!
