Somewhere in your house, there is a little brown bottle of hydrogen peroxide. It may be near your first aid kit or even under a bathroom sink. Maybe you haven’t seen it in a while and you have no idea where it is, but after reading this article you’re going to want to dig it out from hiding.
Hydrogen peroxide has commonly been used as a disinfectant for minor cuts and scrapes, but there are many more health, beauty, and household ways in which you can benefit from using hydrogen peroxide. From cleaning methods to simple self-care actions, our list on hydrogen peroxide benefits has you covered.
Health and Beauty Benefits
1. Detoxifying Baths
According to alternative therapy practitioners, adding half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to a warm bath can help detoxify the body. Although there are a few skeptics to this claim, a bath is always a nice way to relax and the addition of hydrogen peroxide will leave you squeaky clean! Bonus: it’ll also help clean your tub. Double win!
2. Whiten Fingernails
If you’re one to paint your nails a lot, you’ve probably noticed that your nails can yellow over time. You can get rid of the yellow tinge easily by applying a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide to each affected nail. Let them sit for a few minutes until the stains disappear. Make sure to apply a lotion or cuticle cream afterwards, since hydrogen peroxide can be rough on skin.
3. Take Care of Your Feet
Soak your feet in a tub filled with equal parts hydrogen peroxide and warm water to soften calluses and kill fungi. Along with keeping your feet healthy and smooth, this method will also eliminate unpleasant foot odors. How cool is that?
4. Canker Sores
No one enjoys having a canker sore. When you start to feel canker sores develop, swish equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water around your mouth for approximately 30 seconds. Rinse your mouth with water when you’re finished. Many people believe this simple treatment will help cure canker sores faster, because the hydrogen peroxide acts as a sterilizer that attacks the canker sore, which is vulnerable to becoming infected.
5. Lighten Hair
Sometimes hair can appear dull and need a little pick-me-up. No worries, you can DIY at home with hydrogen peroxide! Pour equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water into an empty spray bottle and apply some spritzes to damp hair. Add a few drops of lemon juice if need be. Use your blow dryer or sit in the sun to allow your hair to dry, as the heat will intensify the effects. But keep in mind: hydrogen peroxide will dry out your hair. Be sure to follow up with a good conditioning treatment.
6. Wound Disinfectant
The next time you skin your knee, gently dab the injured area with hydrogen peroxide. It may sting a little bit, but it will also clean and disinfect the area. After the wound is clean, stick on a bandage to protect it. Use sparingly, hydrogen peroxide can be harsh for sensitive, exposed skin and can risk scarring.
7. Ear Wax Remover
Generally, your ears make just enough wax to protect the ear canal. Sometimes, your ears may produce more wax than usual. It can happen. Although it isn’t medically necessary to remove this wax, you may wish to do so. You can use hydrogen peroxide to remove ear wax. Use a solution of 3% with olive or almond oil. Add a couple drops of oil first then hydrogen peroxide. After a few minutes, tilt head to remove solution and wax.
8. Acne
You can use hydrogen peroxide to treat acne at a fraction of the cost of the expensive treatments available at your local store. Simply dab your clean face with a cotton ball moistened with hydrogen peroxide and let your skin dry for about five minutes before rinsing it off. This helps keep acne causing bacteria at bay while also treating acne that has already surfaced.
Household Uses
9. Clean Pots And Pans
Hydrogen peroxide can work wonders in the kitchen and clean hard-to-tackle messes. Make a paste using a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to remove burnt, caked-on food that has been left on on your pots and pans. You can also scrub your pots and pans with hydrogen peroxide to clean and brighten them. This can help old pots appear brand new!
10. Disinfect Your Tooth Brushes
Tooth brushes can easily collect bacteria that floats around your bathroom, especially if you store your toothbrush a few feet from the toilet. Pour hydrogen peroxide over your toothbrushes on a periodic basis to kill bacteria and protect your dental and overall physical health. This is something you can do after being sick to prevent germs from spreading as well.
11. Remove Soap Scum And Mildew
No matter how often you clean your tub or shower, soap scum can still build up and the dingy grit can be difficult to remove. But simply spray the area with hydrogen peroxide, let it sit for a half hour, and give it a good wipe — the results should be much more effective with hydrogen peroxide. This will also rid your tub of mold and mildew!
12. Clean Mirrors
Many people don’t like the streaks and smell left behind by some commercial window cleaners. Hydrogen peroxide is cheaper and doesn’t have those unpleasant side effects. It also helps kill germs that may be floating around your bathroom that you don’t know about.
13. Clean Your Kitchen Counters
You probably wipe down your kitchen counters on a regular basis, but when was the last time you disinfected them? To give your kitchen counters a much needed disinfection, use a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and remove stains from your countertops. Wipe thoroughly with a damp cloth when you’re done. Dry with a circular motion to avoid leaving behind streaks.
14. Clean Contact Lenses
Instead of purchasing an expensive bottle of contact solution from the store, soak your contact lenses in hydrogen peroxide to remove protein deposits. Many contact solutions have hydrogen peroxide bases anyway, so cut down on the cost.
15. Disinfect Children’s Toys
Small children are always putting things in their mouths, especially their toys. The same toys they drag all over the house and yard and let the dog lick once in a while. You know, toys that have been places no toy should ever go. To disinfect toys, wipe them down with hydrogen peroxide to make sure they’re clean, healthy, and safe for your little ones to play with (and chew on).
This would be a great cleaning item to add to a classroom for wipe downs. Be sure to keep out of reach of children.
16. Clean Grout
Brighten and clean dingy, discolored grout by applying hydrogen peroxide directly to the area. Similar to its use as a toilet cleaner, the hydrogen peroxide will sanitize the surface and make it look sparklingly clean. Let the hydrogen peroxide sit for two to three hours before you begin scrubbing the area with a toothbrush for the best results.
17. Clean Your Toilet
Why spend big bucks on toilet cleaner when you can keep your toilet sparkling clean for a fraction of the cost? To clean your toilet, pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the bowl, let it sit 20 minutes, then scrub it clean with a stiff toilet brush as you would with any other toilet cleaner. This can also help whiten the toilet bowl.
18. Whiten And Brighten Your Laundry
Hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent. Add a cup to your next load of whites to help keep them be bright and fresh. This will also help remove body odors and dingy, yellow spots that might be lingering on your clothing. It also helps remove blood stains from clothing.
19. Wash Fruit And Vegetables
Many of the fruits and vegetables you purchase at your local supermarket are coated with dirt, wax, and chemicals. Give them a quick scrub with hydrogen peroxide and rinse thoroughly to make sure the food you’re feeding your family is healthy and safe.
20. Clean Your Wood Or Bamboo Cutting Board
Most chefs prefer wood and bamboo cutting boards over the plastic variety. They’re natural, beautiful, and easier on their knives. But one of the disadvantages of a wood cutting board is that you can’t run it through the dishwasher because it will ruin and warp.
This means you’re left to find another way to sanitize that surface you just used to cut raw chicken. Simply pour hydrogen peroxide over your wood or bamboo cutting board and watch it fizz and pop as it works its magic, eliminating germs and bacteria. Let your cutting board sit a few minutes when you’re through. Then be sure to wipe it dry with a clean sponge and you’re all set!
So, do you know where your bottle of hydrogen peroxide is? The next time you’re at the store, grab a couple more bottles. Your house and your wallet will thank you.
