We use our makeup brushes every day without thinking about cleaning them, which is kind of gross. They can absorb oil, bacteria, and they also collect dead skin cells.
To clean them safely, combine 7-8 drops of mild shampoo, 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, 2 tablespoons of warm water, and soak the brushes for 10 minutes. Gently pat them with a towel to remove excess water, and then hang them upside down to drip dry completely.
Besides dirt and debris, produce can contain pesticide and fertilizer residues, wax coatings, not to mention the harmful bacteria and oils from the hands of store employees and other customers. Not washing your produce properly can expose you to food-borne illnesses such as E. Coli or Hepatitis A.
To clean your fruits and veggies effectively, use the spray bottle method. Mix equal amounts water and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and thoroughly spray produce with the solution. Be sure to rinse immediately and thoroughly to avoid absorption of the solution.
Peroxide is a natural earwax cleaner. The medical term for earwax is cerumen. Hydrogen peroxide is a common ingredient in eardrops because it is classified as a cerumenolytic. This means it can easily break down and dissolve earwax.
An eardrop solution can be mixed in a 1:1 ratio of water and hydrogen peroxide. Make sure to squeeze no more than 5 drops in each ear, two to three times a day for up to one week to clean ears out thoroughly.
Do you think hydrogen peroxide is magical yet? Well, you will after you read this. It's great to use for cleaning hard surfaces like glass, doorknobs, countertops, toilets, and appliances, among other things.
To clean and disinfect all the hard surfaces in your home, use 3% hydrogen peroxide, undiluted, in a spray bottle. Spray the surfaces and then allow the peroxide to stand for several minutes—then wipe it off. It’s as easy as 1-2-3!
Although peroxide is not an antiperspirant (which means you’ll still sweat), it does work as a natural deodorant and will keep odor away. This is because peroxide kills germs and germs are the major cause of body odors.
To downplay the B.O., mix one-part water to two-parts hydrogen peroxide in a small spray bottle and shake lightly. Once the solution is mixed, spray directly onto your underarm.
Have a toolbox full of rusty tools? That’s right. Hydrogen peroxide can fix that, too! It’s even easier than you might think. Set your rusty tools in a bowl of undiluted, 3% hydrogen peroxide, let them sit for a few minutes and then scrub with a steel or wool brush.
Here’s another pro tip: That rusty screw or bolt you’ve been trying to unfasten for forever? Try applying a few drops of peroxide to it, wait approximately 10 minutes and then try again. The peroxide will remove the rust, without any scrubbing necessary, making it easier to remove!
Peroxide makes up 6-10% of all blond hair dyes. To save money, use hydrogen peroxide with baking soda to lighten your hair one or two shades.
Combine one cup of baking soda with three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. Spread the paste through your hair and leave on from 15 to no longer than 60 minutes, and then rinse it out with cold water. Voila!
Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-fungal and can kill nail funguses as well. If your nails are yellowed and cracked, you might have a nail fungus. Mix one-half cup of hot water with one teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide, and if you need extra strength add a cup of baking soda.
Soak your fingertips in the solution for approximately 10 minutes. If you’d rather not soften your skin or turn your fingertips white at the same time, you can dip a cotton ball into the solution and press it to your nails for the same effect.
Taking care of your feet can get expensive if you need to go to the spa to have them taken care of every week. Instead of spending that hard-earned money, try 3% hydrogen peroxide to soften cracked heels. It’s easy—Just dilute two cups of hydrogen peroxide into two cups of water.
Soak feet in the solution for 30 minutes. Once your feet are dried off, scrub off all the remaining dead skin off. Then lather your feet with lotion, pull on some socks on and go to sleep. When you wake up in the morning, your feet will be super soft!
Although most canker sores will go away on their own within a week or two, you can speed up the healing process with—You got it!—3% hydrogen peroxide. How, you ask?
Hydrogen peroxide promotes healing of a canker sore by both cleaning the sore and reducing bacteria in the mouth. Dilute 3% hydrogen peroxide with equal parts water, dip a cotton ball into the mix and place the solution directly on sore several times daily until it is gone.
Have a tub full of grout that is growing mildew? How about a shower curtain liner that has collected mildew along the bottom? That’s right! Hydrogen peroxide can fix that, too!
Just fill a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide and spray the walls of your shower. Let the peroxide sit for up to 10 minutes and then wipe the mildew away. Not only does peroxide kill microorganisms like yeast and bacteria, it also kills any budding yeast so you can wait longer between shower cleanings.
If you have children and/or pets with a houseful of carpet, you know how valuable this tip may be. Especially if you’ve been paying the carpet cleaning company to do what 3% hydrogen peroxide can do.
Mix one-part hydrogen peroxide to five parts water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on the dirty spot, wait for a couple minutes, and then scrub the stain away. You may want to try this on a small spot, first, to ensure discoloration doesn’t happen.
We bet you’re already surprised at all the uses for hydrogen peroxide, especially since you probably already have a bottle of it somewhere in your home. Mold in the home can be dangerous to all living there. To get rid of it, add undiluted 3% peroxide to a spray bottle, saturate the mold infected walls with the solution and leave it there for 10 minutes.
This Anti-fungal solution will begin destroying the mold spores. Once time is up, scrub the area to remove all stains and then wipe the surface to dislodge any remaining mold stains.
Need to get that pesky retainer or mouthguard clean in a pinch? Place it in a jar and submerge it in water. Add one tablespoon of peroxide and a sprinkle of baking soda.
Let this solution sit for about 10 minutes—you’ll see the bubbles working to kill the bacteria. Once time is up, take out the retainer or mouthguard and make sure to rinse off any remaining residue thoroughly.
Toothbrushes not only pick up the bacteria from your mouth, but they also collect bacteria that float around the rest of the bathroom as well. Pour undiluted 3% hydrogen peroxide into a cup and set the toothbrushes bristle-down in the solution.
Leave them in the solution until the liquid stops bubbling. Then you can take them out and take care to rinse them out thoroughly before use. Hydrogen peroxide can cause some pretty serious complications if ingested.
Dishwashers can get pretty nasty inside if they aren’t taken care of properly. Before running your next load of dishes, pour about a ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide in with your dishwashing liquid.
Not only will the hot water swirl the peroxide around the machine and disinfect the it, but your dishes will benefit as well with the bonus disinfection process.
Bacteria’s favorite environment are wet and warm places and humidifiers remain damp for a long time. Add that to the standing water that bacteria can multiply in, and your dehumidifier can actually trigger allergy symptoms rather than alleviate them.
Add 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide to one gallon of water and pour into the dehumidifier’s tank and filter. Scrub it and let it sit for 10-30 minutes. Rinse the base in clean water and leave to air dry.
The oxidation process that takes place when hydrogen peroxide touches your skin will kill off the bacteria which allows the skin to heal faster. Just don’t it use for acne scars, as overuse can damage the skin further.
Try saturating a cotton ball with peroxide and dab the cotton ball over the infected areas. Leave for 5 minutes and the rinse your face with cold water. You should see results within a few days.
There are two ways you can use 3% hydrogen peroxide to whiten your teeth. The first is as a rinse. Mix equal amounts water and hydrogen peroxide and swish around your mouth for 30 seconds to one minute and spit out. Be careful not to swallow any of the solution, though!
It can also be used as a paste by mixing it with baking soda. Mix a few teaspoons of baking soda in a dish with a small amount of peroxide, adding a bit more at a time to get the mixture to a thick but not gritty paste. Dip your toothbrush into the paste and apply to the teeth just like toothpaste for approximately two minutes. Leave the mixture on for a few minutes and then rinse thoroughly, making sure to remove all paste.
Cleaning your contact lenses is a must if you want to avoid eye infections. If you have a sensitivity to the harsher chemicals used in contact lens solutions, you can use hydrogen peroxide instead.
To clean your contact lenses, place them in undiluted 3% hydrogen peroxide for a little while. Afterward, leave them in a neutralizer for a couple of hours to prevent the peroxide from stinging your eyes.
If your sponge has an odor, it needs to be cleaned. Sponges collect tons of bacteria and germs while cleaning your dishes. It isn’t necessary to throw them away at the first sign of germ infestations, though—clean them with peroxide instead!
Place the sponge in a container, pour peroxide over it until it is completely submerged, and then wait for the bubbles to fizz away. After a few minutes, flip the sponge over and leave it for a few more minutes. Make sure to rinse the sponge thoroughly when you’re done.
One of the hardest things if you’re a gardener is keeping pests out of your plants. Fungus gnats, in particular, may not be a nuisance as adults; however, their larvae can damage roots and stunt plant growth.
Hydrogen peroxide can eliminate that problem. Try mixing one-part 3% hydrogen peroxide with four parts water and then water plants with solution like you normally would. Then reapply the solution once per week until all larvae are gone.
Here’s how to start a new pre-planting routine with hydrogen peroxide: Mix 1 ounce of 3% hydrogen peroxide with one pint of water and soak your seeds for 18-24 hours, rinse, and plant.
Hydrogen peroxide helps to increase the germination rate by breaking down the seed coat and allowing the seed to take in more oxygen.
Trashcans can be a regular hotbed of bacteria activity if not disinfected regularly. To disinfect your trashcan, simply pour 3% hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle and thoroughly spray down the inside and outside of the can.
Allow the peroxide to sit on the surface for up to 15 minutes and then rinse out the can. Make sure to leave it sitting upside down to air dry.
You can remove soap scum and buildup from the sink and tub with a paste made from one-part hydrogen peroxide and two parts baking soda.
Apply the paste over the stubborn spots with a damp sponge or a spoon and allow it to sit for up to 30 minutes and then scrub the paste with a scrub brush to remove the scum.
We know that hydrogen peroxide kills both mold and bacteria. Adding a few drops of peroxide to the water tank in your dehumidifier will kill the bacteria and germs in the air in your home. However, if you have pets, please do not use this method.
Dilute one part of peroxide with eight parts water and pour mixture into the tank. If you’re not happy with the smell and you also have a diffuser, you can drop a few drops of essential oils for a more pleasing smell.
If you’re the parent of teenage boys or married to an active spouse, you know that foot odor can become an issue, quickly. And you’re right. Hydrogen peroxide can help with that, too.
Mix it with baking soda to create a paste and then spread the paste into the bottoms of the shoes. Set them to the side to dry and once dried, remove the residue with a cloth.
