Thursday, December 13, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #35

Thirteen Uses for Peroxide


It’s cheaper than bleach and just as effective. Apparently it's used in many medical practices to clean and sterilize — which is why you never smell the overpowering stench of disinfectant. This is all according to some doctor's wife, as forwarded to me by a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend... you get the picture ;)


  1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. No more canker sores and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash.

  2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.

  3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

  4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

  5. If you suffer from foot fungus, spray a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.

  6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day.

  7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.

  8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold with plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

  9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

  10. If you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change.

  11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

  12. Add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

  13. Use peroxide to clean mirrors. There is no smearing!
Hope you found some useful tricks here. Feel free to add your own tried-and-true helpful hints. Baking soda, anyone?

24 comments:

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Ahh... back to basics. I'm loving this. We have too many chemicals in our houses; no wonder I can't breathe!

pussreboots said...

We go through oodles of peroxide here. Another all purpose favorite here is vinegar. Happy TT.

EHT said...

Wow, who knew?!?

Ann said...

Salt is also quite handy. Cut a lemon into wedges, pour salt onto a copper pot, use the lemon wedge to rub the salt on the copper and it polishes the metal.

Anonymous said...

What a great Thursday Thirteen! Some of those things I knew, but many of them, I didn't! I love helpful household hints! :-D Thanks, my friend. :)

sandierpastures said...

Great tips! I love it when we are back to basics.

sandierpastures said...

My other TT is also about basic cleaning tips. http://theparentingdiaries.com

Robin said...

I always assumed peroxide was poisonous. Live and learn...

Sparky Duck said...

I am not spraying peroxide up my nose, on my feet or on my junk

Joely Sue Burkhart said...

Neat, I'm going to pick some up. I have terrible canker sores when I get stressed!

Joely

Tempest Knight said...

Very interesting T13! I didn't know I could peroxide for other had gurgling. *wg*

SusieJ said...

I didn't know that about the sinus.
I read that you have to use vinegar with the peroxide to kill bacteria? Is that a myth?

I love the hair idea... Will that save me all the money I spend on weaves?

I use oxyclean -- a lot of it -- and they're still kind of dingy. I will try the peroxide method. It has to work!

I think I'll stumble this so I can remember it!
Thanks,
Susie

Wylie Kinson said...

SHG - amen to that! Makes me think about all the allergies people have these days...

Pussreboots - a vinegar use TT would be great! You doing it or should I? ;)

eht - thanks for visiting :)

Ann - great tip. After vinegar, maybe that's a good topic!

Hiya TL!

Sandierpasteurs - I'll check out that site, thanks!

Robin - I seem to remember from highschool chemistry that's it's H2O2 (like water, but with one extra Oxygen molecule) but I could be wrong - so don't quote me on that!! :D

Wylie Kinson said...

Sparky - LOL... a personal line in the sand is a good thing!

SusieJ - I used to use Oxyclean too, but switched to washing soda. It seems to work better. Good luck with that!

Tempest - before this post, I only knew only a few of these, like gargling and using on cuts.

Joely - ouch! Cankers are nasty. I hope this works for you. With me, stress = cold sores.

Red Garnier said...

Only YOU would post this my perfect, perfect Wylie! ;) HUGS!! I'm taking notes too.

colleen said...

Peroxide has stood the test of time but what exactly is it?? I think it can lighten your hair too. A lot safer than toxic bleach.

Amy Ruttan said...

Hmmmm I'm not sure of putting it in my mouth, but I will have to try it on the mirrors, ESPECIALLY after Sumo gets his grubby little hands on them.

Darla said...

Wow, I didn't know all this--we always used it on cuts when I was a kid, but that was all.

My Busy Life said...

Great list, I had no idea there were so many uses for it. I am up too!

Nicholas said...

Very interesting. But let me get this straight... the peroxide you use in #5 should not them be used for #1 right?

Carrie Lofty said...

Useful, because last time I cleaned the bathroom with bleach I would up with a MASSIVE headache for a day. Horrible stuff.

Wylie Kinson said...

Carrie - yes, you'd better tell the maid to switch *wink*

Nicholas - SAME STUFF--3% peroxide.

Colleen - I'm waiting for summer before I give the hair treatment a go.

Amy - my stepdad used to gargle with it all the time. And yes, he is dead now, but it wasn't from the peroxide ... in fact, that's what probably kept the bugger alive for 87 years!

Mocha & Darla - thanks for visiting!

Leah Braemel said...

I use peroxide on cuts and scrapes all the time - much better than isopropyl alcohol, but I had no idea you could gargle with it. And I'm not sure I would but then again it's got to be better than listerine (yuck!)

Nicole Austin said...

Peroxide is great on protein type stains on cloth too. :D

Happy TT!
www.nicoleaustin.net