Hydrogen peroxide: what can't it do

Inexpensive solution for cleaning and disinfecting

ORLANDO, Fl – One of the most common household disinfectants can do so much more than just clean small cuts. Here are some of the cleaning and styling tricks you can do with just one bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

 Even though this little brown bottle is found in the medicine aisle, its uses go far beyond that.

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Swishing around one tablespoon of the stuff will kill any unhealthy organisms in your mouth, banishing bad breath and even speeding the healing of canker sores. 

And since it acts like a bleaching agent, it will also whiten your teeth. Just swish for 30 seconds and you’ll see immediate results.

When it comes to food, make sure you buy the food-grade hydrogen peroxide. Fill your sink with water, add one-fourth cup of peroxide and soak your vegetables for 20 minutes to get rid of any pesticide residue.

Keep your salads fresh by combining half a cup of water with one tablespoon of food-grade hydrogen peroxide and spraying the leaves.

It can also be used on just about any household chore, whether you’re scrubbing the toilet, the counters or the mirrors. It also gets rid of mold.

If your towels and bed sheets ever start to acquire that musty smell, don’t throw them away. Add half a cup of peroxide and half a cup of vinegar to the laundry.

And if you ever get sprayed by a skunk, it can also get rid of that nasty smell. 

So many uses for a bottle that typically costs less than two dollars. 

You want to make sure that you're using household hydrogen peroxide. It contains 3 percent hydrogen peroxide.  Food grade hydrogen peroxide is 35% and despite its name, food grade hydrogen peroxide should never be taken internally, unless it is extremely diluted.


About the Author:

Anchor on The Morning Show team and reporter specializing on health issues.