Top 10 uses for Hydrogen Peroxide

Remember as a kid when you got scraped and brused and how your mom or dad got the bottle of peroxide out and poured some on the open wound? This may sound crazy, but I liked seeing it foam up. Anybody else do that? Well guess what, there was more to what was in that brown bottle than I ever dreamed of, and here they are.

1. Produce - Remove the waxy film, chemicals and bacteria off fruit and veggies using a peroxide solution. Water alone will not do the trick. Fill a large bowl with cold water and add 1/4 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak the fruit and veggies for about 1 minute, then rinse with running water. According to scientific research, this process kills E. coli and bacteria effectively.

2.Blisters - Use peroxide to keep foot blisters from becoming infected. Fill a large bowl with room temperature water and add 2 cups of peroxide. Soak feet for about 30 minutes before bedtime. During this will not only kill germs and bacteria, but also regulate the oxygen supply to the damaged or injured skin. In essence this will speed healing due to quick cell renewal.

3.Stain removal - To remove hard stains like blood from clothing, mix equal parts of water and peroxide. Pour directly on the stain. Let it stay on the affected area for about 30 minutes. Unlike bleach, which eventually can turn white clothing gray, peroxide breaks down the protein in blood through oxidation. This results in no damage of darkening of the clothing.

4.Teeth brightener - peroxide will remove stains between the teeth which is caused by coffee,cola, fruit juices and teas. To clear this up, pour 3% peroxide into a shallow bowl and dip regular dental floss in it. Floss as usual. If you need to spit while flossing, please do, to avoid swallowing. When finished, rinse with water and spit out.

5. Natural nails - For the perfect french manicure,remove the yellow tinge on your nails left behind from the red nail polish. All you need to do is put just enough peroxide in a bowl to cover the nail tips when submerged.Use a q-tip to wipe under the nail tips that has been dipped in peroxide. Oxidation occurs bringing the nails back to their natural color.

6. Save Plants - Root rot in house plants can lead to their demise. if you notice yellowing if leaves, then root rot may be the cause. What you have to do is fill a spray bottle with 1 cup of water and 1 ounce of peroxide. Water plant as usual with solution. Afterwards store any remaining water-peroxide mix out of the sun because peroxide will breakdown in sunlight.

7. Contact lenses - Remove all germs on contact lens with peroxide. The daily cleaning solutions used only remove deposits, but it dosen't kill germs. Soak lens in peroxide for about 1 hour. Then you must rinse with a neutralizing solution before wearing again. This only needs to be done if your contacts are dropped on the floor or other ssurface that might harbor germs. Needlessto say this is not a routine procedure.

8.Remove Tanning streaks - Remove the colored splotch on your leg or anke by taking a cotton swab and applying a small amount ot peroxide to the area. Leave on for a minute and wipe area with a warm damp washcloth.The natural bleach of the peroxide will lighten excess pigment and therefore evening out the complexion.

9.Cutting board bacteria - Did you know that cutting boards can contain about 200% more fecal bacteria than your toilet seat? Disgusting, isn't it? In order for this not to happen, keep it clean by soaking a paper towel or damp cloth in peroxide. Next,j ust wipe the wood or plastic board. Again the oxidizing agents kills salmonella and other organisms which can make you sick.

10.Skunk Odor - If your pooch gets sprayed while chasing a skunk and you used the last tomato juice making yourself a bloody mary last night, then grab the hydrogen peroxide. Next get a large plastic container and fill it with 1 gallon of water. Add 1 quart of peroxide, 2 teaspoon of liquid dish soap, and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Use rubber gloves and apply to your pets fur with a wash cloth. DO NOT get into your animals eyes. Leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing off with water. All skunk odor will be gone. Carefully throw away any solution remaining.

Note: All hydrogen peroxide referred to in this Hub for use is 3%, when not stated and avoid getting peroxide directly on skin.