Hydrogen Peroxide Hacks That Change Everything

Monica Gray - May 17, 2023

Hydrogen peroxide is more than just a disinfectant for wounds. It was first discovered in 1818 by French chemist Louis Jacques Thénard to bleach hats. Little did he know, the product would turn into a multipurpose tool used in a variety of different ways. Hydrogen peroxide comes in a brown bottle because once it’s exposed to sunlight and heat, it breaks back down into water. It’s important to keep it stored properly so it’s as effective as possible. There are likely tons of hydrogen peroxide hacks you didn’t even know existed. You can use it for disinfecting the germs in your mouth, cleaning your mattress from dust mites and stains, getting rid of pesky armpit stains, and even removing skunk odor from your pet. We promise you’ll look at hydrogen peroxide differently after reading this article!

Clean Your Dehumidifier

The water tank of your dehumidifier is a bacteria and fungi haven. By running the humidifier with two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part water, you’ll help keep it clean. Run it for thirty minutes to make sure it’s thoroughly clean. Once you’re done, empty the solution and wash it with clean water (The Spruce).

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Natural Disinfectant

Because of hydrogen peroxide’s compounds, it acts as a natural disinfectant. But that doesn’t mean it’s only for wounds, it can also disinfect kitchen countertops, cutting boards, and other surfaces around your home that need a pick-me-up clean. Make sure you buy the 3% concentration. Mix water with hydrogen peroxide to create a more diluted version that’s safe and effective to use (Crew Care).

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Whiten Your Clothes

By adding a cup of hydrogen peroxide to your wash cycle, you can whiten up your clothes. You can also add hydrogen peroxide to the automatic bleach dispenser of your washing machine, where it will be dispersed amongst your clothes and into the cycle. If you’re in a hurry, soak the garment in a bowl of water and hydrogen peroxide for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it out with cold water to get rid of the extra peroxide, and your clothes will be whiter than ever before (BHG).

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Remove Bloodstains

Bloodstains happen, especially in the summertime when your kids are running around the yard and will likely cut themselves. Luckily, hydrogen peroxide will come to the rescue. To do this, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to the bloodstain, leave it on for five minutes, and then blot it with a paper towel. Rub it away with a clean microfiber cloth until it’s gone, and rinse with cold water until the hydrogen peroxide is completely rinsed away (The Cleaning Collective).

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Clean Your Dirty Toothbrush

Keeping up on top of your dental hygiene is just as important as keeping up with hygiene in other areas of your life. This is why it’s so important to keep your toothbrush bristles clean. Thankfully, hydrogen peroxide makes it easy to clean and sanitize your toothbrush by soaking them in a mixture of water and peroxide. Soak it for about five minutes, and when it’s done, rinse your toothbrush with cold water. It’s ready to use! (Jacas Family Dental).

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Remove Stains From Carpets

Did you accidentally spill something on your carpet? Or did you host a dinner party, only to find a large stain on your carpet afterwards? Whichever the case, grab your bottle of hydrogen peroxide and get to work! You can easily remove the stain by blotting it with a clean cloth. Mix two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with one tablespoon of dish soap. Pour it over the stain, let it sit for a few moments, and then gently blot away. Repeat doing this, little by little, until the stain is gone (BHG).

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Make Your Bathroom Sparkling and Clean

Disinfect and clean your bathroom surface with the help of your best friend, hydrogen peroxide. This includes the bathroom sink, the toilet, and the shower. To clean the toilet, pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide followed by one cup of baking soda. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, scrub it, and then flush the toilet. To be extra thorough, pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray the toilet seat. Do the same for your bathroom sink and shower. Let the solution sit for about 10 minutes before washing it with water. You’ll have bathroom surfaces so clean, you can eat off of them (Greatist).

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Remove Earwax Buildup

Did you know you can have better hearing, all thanks to hydrogen peroxide? This is one of those hacks you probably never knew existed since it’s not every day you drop hydrogen peroxide down your ears just to see what happens. If you have a clogged ear, place a few drops inside. A 2004 study concluded that eardrops are the most effective way to remove clogged ears. Let the hydrogen peroxide sit in your ear for five minutes before sitting up and removing any extra liquid that spills out (Healthline).

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Sanitize Garden Tools

To prevent bacteria and mold from taking over your garden tools, clean them with hydrogen peroxide. This will also help prevent insects and fungus from spreading to your home and other tools, which could potentially harm your garden and the health of your loved ones. Simply rub them with hydrogen peroxide and then rinse them with cold water (Illinois).

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Whiten And Brighten Dirty Grout

There’s nothing worse than having a shining and sparkling bathroom, with dirty grout to accompany it. You can whiten and brighten grout by spraying it with hydrogen peroxide. Fill a spray bottle with one-part 3% hydrogen peroxide and one-part water, spray the grout, scrub it with a toothbrush, and let it sit for a few minutes. Wipe it away with a clean microfibre towel, and repeat the process if any grout remains (Molly Maid).

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Use As A Mouthwash

Freshen your breath with hydrogen peroxide. It does a great job at killing bacteria and cleaning your mouth. It’s recommended to use hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 1.5%. It even kills aerobic bacteria. Even though it’s not advised to use hydrogen peroxide daily, it serves as a fantastic alternative. For example, if you’re about to go on a date but don’t have any mouthwash available, grab your bottle of hydrogen peroxide and swish away (Cleure).

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Whiten Your Nails

Hydrogen peroxide works like magic on your nails, too! If you have discolored, stained nails, soak them in hydrogen peroxide to whiten and brighten them. Fill a bowl with one part hydrogen peroxide and one part water. Make sure your nails are completely submerged inside the solution and let them soak for 15 minutes. Rinse them well after doing so, and repeat every day until your nails are clear and the stains have disappeared. If you want to naturally stain them white, soak them in hydrogen peroxide for a natural stain (Hello Glow).

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Kill Dog Ear Yeast Infections

Because hydrogen peroxide is a strong antiseptic, it’s effective in killing yeast infections in dogs’ ears. Before using it, you must dilute the solution so it doesn’t harm your dog. Never use a q-tip or pointed object, as that can lead to damage in the ear. Consult with your vet before trying this to make sure it’s the best solution for your dog. (Quora).

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Remove Mold And Mildew

If you have mold or mildew invading your patio furniture or bathroom walls, try spraying it with some hydrogen peroxide and wiping it clean. Pour 3% hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle, and then spray the dirty surface. Let it sit for about ten minutes and let the hydrogen peroxide do its work. Once the hydrogen peroxide stops bubbling, that’s when you know the job is done. Use a soft rag to scrub off the mold and hydrogen peroxide, and you’ll have a brand-new, shiny surface (Healthline).

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Disinfect Cutting Boards

The cutting boards in your kitchen harbor a numerous amount of harmful bacteria and germs. To avoid the spread of germs and contamination of food, it’s important to have two cutting boards. You need one for fruits and vegetables and one for meat. It’s easy to clean and disinfect your cutting boards using hydrogen peroxide. Pour the hydrogen peroxide all over the cutting board, making sure to touch every surface. As it fizzes, it’ll kill off any germs, bacteria, and viruses (Brendid).

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Kill Those Weeds

There’s nothing worse than spending hours working on your garden, only to discover weeds have taken over. They’re a nuisance and can be annoying to get rid of. Hydrogen peroxide operates as a natural and non-toxic weed killer. All you have to do is mix one ounce of hydrogen peroxide with one quart of water in a spray bottle. Aim it at the weeds and let it sit for a few hours. The hydrogen peroxide will do its work (Cerbo Greenhouse).

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Sanitize Children’s Toys

Did you know your children’s toys harbor tons of bacteria? It’s important to stay on top of cleaning their toys since it could make them sick, especially during flu season. Wipe them down with a cloth soaked in hydrogen peroxide, or soak them in a tub with a water and hydrogen peroxide solution for five minutes. Wipe off the hydrogen peroxide after it stops fizzing, rinse them with water, and let it dry. Your toys are safe for your kids to use! (Good Clean Health Co).

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Treat Foot Fungus

Foot fungus happens, especially in the summer months when we’re likely to be walking around barefoot. To eliminate both odors and foot fungus, pour the hydrogen peroxide on the affected part of your foot. The peroxide does a great job at spot-killing the fungus. If you have any open wounds, it will likely sting, but it’s not harmful. If it’s bubbling, that means it’s getting the job done (Healthline).

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Clean Oven Racks

Over time, your oven racks and stove burners collect a ton of grime and grease, especially if you use your oven often. You can easily remove the grime and grease by soaking them in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water. Lay the racks down and sprinkle them with hydrogen peroxide, water, and a bit of baking soda. Cover them with hot water and let them soak overnight, and in the morning, your racks will look brand new (Alpha Foodie).

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Contact Lens Cleaner

Before trying this, make sure you’re not putting the hydrogen peroxide directly into your eyes. Some cleaning solutions use hydrogen peroxide as their base. This would be a highly diluted solution so it’s safe enough to put into your eyes. They seem to be more effective cleaners than non-hydrogen peroxide-based ones. Never hesitate to speak to your healthcare provider. (Lentiamo).

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All-Purpose Window Cleaner

Hydrogen peroxide isn’t only a natural and effective cleaner for your floors, but also for your windows. You can have sparkling clean windows by spraying hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and wiping the cloth down your windows. Spraying the cloth first helps prevent water spots from forming and keeps your windows looking sparkling clean (Love Your Stone).

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Clean Your Dishwasher

Your dishwasher is always hard at work making sure your dishes are clean and disinfected. By adding a cup of hydrogen peroxide to the bottom of the machine and running a cleaning cycle as you normally would, you’ll clean your dishwasher. By adding hydrogen peroxide to your dish soap, it makes a stronger sanitizer for killing germs than just dish soap (Apartment Therapy).

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Remove Rust Stains From Clothing

Rust stains happen, especially if you’re working in your garage or on rusty pipes. But it doesn’t mean it’s game over for that t-shirt full of rust stains, you can use hydrogen peroxide to get rid of it! Simply apply the peroxide and baking soda to the stain and let it sit for thirty minutes before washing it in the washing machine, as you normally would (Ariel).

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Clean The Garbage Can

Your garbage can is home to numerous bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It’s important to stay on top of your garbage can and make sure it’s clean, otherwise, it’s easy to transmit germs and bacteria from there around your house. Cleaning it is simple. Spray the entire interior and exterior of your garbage can with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse it with water, let it dry, and put a clean garbage bag inside (Love To Know).

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Remove Bacteria From Vegetables

That’s right! You can use hydrogen peroxide to remove bacteria from the surface of your vegetables. It’s a lot more effective than simply washing them with water. Use a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide and soak your vegetables for 20-30 minutes, depending on if they’re delicate skinned like lettuce, or tougher skinned like potatoes. Hydrogen peroxide may help extend their shelf life (Dallas News).

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Soothe A Sore Throat

Because hydrogen peroxide has antibacterial properties, it may help soothe a sore throat. It’s especially effective if you have mucus in your mouth since the hydrogen peroxide loosens the mucus and makes it easier to drain. Mix water, salt, and hydrogen peroxide and gargle for about 60 seconds. That mucus won’t know what’s coming (Healthline).

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Remove Coffee Stains From Mugs

Nothing’s worse than picking up your favorite mug, only to realize there are gross coffee stains caked to the sides. No one wants to drink coffee out of a dirty mug, even if it’s hygienic. But you can use hydrogen peroxide to remove coffee stains from your favorite mugs and coffee cups. Let the hydrogen peroxide sit until the stains dissolve. Use half a cup of hydrogen peroxide and two tablespoons of baking soda in a mug filled with water. Let it sit for about 30 minutes so it works to its full potential, and clean the mug afterward. Those annoying coffee stains will be gone (Ecococoon).

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Disinfect Your Reusable Grocery Bags

Grocery bags harbor tons of bacteria. Think about it, you’re putting all sorts of food inside every single time you go to the grocery store. Raw chicken juice and other potentially harmful food products can easily spill out of the bag and onto your other foods, like fruits and vegetables. Cleaning your reusable grocery bags is just as important as cleaning the other areas in your house. First, clean your grocery bags in the washing machine. Once they’re dry, spray hydrogen peroxide all over the bag and handles to disinfect all surfaces. Let it sit for five minutes and let it dry to make sure it’s fully sanitized (Good Clean Health Co).

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Clean Your Fish Tank

Fungus loves fish tanks. If you think about it, it’s the perfect breeding ground for fungus and other harmful bacteria that may be detrimental to the health of your fish. Mixing a few drops of hydrogen peroxide when cleaning your tank will help control the fungus and kill it. If you have fish living in your tank, use it sparingly. The peroxide will give an oxygen boost to your fish tank. To continue cleaning, put your aquarium plants into a hydrogen peroxide mixture and submerge for about five minutes to help remove algae (The Green Machine Online).

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Sanitize Makeup Brushes

Makeup brushes become Petri dishes when it comes to bacteria. Dead skin cells and bacteria thrive in your makeup brushes, and without proper cleaning, you’re rubbing that bacteria all over your face. Pour water and hydrogen peroxide into a bowl with a drop of dish soap, and swirl the makeup brushes around the solution. Make sure every part of the makeup brush comes into contact with the solution, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse it with water and let it dry (Love to Know).

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Help Your Plants Grow

Your plants can use a little bit of extra love and attention to help them grow! Mix half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with a gallon of water and pour the solution into the roots of your plants. Be careful about getting them on the leaves of your plants, since it could harm them. This works because of the extra oxygen molecule the hydrogen peroxide provides (Love that Leaf).

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Clean Shoes

Just as hydrogen peroxide works to kill fungus and bacteria on your feet, it also sanitizes your shoes. There’s nothing worse than walking around with shoes you can smell from where you’re standing. That means other people can smell them, too. Open your shoes as much as you can and spray them with hydrogen peroxide. Let it dry overnight before putting them back on your feet. You can even get your white shoes looking brand new again by washing them with hydrogen peroxide (Nike).

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Use As A Deodorant

Run out of deodorant and need to find a quick solution to smelling good? Hydrogen peroxide will do the job. Since it’s a natural disinfectant, and bacteria under the armpits cause a smell, hydrogen peroxide will work to kill any bacteria under your arm. Spray some peroxide under your arm and let it sit. Then, go about your day! (Pinterest).

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Cure Canker Sores

Canker sores are small, painful blisters inside your mouth that may make it difficult to go about your day. You can’t easily forget about them, nor ignore them. There’s nothing more miserable than trying to eat with a painful mouth. Rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide for one minute. This will help kill the bacteria associated with canker sores and promote healing. Once you’re finished, spit the solution out (Medford Smiles).

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Disinfect Water

If you’re stuck in a rut and your water is contaminated with pathogens, a quick and easy solution might involve hydrogen peroxide. While UV light is the best way to combat these pathogens, hydrogen peroxide might work just as well. Make sure you’re using food-grade hydrogen peroxide. Add chlorine and hydrogen peroxide to the water and let it sit overnight. The hydrogen peroxide and chlorine will work together to get rid of the pathogens, thus cleaning your water (Bulk Peroxide).

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Clean Up Mattress Stains

Mattress stains happen, and they can happen for numerous reasons. By spraying the mattress stains with hydrogen peroxide, you can easily spot and clean them. Let the solution sit until the stain is lifted. If the stain is still there when the solution dries, repeat the process until the solution is completely gone. If it’s still not working, add a bit of dish soap to the hydrogen peroxide to boost the process. Scrub the stain with a toothbrush and allow it to air dry (Homemade Simple).

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Lighten Your Hair

Just as you can whiten your nails with hydrogen peroxide, you can also lighten your hair. Test it out with a few strands of hair first, though, to make sure you like it. It wouldn’t be fun to die your entire head, only to find out you hate the result! Make sure your hair is damp. Grab a new toothbrush and dip it into hydrogen peroxide. Coat the strands of hair you want to color, wait 15 minutes, and rinse it with cold water. If you like how it looks, continue with the rest of your hair (Style Craze).

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Get Rid Of Yellow Stains

Hydrogen peroxide can get rid of body odor, but it can also get rid of yellow armpit stains. If you have a yellow tinge on your tablecloths or lace curtains, hydrogen peroxide will also remove those stains. There’s nothing worse than having a beautiful home or a white shirt with yellow stains. In a bin, pour enough hydrogen peroxide inside that it covers the item. Soak it for at least one hour before rinsing it in cold water and letting it air dry (Wear Numi).

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Get Rid Of Dust Mites

Dust mites collect in your mattress. It’s important to air your mattress every single day to get rid of them. Using a combination of essential oils and hydrogen peroxide, you can clean your mattress from dust mites, leave a pleasant smell, and have clean sheets. Simply spray the surface of your mattress and wait for it to dry. Once it’s dry, add clean sheets. We promise you’ll have a great sleep! (The Spruce).

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Disinfect Mouth Guards

If your child wears a retainer or mouth guard, it’s important to stay on top of their cleanliness. Our mouths are homes to tons of bacteria, which means that bacteria gets stuck to your child’s retainer. Soak the retainer or mouthguard in hydrogen peroxide for 15 minutes to sanitize it. When you’re finished, clean it with water and let it air dry (Ever Smile White).

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Remove Skunk Odor

If your pet is the victim of a skunk attack, don’t worry! You don’t have to keep them outside and away from your home forever. Hydrogen peroxide does a great job of removing skunk odor. Mix peroxide, baking soda, and hand soar, and apply the solution to your animal’s fur. They might not want to stay still, but you must rub it in. Let it sit for five minutes and then repeat the process if the smell is not completely gone (Wildlife).

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