Hydrogen Peroxide - Cleaning, Sanitizing Wonder

Over the years, we have offered many great cleaning tips that use hydrogen peroxide. Ever wonder why it’s such a great cleaning agent? Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂) is a mild acid, but it is a very strong oxidizing agent which means that as it combines with other molecules, it gives off oxygen. Because of this, Hydrogen Peroxide can be used very successfully as an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-mold cleaning agent. It also is very good at bleaching surfaces.

Hydrogen Peroxide is safe to use around the house and is non-toxic, especially in the low concentrations that we recommend using. It is also fairly inexpensive, and easy to obtain at almost any grocery or drug store. It can also be bought in bulk at restaurant supply stores.

When you clean with Hydrogen Peroxide, you get an added bonus. It sanitizes your sponges every time you use it. No need to worry about spreading nasty stuff around!

Practical uses of hydrogen peroxide:

• Spray on and wipe down wooden cutting boards to disinfect
• Use to sanitize bathrooms and kitchens, just a splash on a sponge will do
• Can be used to clean toilets, and is septic system safe
• Can be diluted into a spray to clean vegetables and fruits
• Can be used in your washer instead of bleach, just treat it as if it were bleach
• You can even bleach your hair with a highly diluted mix of H₂O₂ and water!

Some of our classic cleaning tips using Hydrogen Peroxide are:

• Removing Blood From Carpet and Microfiber
• Disinfecting Your Phones
• Organic Stains on Granite Counters
• Get Your Vinyl Strap Patio Furniture Looking Like New
• Make Your Caulk Look Like New
• Removing Stains From Enamel Bathtubs
• Safely Sanitize Countertops
• Removing Grass Stains from Clothing
• Homemade Odor Remover

How to Remove Red Drink Stains From Carpet

Janet from Canton Ohio asks:

I spilled a whole large glass of red Crystal Light drink on my light colored carpet.   Now I have a pink stain.  Is there anything I can try to get rid of this pink stain?

We have all been there.  Spilling any red drink can cause a nasty stain.  The first steps you take will determine if the stain can be removed.  Many commercially available cleaners such as Resolve can actually set a stain making it impossible to remove.  Hopefully she did not use one of these products.  Here is my time tested cool aid type stain remover.  This even works on stains that have been there for years.

1. If it is a fresh stain, the first thing to do is use a home steam cleaner or shop vac to remove as much of the liquid as possable.  You do not want to use a towel to blot up the stain becuse the pressure you will use will push the stain further into the carpet, making it harder to remove.
2. After the liquid has been removed,  mix good old classic Dawn (the blue stuff) with some warm water.  Five or six drops to two cups of water should do.
3. Dampen a white terry cloth rag with the mixture and place over the stain.
4. Put a cloths iron on top of the liquid infused terry cloth and turn it on the lowest setting.
5. After about 15 mintues you should see the red stain being absorbed into the terry cloth.
6. After 30 minutes the stain should be gone.  Dry the area with a fan overnight.
7. If the stain still remains try our Tough Carpet Stain Homemade Cleaner.
   

Keep Plastic Container Stains At Bay

I usually pack leftovers for lunch. We have lots of plastic containers, but they are always getting stained. To help prevent these stains you can try a couple of things. Cooling the container and lid in cold water for a few minutes before filling works pretty good. It is also helpful if the food has cooled and you don't reheat the food in the container. If you have to reheat the food in the container try coating the inside with olive oil. Just put a little on a paper towel and spread it around before filling. There are several new products on the market that are not supposed to stain, but they are much more expensive than the disposable variety.