15. Rid a humidifier of bacteria.
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Using a humidifier can be beneficial for your respiratory system, but many users fail to clean their humidifiers regularly, leading to the buildup of mold and potentially harmful bacteria. Humidifiers are easy to disinfect using hydrogen peroxide. Fill the humidifier with one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts water. Let it sit for half an hour, then rinse out the interior with cold water.
16. Brighten dingy whites.
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Hydrogen peroxide comes in handy while doing laundry, especially when it’s time to wash white linens and clothing. To brighten up dingy whites, add 1 cup of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide with 2 cups of water directly to your washing machine. While hydrogen peroxide can lighten fabrics, it’s more eco-friendly than using chlorine bleach. It also works well as a stain remover when dealing with protein-based or plant-based stains. Apply hydrogen peroxide to a test patch first to test color-fastness. If everything looks OK after 10 minutes, apply some undiluted 3-percent solution to the affected area and let it sit for 10 minutes before throwing the item in the wash.
17. Clean kids’ germy toys.
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Like any other surface in your home, children’s playthings can become riddled with germs. It’s especially important to clean and sanitize them regularly because kids are always in close contact with them, sometimes even putting toys in their mouths. There are two ways to sanitize toys with hydrogen peroxide: spray individual toys with undiluted hydrogen peroxide, or fill a container with a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water and soak multiple toys at once.
18. Disinfect stinky sponges.
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Sponges come in handy for cleaning every room in the house, but they can harbor germs and bacteria if they’re not sanitized regularly. It’s easy to sanitize dish sponges after each use by soaking them in a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. For best results, mix one part water and one part hydrogen peroxide, and allow the sponge to sit in the mixture for at least 10 minutes.
19. Prevent algae growth in the pool.
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Hydrogen peroxide is a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to chlorine for keeping a pool clean. While hydrogen peroxide alone may not be an effective disinfectant for pool water, it has effective oxidizing properties, which help to break down organic matter that would otherwise support the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi. When using hydrogen peroxide in a pool, it’s important to use the correct ratio. The recommended ratio is between 50 and 90 ppm. Test the water regularly to ensure that the proper hydrogen peroxide levels are maintained.
