FoodGradeH2O2.com is pleased to provide our readers with access to the review of our recently released e-book “101 Home Uses of
Hydrogen Peroxide” by HealthyNewAge.com!
You can find the review here:
Review “101 Home Uses of Hydrogen Peroxide” by HealthyNewAge.com
For more information on our e-book, visit The e-book sales page.
When you are using hydrogen peroxide around the house, it may seem no big deal to use drugstore variety or grocer brand hydrogen peroxide.
After all, cleaning bathroom tiles or toilets, we don’t really need to think about the trace elements of additives in the store brand varieties do we?
It’s a worthy question.
Using food grade hydrogen peroxide in the kitchen, however, is a basic “must” of best practices usage of hydrogen peroxide. You do not want to be putting chemicals like phenol on your foodstuffs. Even in trace amounts. Or, if you do, then please don’t invite me over to eat at your place, thanks much…
But what about carpet cleaning, stain removal and other areas where the hydrogen peroxide is not coming in direct contact with you, really? After all, we use the drug store variety to daub cuts and scrapes… can’t we use it on our furnishings and floors?
The simple answer, of course, is… “Yes you can.”
The more complex answer is… “Well, you can, but you might sorta want not to…”
Why not? Because the chemicals used in drug store variety hydrogen peroxide are known to be toxic to humans, and many of them are “environmentally persistent” which means that even after the hydrogen peroxide is long gone to water and oxygen, these “stabilizing chemicals” are not gone. They just move around in the environment, down our drains, into our rivers and streams, and out onto our agricultural fields and farmlands.
On the other hand, if you are not using hydrogen peroxide for the kitchen, or for any of the more personal care type uses (foot soaks, baths, toothbrush cleaning, mouthwash) then buying food grade hydrogen peroxide only to clean carpets is just plain silly in my humble opinion.
Food grade hydrogen peroxide does not mean it is safe to eat. Just in case there was any confusion about that. It means it is safe for keeping food preparation tools, surfaces, packaging and equipment clean, and also safe for things like egg washing and cheese making. In the end, it IS the hydrogen peroxide home use “best practice” choice, but the final decision will depend on how you predominantly use hydrogen peroxide around your home.
The highly effective stain removing qualities of hydrogen peroxide showed up again in the news this month, as CBS did a special report
on Stain Remover Must Haves…
Nice to see our old friend H2O2 making the top of the list once more!
Excerpt:
“Stains are costly so Lisa Freeman of ShopSmart magazine from Consumer Reports tested stain removers to determine the most effective.”“Wine, fruit juice, blood these are the kinds of stains that hydrogen peroxide is perfect for,” said Freeman. “Take a cotton ball, soak it in the hydrogen peroxide and then put in on, directly onto the material until the stain comes out.”
The incredible efficacy of hydrogen peroxide in organic stain removal takes it right to the top of any list of “Must Have” household cleaning products, to be certain. From juice to grass stains, dirt, blood or any stain that comes from natural sources, hydrogen peroxide is the first line of defense.
Pet odors can be a very unpleasant “side benefit” of pet ownership…
While it’s true that Fido is your best friend, his doggie dander shedding hair and occasional “accidents” can make him hard to live with.
Whether its Fido or Felix the cat, pet odors can turn your home from a sanctuary into a smelly cesspool faster than you can say Jack Rabbit.
What to do?
First, forget the ammonia, forget the Clorox, forget the Mr. Clean and all the other products for general home cleaning. Just don’t waste your time. Sure you can remove dog pee from the kitchen floor with a regular kitchen floor cleaner… but it won’t do the one thing that will change the situation: remove the smell so even your pets cannot smell it.
See, pets go where they smell it is “okay” to go… and if that upstairs hall closet was previously a “watering spot” even for an animal who lived in the house before your time… Felix and Fido will not only know it, they’ll show you they know it by using the same spot themselves…
So before you get too hot and bothered at your pet, realize that it could be a natural response to an existing problem that is outside” your olfactory abilities to perceive.
Now what to do about it?
Start smart and finish fast: use a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution in a spray bottle and thoroughly saturate the area. Let stand. After at least 30 minutes, spray again, and then spread a paste of baking soda and 3 percent hydrogen peroxide over the area and let stand until dry. This may take overnight. Vacuum when dry.
Sodium percarbonate (dry hydrogen peroxide) can also work to help eliminate the residual odor. It is sold as oxobrite; oxyclean or pick it up at the chemicalstore.com in 2 pound buckets for about 4 dollars each plus shipping. Use it as a paste and allow to dry.
For serious persistent odors, you may need to get an odor neutralizing product to apply after the cleaning is all done. Look for products which contain zeolite powder or pick up some zeolite granules. You may want to place a sachet of zeolite crystals in the area (particularly if its a closet or small enclosed space. This will remove residual odors long term and can be placed in sunlight every so often to recharge its odor “sucking” power.
One thing to remember… if your pet is “going” in the house… there is usually a reason: either old odors are attracting it; or there are other stresses upsetting the animal or, it is possible there is a medical problem that your vet can help you resolve. But in most cases, it’s simply a matter of the nose knows.. and since our pets can detect odors much more subtle than those we perceive, your best bet is to neutralize all pet odors in the home and any areas where your pet seems prone to want to “go” indoors.
Can’t smell it.. how do I find it? Use a black light. Works great!
Clean up that concrete walkway, patio or front step with a safe, easy and effective solution of sodium percarbonate and warm to hot water.
Removing stains, washed in dirt, mold, mildew and even algae, sodium percarbonate will also leave the area smelling fresh. It won’t harm nearby grass or plants, just rinse the area well when done.
Why? Because sodium percarbonate may be called an “oxygen cleaner” (which it is); but it is really just dry hydrogen peroxide. Actually its soda ash and hydrogen peroxide, but it works out the same. And, it breaks down safely to water and oxygen in the envirnment.
To clean stains or badly mildewed spots use a mix of 2 to 3 ounces (1/4 cup is one ounce) dry measure to 1 gallon warm to hot water. Beweare of toxic black mold, which is actually a greenish black in color and is slimy to the touch. Otherwise, simply wash with a mop or scrub brush on a handle, then rinse. For really serious staining, mix a paste of sodium percarbonate powder and hot water, and slather paste on stain scrub if needed, and let sit over night. Rinse clean with running water.
Sodium percarbonate also works wonders on brick and wood surfaces. For general cleaning mix 1 ounce (1/4 cup) dry powder to one gallon warm to hot water.
Hydrogen Peroxide seems to be in the news a lot lately! Take a look at what the NSF has up on their site today… The latest news in the research to decontaminate dangerous flood waters starring good old H2o2! Three Cheers For Science!
You Still Can’t Drink the Water, But Now You Can Touch It
Laboratory filtration system kills 100 percent of dangerous microbes in water taken from Hurricane Katrina disaster Researchers hold the polymer that is critical to their water filtration system.
Researchers hold the polymer that is critical to their water filtration system.
, Credit and Larger Version
January 9, 2007
Engineers have developed a system that uses a simple water purification technique that can eliminate 100 percent of the microbes in New Orleans water samples left from Hurricane Katrina. The technique makes use of specialized resins, copper and hydrogen peroxide to purify tainted water.
The system–safer, cheaper and simpler to use than many other methods–breaks down a range of toxic chemicals. While the method cleans the water, it doesn’t yet make the water drinkable. However, the method may eventually prove critical for limiting the spread of disease at disaster sites around the world.
National Science Foundation-funded researchers Vishal Shah and Shreya Shah of Dowling College in Long Island, New York, collaborated with Boris Dzikovski of Cornell University and Jose Pinto of New York’s Polytechnic University in Brooklyn to develop the technique. The research published online in Environmental Pollution on Jan. 10, 2007.
“After the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, scientists have had their backs against the wall trying to develop safeguards,” said Shah. “No one knows when a similar situation may arise. We need to develop a treatment for decontaminating flood water before it either comes in contact with humans or is pumped into natural reservoirs.”
The treatment system that the researchers are developing is simple: a polymer sheet of resins containing copper is immersed in the contaminated flood water. The addition of hydrogen peroxide generates free radicals on the polymer. The free radicals remain bound to the sheet, where they come in contact with bacteria and kill them.
The researchers are working to lower the amount of copper in the treated water end product and improving the system’s impact on chemical toxins. Shah believes it could be ready for emergency use within five to seven years. To develop their process, the researchers built upon a century-old chemical mechanism called the Fenton reaction – a process wherein metal catalysts cause hydrogen peroxide to produce large numbers of free radicals.
Free radicals are atoms or molecules that have an extra electron in dire need of a partner (they obtain the partner by stripping it from a nearby atom, damaging the “victim” in the process). In large quantities, the radicals can destroy toxic chemicals and even bombard bacteria to death or irreparably damage a microorganism’s cell membrane.
Applying their technique to water from the Industrial and 17th Street canals in New Orleans, the researchers were able to destroy all of the bacteria within 15 minutes. In tests with laboratory water samples containing even higher bacterial concentrations, the exact same process killed at least 99 percent of the bacteria in 90 minutes.
Did you know you can easily remove even dried in wine stains from carpeting with hydrogen peroxide? It’s a snap, to do.
There is one thing you need to do first, however. Find a spot of carpet that is out of the way, say in a closet, for instance. Spot test the carpet for color fastness in a back corner. Just take a q-tip, dip it in 3 percent h2o2 solution and apply it to the carpet. Let it stand a few minutes and then blot the spot dry with a cloth.
Most carpets pass this test no problem, but it is worth doing the test first if you are unsure if your carpet is really color fast. If the area is decidedly lighter than the rest of the carpet, then using hydrogen peroxide on the stained areas may also lighten them. I’ve never had this result myself, but hey, it could happen. You don’t want your carpet full of light spots any more than you want it full of wine spots, so do the test first.
Now once you’ve tested the carpet, take a clean sponge, a few q-tips and a dry clean cloth along with a spray bottle of 3 percent h2o2 solution and let’s get to work.
If the stains are small and precise droplet size, set the sprayer to stream instead of mist, and saturate the stain with solution. Use the sponge to rough up the nap of the carpet a bit and get the solution through the entire depth of the stain. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes and then blot with the clean dry cloth. For really small stains, use your q-tip in place of the sponge.
For larger stains, set the sprayer on mist and spray until the entire stained area is saturated with the hydrogen peroxide. Use the sponge to “rough up” the carpet nap same as with the smaller stains. Be careful not to be too overzealous doing this. It is not the aim to rub the carpet to death, only to help distribute the hydrogen peroxide throughout the depth of the carpeting. Let stand at least 5 minutes, then blot with your clean cloth.
The easiest way to blot larger stains is to place the cloth on the stain and stand on top of it. That way your weight will do the work for you. Make sure your cloth is clean, dry and absorbant for best results.
Even for long standing dark stains this application has worked every time, although a few times I did have to repeat the process to achieve the complete disappearance of the stain.
Hydrogen peroxide is a natural part of the plant metabolic system and is produced and synthesized in different systems within plant structure. It is a natural compound produced in the breakdown of plants as well, particularly well suited for water garden applications.
In the home garden, a 3 percent solution in a mister works well to combat black spot leaf disease on roses, gardenias and other susceptible plants. Simply mist the leaves one to two times a week between or just after waterings.
It is also an excellent soil oxygenator, and can be applied in a dilute solution of one half cup 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to one gallon of water. This application will often restore damaged or injured plants within weeks, particularly drought stricken plants.
In stronger concentrations, hydrogen peroxide makes a great weed killer. Rather than spreading toxic chemicals over your garden to kill unwanted plants, use commercial agricultural grade sodium percarbonate, the dry form of hydrogen peroxide and dilute to a strength of 10 percent solution. (Approximately twice as much water in the dilution as a straight application of the dry concentrate). Apply directly to the unwanted plant or plants.
When using higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (over 3 percent) always wear protective rubber or latex gloves. Nornal gardening gloves are not waterproof and higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide will burn your skin as easily as they will burn the weeds you want to eliminate with them.
While there are no conclusive studies showing a direct correlation between chlorination of swimming pools and specific health hazards, there are many studies which have demonstrated that long term exposure to chlorinated municipal drinking water significantly increases certain types of cancer in humans.
Certainly, if no altermative disinfection method for swimming pools and spas is available, then chlorination is preferable to no disinfection. However, with new advances in on site water disinfection, it is now not only possible, but can often be more cost effective to implement non chlorine disinfection systems for your swimming pool and/or hot tub needs.
In case you were wondering whether it was worth your time to investigate and make the switch from chlorine to an alternative disinfecting system, here are a few facts to consider:
“Known carcinogens are found in drinking water as a direct consequence of the practice of chlorination”
MUNICIPAL ENVIROMENTAL RESEARCH LAB – FRANCIS T. MAYO, DIRECTOR
“Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine.” US COUNCIL OF ENVIROMENTAL QUALITY
The National Academy of Sciences estimate that 200-1000 people die in the United States each year from cancers caused by ingesting the contaminants in water.” SCIENCIES NEWS, VOLUME 130 – JANET RALOFF
“48-49 states are failing to adequately enforce existing drinking water regulations.” JAMES ELDER – U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
“Scientists discovered that chlorine reacted with organic material in water to produce hundreds of chemical by-products, several of which have proved in animal studies to be carcinogenic.” U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT – JULY 29, 1991
“Drinking chlorinated water may as much as double the risk of bladder cancer.” NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE – KENNETH CANTOR
There is nothing so relaxing as a warm, bubbling soak in a hot tub… Particularly if that hot tub is cleaned with hydrogen peroxide rather than chlorinated. The oxygen enriched water smells clean and fresh, softening your skin and soothing your body as you soak.
According to the Merck index, hydrogen peroxide can be used as a water disinfectant. In fact, it is used internationally for water disinfection, treatment of waste water, water gardens and, increasingly, in swimming pools and spas.
Some newer pool disinfection systems actually use recently developed equipment to generate oxidation in the water as it passes through the cleaning system. In these newer systems the need for additional chemicals in the water can be completely, or nearly completely eliminated.
While older spa systems rely on harsh toxic chemicals which fill the surrounding area with their fumes and odor, these newer system provide clean, fresh oxygen enriched water for bathing which has no odor.
For those not ready to invest in an entirely new hot tub filtration and water disinfection system, food grade hydrogen peroxide offers a transitional solution.
You can eliminate the use of chlorine or bromine chemicals in the spa and use hydrogen peroxide instead of these chemicals. Adding any type of ozonator or UV sterilizer to the system will also assist the hydrogen peroxide in the event that your water contains high levels of iron or organics which will break down the hydrogen peroxide more quickly. If you are unsure of the mineral content of the water, begin using the hydrogen peroxide as described here, and test for hydrogen peroxide levels frequently.
Begin by shocking the tub with a high dose of 35 percent food grade hydrogen peroxide. Add one cup (8 ounces/250 milliliters) of 35 percent hydrogen peroxide per every 250 gallons (1000 liters) of water in the tub. Run the pumps to circulate the water as you add the hydrogen peroxide and then intermittently over the next 24 hours.
Note: Be sure to check and empty the filters when beginning and several dimes through out the first 24 hours as the hydrogen peroxide will break down organics and other materials in the water and may at first create an excessive load on the filter system as you transition.
Allow the water to stand overnight (after the initial 24 hours have passed. Then circulate the water briefly before using a hydrogen peroxide test strip to measure the level of hydrogen peroxide in the water.
Hydrogen peroxide levels should run between 30 and 100 ppm (parts per million) for regular hot tub use. If the levels are below 30 ppm when testing, add hydrogen peroxide at a rate of 1 cup 35 percent food grade hydrogen peroxide per 500 gallons of water. Circulate and let stand several hours before testing after adding hydrogen peroxide.
By testing often in the early stages of using hydrogen peroxide you will be able to determine how often you will need to add hydrogen peroxide to the spa. The levels will vary according to the frequency and number of people using it. Test at least weekly once you have a general idea of what your spa needs to maintain optimum levels of hydrogen peroxide.
