We are all looking for new and easy ways to get things sparkling clean. Especially nowadays, there is just no beating a cleaner that cleans and kills off bacteria or viruses. One old tip that is coming in hot this year is to use hydrogen peroxide in your cleaning tasks. It is renowned for its disinfectant powers, and it is safe to use around small children and pets. It also is easily rinsed away with simple water, leaving your surfaces clean and germ free! You can use the peroxide sold on shelves at drugstores. However, for the safest product around children and pets, we recommend picking up food-grade hydrogen peroxide.
Baby Supplies
Whether you are a new mom or a seasoned mommy-veteran, you know that cleaning those baby bottles and sippy cups is not always easy. The tiny nooks and crevices mean that there are plenty of hard-to-reach surfaces that need to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. After all, little babies’ immune systems are weaker, so you need to be careful about what they ingest. Sure, you could buy one of those fancy UV sterilizers, but who has the money for one of those expensive gadgets? Instead, get yourself from hydrogen peroxide. It is very affordable, gentle, and is great for disinfecting those delicate bottle nipples and silicone straws in sippy cups. Simply wash the items as thoroughly as possible by hand then soak overnight in equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. In the morning, rinse thoroughly and dry.
Laundry
Have you ever thought about how well your washing machine works? Is it really getting your clothes clean? Here is a quick way to test just how clean that load really is: spray 3% hydrogen peroxide in an inconspicuous area of fresh-out-of-wash fabric. If you see it foaming up or hear a crackling sound, there is a good chance that bacteria is still present on the surface of the fabric, and you should definitely consider rewashing the items. To really get your clothes clean, a solid form of hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, is recommended to boost the efficacy of your detergent and machine. Consider using any of several cleaning powders that are readily available in stores that say “oxygen activated” on the front.
Shoes
One habit that a lot of families are beginning to adopt is taking off shoes before entering the house. This is an excellent step toward minimizing how many germs are brought in from the outside. Scientists have discovered that the bottoms of shoes contain more bacteria that a toilet seat. Not only that, but they have found that among those bacteria were fecal matter, E. Coli, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as C. diff. Going a step further than just taking off shoes, you can also disinfect them using hydrogen peroxide. Simply spray the bottoms of shoes with 3% peroxide and let air dry. And if you have trouble with stinky shoes, you can also douse the inside with peroxide and let dry to remove any odor-causing bacteria.