Savvy Secrets – Peroxide

We’ve come across some very helpful Savvy Secrets involving a simple household item that is probably already in your cupboard…peroxide.

Here are 5 very helpful and useful hacks using peroxide we think you’ll be glad to know about:

Help Your Plants Grow Big And Strong

Hydrogen peroxide works by releasing oxygen. Because plants use oxygen to absorb nutrients from the soil, they love this extra oxygen molecule. This promotes healthier, more vigorous plant growth for your garden. To encourage garden growth, mix one teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide per one cup of water. After you pour the mixture into a spray bottle, mist your plants. If you want to cover an entire garden, increase your dosage to 35% hydrogen peroxide. You can also use this to pre-treat seeds. Since peroxide kills fungi, it also wards off potential diseases such as root infections.

Re-Beautify Your Makeup Brushes

“Through daily use, makeup brushes can accumulate dead skin cells, dirt, oil, pollution, and bacteria, says dermatologist Dr. Debbie Palmer, who co-founded the Dermatology Associates of New York. Dirty makeup brushes can result in staph infections if they aren’t cleaned properly. Fortunately, hydrogen peroxide sufficiently disinfects them. Add a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to a bowl of warm water. Soak your brushes in the mixture for ten minutes. Swish the brushes around every now again. Afterward, remove your makeup brushes, rinse them with cold water, and let them air dry. If there’s any remaining residue, you can wash it off with soap.

Pour Some Into Your Bath For A Detox

You’ve probably never heard of this hydrogen peroxide hack before! Surprisingly, the product can help kill germs and bacteria on your body, which will help prevent and fight off illness. (Try it this winter!) Once you get your warm bath running, add some hydrogen peroxide and soak for 30 minutes. Afterward, you’ll want to shower to rinse it off your skin. This is a cheap and easy hack for helping prevent illness if you’ve been in a germ environment.

If You Have Carpet Stains, Check This Out

Commercial carpet-cleaning products contain sodium percarbonate, which is a powdered form of hydrogen peroxide. That’s why cleaners often have “Oxy” or “Oxi” in the name. Why don’t you skip the extra charge and use hydrogen peroxide instead? Before you start pouring, dilute the peroxide. Mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxide with five parts water. Spray it on the dirty spot and wait for a couple of minutes, and then scrub the stain away. You might want to test it on a small area first.

Help Unclog Your Drain

If your sink drain keeps clogging, hydrogen peroxide may be able to help! Try pouring one cup of hydrogen peroxide down the drain and let it sit for an hour. After an hour has passed, run several hot cups of water down the drain to encourage the gunk to pass through. For best results, repeat the process every two weeks to keep your drain from clogging up again. It’s always handy to keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide under the sink!

Of course you can pick up a bottle of hydrogen peroxide at the supermarket or drug store. But you can also almost always find this genius liquid at your local 99 Cent Only store, or any discount $1 store in your area. You might want to get several bottles to keep on hand because in the days ahead we will be giving you even more uses for peroxide we think you’ll find very helpful and will help you will feel very savvy indeed!