Keeping with the theme of kids being walking germ magnets, something else to think about is the lunchbox you send them to school with every day. They’re reaching in with their hands, which have been all over school doorknobs, bathroom stalls and God knows what else, to pull out their food which they’re them eating. Plus, if they trade food or anything, there will be more than one set of dirty little hands in there.
To make sure your kids’ lunchboxes don’t turn into bacteria breeding facilities, keep them disinfected with a simple peroxide and water solution! Use the trusty spritz, soak, rinse, and dry method when they bring them home at night. That way, you can rest easy knowing you’re doing everything possible to keep the flu out of the house!
Keep Your Sponges Clean
Kitchen sponges do one hefty job keeping all of the dishes that we eat, drink and cook out of clean. But what about keeping them clean? You don’t want to let bacteria build up on your sponge, which in turn can end up back on those dishes and make you sick. Sure, you can always spray them with bleach and let them soak for a while before rinsing. However, if you prefer something a little less harsh, why not use hydrogen peroxide?
Keep some straight hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and spray it directly onto the sponge, on both sides. Let it sit and soak for 15-20 minutes and rinse completely, squeezing out any excess bubbles. You can also simply pour it on your sponge, but you may end up using more than necessary if you choose to do it this way. To save money, use the spray bottle.
Disinfect the Kids' Toys
When you’ve got a little one, everything in the house (within reach of baby arms, of course) is in danger of being ingested. That means that everything they touch is basically just one giant germ factory. And the last thing you want to do is use harmful cleaning agents on anything your baby touches.
But you can keep their toys clean and disinfected without risking them touching (or eating) any sort of chemical. Mix one-part water to one-part hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and spritz toys at the end of each day (or as much as you can possibly remember) to keep them germ free.
Clean Cuts and Small Wounds
This is most likely the main thing you associate with hydrogen peroxide being used for. After all, it was all too common for moms to keep it under the sink for busted knees and chins when you were growing up, playing hide and go seek around the neighborhood. And now, you should keep it for not only that reason but all of the other amazing ones listed on this list.
Hydrogen peroxide is good for so many things, but it’s still true that it does the job when it comes to cleaning out wounds. Put some in an eyedropper and put it directly onto the wound (or pour it, just don’t let the bottle touch the skin,) let it bubble for a few moments and then pat it dry and add some Neosporin and a Band-Aid, if needed. If you’re dealing with a deep wound that won’t stop bleeding, you should most likely head to the hospital to get checked out for stitches before trying anything at home.
Keep the Toilet Bowl White and Bright
Most toilet bowl cleaners that you can buy from a store include bleach and wind up making your bathroom smell like a public pool for hours. If you’re like those of us who prefer more natural alternatives, this may be something you want to look into.
Pour a half cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, down the sides if possible. Let the solution soak for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Then, use a toilet brush to scrub the inside of the toilet free of any discoloration and germs. Flush, sit back and admire the amazing whitening effects of peroxide and say “hello” to your sparkly clean throne. If you do prefer to have some type of fresh scent in your toilet bowl cleaner, you can add a few drops of lemon juice or peppermint oil the bowl when you add the peroxide as well.