Many people believe hydrogen peroxide is a disinfectant drug used to clean wounds only, which is not valid. The same bottle of hydrogen peroxide in your first aid box can be used to serve multiple cleaning purposes, one of which is laundry. In fact, its cleaning properties make it the best choice to remove stubborn yellow stains while leaving no bacteria to harm your family because It is strong enough to deal with viruses like SARS and Covid.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is basically an oxidizing agent that is produced when ultraviolet rays hit the oxygen in the presence of moisture. It appears as a colorless liquid that breaks down in water and oxygen conveniently and contains properties of oxygen-based bleaches. It is said to be safer than chlorine bleach; hence, it can be used in personal care products, hair dyes and bleaches, mouthwash, toothpaste, and bathroom cleaners. The highlight of hydrogen peroxide is the non-toxic substance that makes it safe to clean without impacting the environment.

However, like any other disinfectant, it must be handled carefully, especially when it’s about mixing. For instance, hydrogen peroxide must never be fussed into chlorine, bleach, ammonia, or vinegar as it may form dangerous gasses inside the container. Avoid adding hydrogen peroxide and chlorine bleach in the same laundry load because chlorine is a strong oxidant and breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into simple water when mixed.

To understand the benefits of using hydrogen peroxide for laundry in detail, keep reading the article.

Benefits of Using Hydrogen Peroxide For Laundry

1 —

It Brightens The Colors Of Clothes

 With the passage of time, clothes lose their bright, attractive colors mainly because of being soaked in detergents that get trapped inside the fabric. The good news is you can bring back the colors of your favorite clothes by using hydrogen peroxide in your laundry. Simply pour 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide into the bleach dispenser so it will be added gradually during each wash cycle, where the water will dilute it. If you don’t own a bleacher dispenser, simply pour 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide into 2 cups of water and dilute.

Tip: Never pour the full amount of hydrogen peroxide directly into the colored clothes before you check them for colorfastness first.

2 —

Get Rid of Stubborn Stains More Efficiently

If you’re tired of rubbing stubborn stains each time to see them get lighter, worry not because hydrogen peroxide does not only protect and give back the colorful life to the fabric but efficiently removes stains also especially plant and protein-based stains. You can make your own stain remover by combining two parts hydrogen peroxide with one part dish liquid. It can treat all kinds of stains such as bloodstain, vegetables, fruit, wine, etc.

If you got a vine or bloodstains, simply pour full-strength hydrogen peroxide directly on the blood stain and leave it until it discontinues fizzing. Then rub the bloodstain and wash it with cold, clean water like other garments. Because it is a mild form of stain remover, it can use for carpets and upholstery stains without damaging the fabric.

Tip: Though it is a light form of bleach, it is always better to test on an inconspicuous area first to make sure it doesn’t harm the colors of the fabric. Try it inside of the material or hem before proceeding.

3 —

Enjoy Odor Free Clothes and Towels

Getting rid of a foul odor from clothes and towels is not a piece of cake, especially during summers. Hydrogen peroxide is heaven in this situation. It is a bacterial killer hence helps wash off all the dirt and bacteria, causing a bad odor in few simple steps. Simply combine 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide with enough water to dilute and soak the smelly clothes. Then leave it for 15-30 minutes and wash with normal clean water.  

If you wish to use it for heavy towels or an entire load of clothes, add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide in the washer and let it rest for at least 1 hour for better results. Now pour detergent and wash the clothes as usual.

4 —

Get Back To White

White clothes usually don’t remain white for longer due to color transfer from other fabrics while washing, exposure to body soil, or residue of laundry detergent and fabric softeners that get trapped inside the fabric. With a small amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), you can make your clothes as white and bright as before. Use only 3% hydrogen peroxide here because ingredients in oxygen-based bleaches break down into hydrogen peroxide, including some brightening additives.

Make an effective detergent by simply adding 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide into the washer drum, then add water followed by clothes. To remove yellow stains from the armhole, combine 1/2 cup washing soda (it is different from baking soda) with 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide. Then add the water and leave your clothes dipped for a couple of hours. Now wash it with clean hot water.

5 —

Get A Clean And Safer Cloth Washer

Typically people focus on cleaning and disinfecting their clothes and forget to look at the bigger picture. If the washer is not sanitized and clean, it kills the purpose of washing clothes. It can also become smelly because of trapping clothes odor inside, especially in areas with high humidity, hence focusing on cleaning your washer deeply. Simply add 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide into the empty washer drum and run hot water to make your washer cleaner and smell-free.

Tip: Disinfect your washer drum at least once a month with hydrogen peroxide.

Take Away

This brings us to the end of the article. The above-mentioned hydrogen peroxide benefits are the tip of the ice burg as it can be used for kitchen cleaning to laundry, from disinfecting a garden to giving a better look to your bathrooms. It is more important to be bacteria-free, especially during the pandemic; therefore, don’t limit yourself and keep your family safe.