Hydrogen peroxide is extremely useful. I can't believe I didn't keep a bottle of this amazing disinfectant on hand at all times until a few years ago. Now I use it every day!
With the coronavirus craziness going on I'm sure you are looking for good ways to disinfect. But coronavirus isn't the only thing you should be thinking about. Below you can find a list of 6 nasty bugs you can safely kill with hydrogen peroxide.
Stomach Bug/aka Norovirus
I found out a few years ago after my daughter seemed to pick up every stomach bug that not everything will kill the norovirus, the virus that causes many vomiting illnesses. I found out that two common things will kill it, though. What a relief! One of those two things is hydrogen peroxide. The other is bleach, but we'll save that for another day. And important to note here is that alcohol and alcohol based hand sanitizers will NOT disable the norovirus. Neither will Lysol! And nope, not those precious Clorox wipes (most Clorox wipes don't contain bleach).
* Fun fact: Noro can live on surfaces for weeks! Weeks! *
Hydrogen peroxide can be sprayed on surfaces after they have been cleaned from debris and left to dry for about 5 minutes. If there is a bubbly residue after that simply wipe it away.
As for me, I spray down everything. I even spray couches. I'm not sure I'd recommend that for everyone, but my couches are old and used, so a little fading goes unnoticed.
MRSA
There have been studies that show a vaporized mist of hydrogen peroxide over fabric and hard surfaces in hospitals all but eradicates medically resistant staph (MRSA). Other studies like this one also show what a wonder peroxide can be!
MRSA is a very nasty bug and, as the name suggests, resistant to antibiotics. Some high touch surfaces such as patient divider curtains and chairs are not able to be washed every single time they are used, so MRSA sits there, waiting for its next victim. Hospitals who used a mist of peroxide found that almost no germs remained. Major breakthrough I'd say.
Mouthwash
Hydrogen peroxide has been used as a mouthwash by many for years. If you read the bottle, you'll see it's referred to as an oral debriding agent. What the heck does that mean? Well, basically, it helps to heal wounds such as canker sores by disinfecting your mouth. Be sure to dilute it before you swish. Mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxide to 1 part water, swish for 30 seconds and spit. Easy.
Fungus and Bacteria in the Shower
If you suffer with athlete's foot or just want to keep the mildew at bay, spritz your shower with a spray of household hydrogen peroxide. It's such a simple way to keep your shower clean and hygienic. I do it every day. I also spray down the shower mats.
Toothbrush bacteria
To keep your toothbrushes clean all you have to do is give them a little spray of hydrogen peroxide after you brush. So easy. And you barely use any at all.
Coronavirus
Ah, yes, the topic you've been looking for. Here's the abstract of a study showing hydrogen peroxide's ability to inactivate coronaviruses. Yes, boring old hydrogen peroxide will disarm that nasty coronavirus. The CDC agrees. I have even seen it in stores when all of the isopropyl alcohol has gone missing. If you see it, pick up a bottle.
If you are going to use this as a disinfectant, first wipe down any dirt or debris off the surface you want to spray. Then spritz it with your spray bottle and let dry. It could take up to 8 minutes for everything to be disabled so be patient. On your sinks, counters or toilets, let it sit 15 minutes. All those germs should be disabled in no time!
Click here to see an article on disinfection that includes hydrogen peroxide tips. Here's another one you might like!
Warning!
The only real drawback of peroxide is that it can burn your skin slightly. At the 3% concentration, the injury is quite minor, but keep this in mind if you spray it on a surface that you plan to touch right away. I've had some white irritated spots on my fingers from cleaning, but they go away soon and once I wash my hands I don't feel a thing.
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Is this oil a panacea or an artery-clogging villain? Well, that depends on who you ask.
According to many reputable health sources, any source of saturated fat is considered bad for your health. Ask an alternative health expert and you'll get a completely different answer. So who should we believe? After some quick research on PubMed, I found that coconut oil appears to be a lot better for your lipid profile than butter. But scientists, based on their findings, still recommend unsaturated fats over coconut oil. It's a tricky minefield to navigate and when things get tricky, I tend to take the road of moderation.
In my home I use both canola oil and coconut oil regularly and have tried to decrease the use of butter. From my experience, I don't feel great when I eat a lot of fat in general. Butter is best in some recipes and cannot be replaced. And the health claims people make about butter are exaggerated, I think. You do the research and trust your body. It usually gives you clues.
All that being said, here are some uses I have found for coconut oil. Even though I'm not consuming copious amounts of it, it certainly has an important place in my household. Read below for some great ideas!
5 Realistic Uses for Coconut Oil
Deodorant
Coconut oil makes the absolute best deodorant. I use it every single day. And it's the only one that works for me and doesn't give me armpit irritation. Years ago I quit antiperspirants and traded them in for store-bought deodorants. While my armpits were less bothered, I still got the occasional flair. With my homemade deodorant, irritated armpits are a thing of the past!
Click this link for a recipe on how to make your own. It's super easy and all you will need is extra virgin coconut oil, arrowroot or cornstarch, baking soda, beeswax and any essential oils of your liking.
Replacement for Shortening
I have a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. It came from Old Sturbridge Village, a local living history museum and one of my favorite places to spend the day. These cookies are really good, but they are not your typical Toll House variety. They are a denser and crisper cookie. Anyway, when made with shortening, as the recipe calls for, they are pretty good. But when they are made with coconut oil they are delectable. The fat profile of coconut oil allows them to cook nicely and provides a delicious crunch factor that shortening leaves you without.
Popcorn Oil
Do you know that classic smell when you go to the movies? You know the smell that makes you want to spend $10 on a tub of popcorn that in reality costs pennies to make? That smell is in part due to coconut oil. Coconut oil is the traditional oil used in popping corn. It adds a nice flavor, smell and crisp crunch to this all time favorite snack. Try it the next time you make popcorn on your stove or in your microwave popcorn popper.
Moisturizer
All by itself coconut oil is a great moisturizer. I used it for years before I switched to vaseline. Many people find that it absorbs nicely and gives just enough moisture to dry skin.
Lotion Bars
Just type "lotion bars" into the search bar on Pinterest and you'll get pages and pages of recipes. And one common ingredient? You guessed it, coconut oil.
I tried making lotion bars several years ago with some success but I didn't love them. I made a simple recipe with beeswax and coconut oil. Next time I want to try adding Shea butter to the recipe so the bar stays firmer.
Here is a link to Top 5 Lotion Bar Recipes. I pinned this on my DIY Health and Beauty Pinterest board because it looked very promising. I have gotten as far as buying the ingredients, but haven't tried any of the recipes yet. Let me know if you try any of them and which one you like best!
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First off, Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have a wonderful celebration filled with delicious food, family and friends.
This year has had a lot of good and some bad mixed in. I suppose that's like most years, right? I find that focusing on what I am thankful for puts things into perspective and gives me a better outlook.
That said, here are some things I am thankful for.
- My husband, I truly am blessed to have him.
- My kids. This year has shown so much growth and even through challenging times we have overcome so much adversity.
- This blog. I am ambivalent toward technology but I'm thankful for the technology that has allowed me to write this blog. It's been one of the things I've done that I'm most proud of.
- A nice quite and peaceful town in which to live.
- Being surrounded by nature daily.
- Delicious food.
What are you thankful for? I'd love to see in the comments below!
I tried this project after, more than a year ago, my mom showed my kids how to do it. Guys, this is easy enough for kids to do! When I picked up the loom I figured it would be easy enough. And I was right. Just remembering what my mom taught my kids to do I was able to pick it up without much thought or additional instruction. I know my experience in knitting and crochet helped, but I'd say this is a great beginner project.
Look at that stitch. It looks just like the knitting that takes me days to complete. This project can be done in just a few hours! And the variegated yarn I used made such a nice stripe. Better yet, because this worked up so fast, you can get a handmade holiday gift done in in no time. Trust me.
I read somewhere that this type of knitting is actually older than the needle knitting. I hesitate to call it original, but who knows? I know looms date back pretty far so it sounds totally possible to me.
To make hats on a loom you need a thicker yarn. I used chunky weight yarn in this coral colored hat and in the one shown at the top of the page. The multi-colored one shown in the third picture is made using two strands of worsted weight yarn held together as one. The darker blue hat below is made using one strand of a slightly less chunky yarn, but it still worked up nicely.
The light blue hat above reminds me of a frosty winter night. It is made using a chunky weight yarn. After completing several of these hats I would have to say my best results came from the chunky weight yarn. The two strands of worsted weight worked fine, but I like the look and feel of the chunky yarn better.
I don't have my own instructions for you in this post, but Here's a tutorial so you can make some great gifts for your friends and family! It's not hard at all and even young children can do it. Give it a try and let me know what you think below.
Have you ever tried making a loom knit hat?
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I came across tea tree oil many years ago in a mall. It was in a Body Shoppe and I thought that it was weird that this oil was supposed to help with acne. At the time my skin care regimen was oil free due to sensitivity. I dismissed the tea tree oil, thinking any oil would make my pimples worse, and didn't think about it for years.
Years later I had a bureau that became musty. I would clean it and it would look fine for a while, but then the mold would reappear. It was frustrating and I thought I would have to get rid of the piece. I finally went online and looked up how to get rid of mold on furniture. It was then that I found out about tea tree oil. I purchased some online and diluted it to the proper portions and began to clean the piece of furniture. The mold, as it had before, came off. This time, though, it did not return. Tea tree oil to the rescue. This really was a great find. See below for the recipe!
Already having it on hand, I found that it had many other uses. I remembered what I had learned about its use for acne and started using it on any blemishes that appeared. It worked wonderfully. I still use it. I just wet a cotton swab with tap water and drip a drop of tea tree oil on the end of it. Then I dab the swab on any blemishes.
I found that it is also a great remedy for ear aches. I have read some warnings online that have cautioned not putting it directly in the ear canal, so I rub it around the outside of the ear canal even behind the ear. I believe it penetrates the skin and attacks the infection. It's worked great for our family. One thing I should note is that tea tree oil should never be ingested. It is not meant to be consumed.
As far as scientific research, the data is sparse. I did come across some research that, while it did not find conclusive results that tea tree oil was effective, said the results that were found warranted more research. As for me, I'll be using it despite the lack of evidence, because, for me, it's proven helpful.
And remember lack of evidence doesn't mean something doesn't work, it means it hasn't been effectively tested. The use of things that have been conclusively shown to be false should be carefully considered. But when there is lack of data and you find something that works well for you, go on and use it as long as it makes you happy!
Tea tree oil with its distinct medicine smell is probably my favorite essential oil. What are some of your favorites?
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Tea Tree Oil Mold Killer
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 teaspoon tea tree oil
1 spray bottle
Mix ingredients and add to spray bottle. Shake vigorously before spraying. Spray some on surface and wipe off until clean. Then spray a thin layer over clean surface and let dry.
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