Its Many uses

Oh, Hydrogen Peroxide. You do so many things. You deserve more attention. Here’s a partial list of the many benefits of Hydrogen Peroxide! Below is listed the History and some "other uses". This information is gleaned from those who have successfully used Hydrogen Peroxide in these many varied applications. Hydrogen peroxide is the only germicidal agent composed only of water and oxygen. Like ozone, it kills disease organisms by oxidation! Hydrogen peroxide is considered the worlds safest all natural effective sanitizer. It kills microorganisms by oxidizing them, which can be best described as a controlled burning process. When hydrogen peroxide reacts with organic material it breaks down into oxygen and water.

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. No more canker sores and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash. (Small print says mouth wash and gargle right on the bottle). hydrogen peroxide is a natural oxidizer.

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of “Peroxide” to keep them free of germs.

3. Clean your counters with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. One man reports, “I had a fungus on my feet for years - until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. All gone.”

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. A nurse reports that she has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine, but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, or plugged sinuses. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. If you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages, but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually so it’s not a drastic change.

11. Put half of a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there are protein stains on clothing, pour it directly on the spot, let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with water. Repeat if necessary.+ Watch out, though: hydrogen peroxide can bleach out fabric, and you may want to dab a test spot on an area of the fabric that won't be visible before you go whole hog.+

13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors with, and there is no smearing which is why I love it so much for this.

14. Use 3% Hydrogen peroxide for removing blood stains – especially if they are fairly fresh. Pour directly on the soiled spot, let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. It is a great bleaching agent for stubborn stains on white clothes. Combine ½ c. hydrogen peroxide and 1 t. ammonia for a great stain removal combination.+

15. Use hydrogen peroxide to bleach delicate items such as wool or wool blends. Soak them overnight in a solution of one part 3% hydrogen peroxide to eight parts cold water. Launder according to care instructions.

16. Another one you'll want to consult your doctor on: a drop of hydrogen peroxide in the ear can soften earwax enough to allow you to remove a painful or irritating buildup. If your doctor gives you the green light, go for it!

17. Bonus tip: Having problems with rotting roots and unhealthy plants in your lovely Baltimore yard? Apply a solution of 32 parts water to one part hydrogen peroxide to the base of your plants. It will encourage the development of a healthy, strong root system.

18. Rejuvenating Detoxifying Bath: Use about 2 quarts 3% hydrogen peroxide to a tub of warm water. Soak at least 1/2 hour, adding hot water as needed to maintain a comfortable water temperature.

19. Some sources recommend soaking infections or cuts for five to ten minutes several times a day. However, washing and rinsing action is sufficient. You shouldn’t leave the solution on open tissue for extended periods of time as, like many oxidative antiseptics, hydrogen peroxide causes mild damage to tissue in open wounds. Therefore it is important to use with caution.

*Also, if you have a dog that you need to get to vomit (like if they ate a bunch of chocolate), make them swallow hydrogen peroxide. Give it to them a few teaspoons at a time.^

^ However, let common sense dictate so, always call your veterinarian before administering hydrogen peroxide, in case it's not an appropriate treatment for your particular application.

+Watch out, though: hydrogen peroxide can bleach out fabric, and you may want to dab a test spot on an area of the fabric that won't be visible before you go whole hog.


Much of this information comes from "bargainmavin@gmail.com" a site he calls Fluster Buster.com and here is her website - http://www.flusterbuster.com/2013/06/peroxide-42-uses-for-hydrogen-peroxide.html
Beauty

•Acne – to help clear up skin, dab pimples with peroxide using a cotton ball.
•Finger Nails – to whiten, soak a cotton ball with peroxide and rub it on your nails.
•Hair – to gradually give your hair highlights, mix equal parts peroxide and water and spray on wet hair. Comb the solution through your hair and dry.
•Mouthwash – instead of purchasing expensive mouthwashes, try using peroxide instead.
•Teeth – to whiten, hold one capful of peroxide in your moth for 10 minutes daily.
•Toothpaste – to make your own, make a paste using peroxide and baking soda.


Healthcare but, always consult a doctor before using hydrogen peroxide as a treatment

•Boils – to heal, pour ½ a bottle of peroxide in your bath water.
•Canker Sores – to prevent, hold one capful of peroxide in your mouth for 10 minutes.
•Colds – to cure in 24 hours, put a few drops of peroxide in your ear, when the bubbling stops (5-10 minutes), drain onto a tissue. Repeat for the other ear.
•Colonic – to make your own, add 1 cup of peroxide to 5 gallons of warm water.
•Corns and Calluses – to soften, soak feet in a solution made of equal parts water and peroxide.
•Cuts – to keep from getting infected, clean the cut with peroxide.
•Detox Bath – to rejuvenate, add 2 quarts of peroxide to your bath water. Soak for at least a ½ hour.
•Ear Infections – to relieve, place 6-8 drops in the affected ear.
•Ear Wax – to remove, add a couple of drops of warm olive oil followed by a couple of drops of peroxide. Sit with head tilted for several minutes and then flush the ear with warm water.
•Enema – to make your own, add 1 tablespoon to 4 cups of water.
•Foot Fungus – to cure, spray a solution made of equal parts peroxide and water to your feet every night.
•Infections – to heal, soak the infected area in peroxide for 5-10 minutes several times a day.
•Sinus Infection – to relieve, add one tablespoon of peroxide to non-chlorinated water to be used as a nasal spray.
•Toothache – to relieve pain, hold one capful of peroxide in your mouth for 10 minutes.
•Yeast Infections – to control, add 2 capfuls of peroxide to your douche 1-2 time per week.


General Cleaning

•Bathroom – to disinfect, fill a spray bottle with equal parts peroxide and water.
•Counter tops – to kill germs, spray the counter tops with peroxide and wipe with a clean cloth.
•Grout – to whiten, make sure the grout is dry, then spray a generous amount of peroxide on the grout. Let it sit for 1-2 hours and scrub the area with an old toothbrush and some warm soapy water.
•Mirrors – for a no steak clean, spray mirrors with peroxide and wipe with a paper towel or newspaper.
•Mold – to control, clean the area with peroxide.
•Tile – to remove stains, make a thick paste using flour and peroxide. Apply the mixture to the stain, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight. Rinse clean.
•Toothbrush – to kill germs, soak your toothbrush in peroxide.


Kitchen

•Cutting Board – to kill germs, after rinsing off your cutting board, spray it with peroxide.
•Dishrags and sponges – to clean, soak them for 15-30 minutes in a solution using equal parts peroxide and warm water. Rinse.
•Fruits & Vegetables – to clean, spray them with peroxide (food grade) and let them stand for a few minutes, then rinse and dry.
•Fruits & Vegetables – for a non-toxic sanitizer, pour peroxide (food grade) into a dark colored spray bottle (light destroys peroxide) and fill another spray bottle with vinegar. Spray your fruits and vegetables with the peroxide and then repeat using the vinegar.
•Fruits & Vegetables – to neutralize chemicals and prolong freshness, add ¼ cup of peroxide (food grade) to a sink full of cold water. Soak vegetables for 20-30 minutes. Rinse, drain and let dry.
•Refrigerator – to disinfect, spray the interior with peroxide and wipe with a clean cloth.
•Salad – to prolong freshness, lightly spray with a solution of ½ cup water and 1 tablespoon of peroxide (food grade).


Laundry

•Blood Stains – to remove, pour peroxide on the spot and let it sit for a few minutes. Then rub and rinse with cold water.
•Clothes – to whiten, add a cup of peroxide to your wash. Peroxide is more mild than bleach and will keep your clothes from wearing out as fast.
•Wine Stain – to remove, mix together equal parts peroxide and liquid detergent. Pour the mixture over the stain. With a clean cloth blot the stain and wash with warm water.
•Wring Around the Collar – to remove, spray the area with a mixture of 2 parts peroxide and 1 part liquid detergent. Let it sit for an hour before rinsing. *Works great on armpit stains too.


Douche

Add 2 capfuls of 3% hydrogen peroxide in warm distilled water once to twice a week to remove even chronic yeast infections.


Colonic or Enema

For a colonic, add 1 cup (8 ozs.) 3% H202 to 5 gallons warm water. (Do not exceed this amount) For an enema, add 1 tablespoon of 3% H202 to a quart of warm distilled water.


Contact Lenses

Hydrogen peroxide is used as a disinfectant in CIBA Vision’s Clear Care no rub contact lens cleaning solution, due to its ability to break down the proteins that build up on the lens from the eye’s immune response, resulting in increased comfort for those with sensitive eyes.


In the Dishwasher: Add 2 oz. of 3% hydrogen peroxide to your regular washing formula.
Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour or spray hydrogen peroxide (and then vinegar) on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors with, there is no smearing. Combination of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide make a cheap, effective and non-toxic disinfectant agent and is said to be more effective at killing pathogens than bleach. As it is non-toxic, you can use it to disinfect fruits and vegetables, as well as pet toys, equipment and cages. In tests run at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, pairing Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide mists, kills virtually all Salmonella, Ciguatera, or E. coli bacteria on heavily contaminated food and surfaces. Directions: You need TWO spray bottles. DO NOT MIX the solutions together. Put straight vinegar in one and straight hydrogen peroxide in the other spray bottle. NOTE: Light destroys peroxide rather quickly. It’s best to leave it in its original bottle and screw in a spray head. DO NOT DILUTE THEM. Remember for any sanitizer to work properly, the surface has to be clean before you use it.


Miscellaneous

•Mites (bird mites) – to kill, spray with area with peroxide. Patients infected by tiny mites report that hydrogen peroxide effectively kills the mites on their skins. They spray it on their skin a couple of times (with a few minutes in between the applications) with amazing results.
•Plants – to improve their root system, water them with a mixture of 32 parts water and 1 part peroxide.
•Seeds – to sprout, soak seeds overnight in a mixture of 1 ounce peroxide and 2 cups water.
•Humidifiers/Steamers - Use 1 pint 3% hydrogen peroxide to 1 gallon of water.


Grades of Hydrogen Peroxide

A) 3.5% Pharmaceutical Grade: This is the grade sold at your local drugstore or supermarket. This product is not recommended for internal use. It contains an assortment of stabilizers which shouldn’t be ingested. Various stabilizers include: acetanilide, phenol, sodium stanate and tertrasodium phosphate.
B) 6% Beautician Grade: This is used in beauty shops to color hair and is not recommended for internal use.
C) 30% Reagent Grade: This is used for various scientific experimentation and also contains stabilizers. It is also not for internal use.
D) 30% to 32% Electronic Grade: This is used to clean electronic parts and not for internal use.
E) 35% Technical Grade: This is a more concentrated product than the Reagent Grade and differs slightly in that phosphorus is added to help neutralize any chlorine from the water used to dilute it.
F) 35% Food Grade: This is used in the production of foods like cheese, eggs, and whey-containing products. It is also sprayed on the foil lining of aseptic packages containing fruit juices and milk products. THIS IS THE ONLY GRADE RECOMMENDED FOR INTERNAL USE.
G) 90%: This is used as an oxygen source for rocket fuel.

Only 35% Food Grade hydrogen peroxide is recommended for internal use. At this concentration, however, hydrogen peroxide is a very strong oxidizer and if not diluted, it can be extremely dangerous or even fatal. Any concentrations over 10% can cause neurological reactions and damage to the upper gastrointestinal tract. There have been two known fatalities in children who ingested 27% and 40% concentrations of H202. Another reports tells of a 26 month old female who swallowed one mouthful of 35% H202. She immediately began vomiting, followed by fainting and respiratory arrest. Fortunately, she was under emergency room care and although she experienced erosion and bleeding of the stomach and esophagus, she survived the incident. When she was re-examined 12 days later, the areas involved had healed (J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 90;28(1):95-100).

HISTORY
Just for fun, here's a little history about Hydrogen Peroxide: Louis Jacques Thénard first described hydrogen peroxide in 1818. He produced it by treating barium peroxide with nitric acid.[9] An improved version of this process used hydrochloric acid, followed by addition of sulfuric acid to precipitate the barium sulfate byproduct. Thénard's process was used from the end of the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century.

OTHER USES Credit for this research goes to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide
Water treatment - Drinking water treatment
Hydrogen peroxide can be used for cleaning well water or other drinking water sources, by removing odors, organic materials that change the water taste, and the removal of H2S and Iron, while reducing tri-halo-methanes and halo-acetic acids. Hydrogen peroxide can be used to increase or decrease the amount of ozone in drinking water.

Wastewater treatment
Hydrogen peroxide is replacing pre-chlorination as a way to deal with odors entering wastewater treatment plants:

Sulfide oxidation
Hydrogen peroxide has been utilized to minimize hydrogen sulfide (H2S) formation.

The processing of wastewater sludge (or bio-solids) can cause the generation of hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous and odoriferous gas. Hydrogen sulfide can also damage equipment and concrete structures.

Sulfides are found throughout the environment as a result of both natural and industrial processes. Most sulfides found in nature were produced biologically (under anaerobic conditions) and occur as free hydrogen sulfide (H2S) – characterized by its rotten egg odor. Biogenic H2S is encountered in sour ground waters, swamps and marshes, natural gas deposits, and sewage collection/treatment systems. Man-made sources of H2S typically occur as a result of natural materials containing sulfur (e.g., coal, gas and oil) being refined into industrial products. For a variety of reasons – aesthetics (odor control), health (toxicity), ecological (oxygen depletion in receiving waters), and economic (corrosion of equipment and infrastructure) – sulfide laden wastewater must be handled carefully and go through a remediation process before it can be released to the environment. Typical discharge limits for sulfide are
< 1 mg/L. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizer effective in controlling sulfide and organic-related odors in wastewater collection and treatment systems. It is typically applied to a wastewater system where there is a retention time of 30 minutes to 5 hours before hydrogen sulfide is released. Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes the hydrogen sulfide and promotes bio-oxidation of organic odors. BOD and COD removal from wastewater
Hydrogen peroxide decomposes to oxygen and water, adding dissolved oxygen to the system, thereby negating some Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). Typical sewage at its first stage has aerobic organisms quickly consuming the oxygen, then dying and decomposing, and anaerobic organisms usually bacteria, set in, creating a toxic environment through their anaerobic digestion. In order to "re-vitalize" the water, various methods of aeration are typically used.

Hydrogen peroxide has been used to reduce the BOD and COD of industrial waste-water for many years. While the cost of removing BOD/COD through chemical oxidation is typically greater than that through physical or biological means, there are nonetheless specific situations which justify its use. These include:
Pre-digestion of wastewater which contains moderate to high levels of compounds that are toxic, inhibitory, or recalcitrant to biological treatment (e.g., pesticides, plasticizers, resins, coolants, and dyestuffs);
Pretreatment of high strength / low flow wastewater – where bio-treatment may not be practical – prior to discharge to a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW); Enhanced separation of entrained organics by flotation and settling processes; and

Supply of supplemental Dissolved Oxygen (DO) when biological treatment systems experience temporary overloads or equipment failure.

As indicated by these examples, hydrogen peroxide can be used as a stand-alone treatment or as an enhancement to existing physical or biological treatment processes, depending on the situation.

Nitrogen oxide (NOx) abatement
Nitrogen oxides are major pollutants in the atmosphere, being a precursor to acid rain, photochemical smog, and ozone accumulation. The oxides are mainly nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) both of which are corrosive and hazardous to health, typically created from the decomposition of organic materials, assisted by anaerobic organisms, or released during the combustion of fossil fuels.

With the use of catalytic converters on automobiles, the initial regulatory focus of controlling of mobile NOx emissions has reached the point where further restriction has become economically impractical. Consequently, the stationary sources of NOx emissions are now being subjected to more stringent standards in many areas of the U.S. Stationary sources include nitric acid manufacturing plants, manufacturers of nitrated materials such as fertilizer and explosives, and industrial manufacturers (metallurgical processors, glass manufacturers, cement kilns, power generators, etc.) where high processing temperatures are used.

Because of the environmental concerns posed by air pollution, much research time and money have been expended to develop methods for controlling NOx emissions. Several 'NOx scrubbing' processes have been developed, using H2O2 as part of the solution, where the nitrogen oxides are converted to nitrate, nitric acid or nitrogen.

Hydrogen peroxide is also used to eliminate nitrogen oxide development 'at the source', by reacting with HNO as it is formed, and eliminating its decomposition into NO or NO2.

Pollutants removal
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most versatile, dependable and environmentally compatible oxidizing agents. The relative safety and simplicity of its use as an oxidizing agent has led to the development of a number of applications in refinery wastewater systems: Un-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide

The strong oxidizing power of hydrogen peroxide makes it suitable for the destruction of a variety of pollutants. Optimization of conditions using hydrogen peroxide to destroy these pollutants can involve control of pH, temperature and reaction time. No additional additives are required.

Catalyzed hydrogen peroxide - Pollutants that are more difficult to oxidize require hydrogen peroxide to be activated with catalysts such as iron. Catalyzed oxidation can also be used to destroy easily oxidized pollutants more rapidly.

Under acid pH conditions, the addition of iron salts to a wastewater solution activates hydrogen peroxide to generate free radicals, which can attack a variety of organic compounds. Other metal salts and conditions can apply (e.g. in cyanide destruction, a copper catalyst can be used at a pH of 8.5 – 11.5).

Aeration for fish and plants
Horticulture - Some horticulturalists and users of hydroponics advocate the use of weak hydrogen peroxide solution in watering solutions. Its spontaneous decomposition releases oxygen that enhances a plant's root development and helps to treat root rot (cellular root death due to lack of oxygen) and a variety of other pests.
Fish Aeration - Laboratory tests conducted by fish culturists in recent years have demonstrated that common household hydrogen peroxide can be used safely to provide oxygen for small fish. The hydrogen peroxide releases oxygen by decomposition when it is exposed to catalysts such as manganese dioxide.

Bleaching wood pulp
About 50% of the world's production of hydrogen peroxide in 1994 was used for pulp- and paper-bleaching.

Possible alternative to chlorine bleaches
Other bleaching applications are becoming more important as hydrogen peroxide is seen as an environmentally benign alternative to chlorine-based bleaches. However scientific studies have found hydrogen peroxide to be ineffective in certain cases, and generally instruct hospitals, medical institutions, and other locations where public health is monitored, to use chlorine-based bleaches for disinfection.

Mild bleaches in laundry detergents
Other major industrial applications for hydrogen peroxide include the manufacture of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate, used as mild bleaches in laundry detergents.

Intermediate processes in the chemical industry
It is used in the production of certain organic peroxides, such as dibenzoyl peroxide, used in polymerisations and other chemical processes.

Hydrogen peroxide is also used in the production of epoxides, such as propylene oxide: Reaction with carboxylic acids produces a corresponding peroxy acid. Peracetic acid and meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (commonly abbreviated mCPBA) are prepared from acetic acid and meta-chlorobenzoic acid, respectively. The latter is commonly reacted with alkenes to give the corresponding epoxide.

Micro-etching
In the PCB manufacturing process, hydrogen peroxide mixed with sulfuric acid was used as the microetch chemical for copper surface roughening preparation.

Instant steam
A combination of a powdered precious metal-based catalyst, hydrogen peroxide, methanol and water can produce superheated steam in one to two seconds, releasing only CO2 and high-temperature steam for a variety of purposes.

Bio-decontamination validation
Recently, there has been increased use of vaporized hydrogen peroxide in the validation and bio-decontamination of half-suit and glove-port isolators in pharmaceutical production.

Rapid oxidation for nuclear plant shutdown
Nuclear pressurized water reactors (PWRs) use hydrogen peroxide during the plant shutdown to force the oxidation and dissolution of activated corrosion products deposited on the fuel. The corrosion products are then removed with the cleanup systems before the reactor is disassembled.

Oil and gas exploration fossil analysis
Hydrogen peroxide is also used in the oil and gas exploration industry to oxidize rock matrix in preparation for micro-fossil analysis.

Propylene oxide
A method of producing propylene oxide from hydrogen peroxide has been developed. The process is claimed to be environmentally friendly, since the only significant byproduct is water. Two of these "HPPO" (hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide) plants came on stream in 2008: One of them located in Belgium is a Solvay, Dow-BASF joint venture, and the other in Korea is an Evonik Headwaters, SK Chemicals joint venture. A caprolactam application for hydrogen peroxide has been commercialized. Potential routes to phenol and epichlorohydrin utilizing hydrogen peroxide have been postulated.

Therapeutic use
Hydrogen peroxide is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as an antimicrobial agent, an oxidizing agent and for other purposes by the U.S. FDA. For example, 35% hydrogen peroxide is used to prevent infection transmission in the hospital environment, and hydrogen peroxide vapor is registered with the US EPA as a sporicidal sterilant.

On the other hand many false claims have been made about the therapeutic properties of hydrogen peroxide, some even lethal, as discussed below.

Disinfectant for inanimate objects
Hydrogen peroxide has been used, in sufficient concentrations, to disinfect inanimate objects. As stated above scientific research concluded that chlorine based disinfectants are better used in hospital and other public institutions.

Veterinary practice
Hydrogen peroxide is used as an emetic in veterinary practice.

Toothpaste
Hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda and salt is used as a toothpaste, but its use was shown to be no more effective than toothpaste.

Acne treatment
Hydrogen peroxide and benzoyl peroxide are sometimes used to treat acne. This too has been challenged by the medical establishment, after research showed that hydrogen peroxide even at minute quantities is harmful to the healing process.[2][53] A fundamental difference from benzoyl peroxide is that hydrogen peroxide is not lipid soluble. Benzoyl peroxide selectively concentrates in the follicles and sebaceous glands because of its lipophilic properties, but hydrogen peroxide is much less soluble in lipids and is a much smaller molecule. This allows it to penetrate at any point in the skin and enter damaged cells relatively easily, leading to the aforementioned harm to the healing process.

Disinfecting wounds
Commonly used as treatment for disinfecting wounds, there is a body of evidence, e.g. and many reports since, that the use of large volumes of hydrogen peroxide over substantial tissue areas can lead to a dangerous oxygen embolism (gas embolism). While judicious use on surface wounds can utilize the catalase-caused "fizzing" effect to assist debridement and cleaning of soil from the wound, clinicians are advised to consult the literature before using peroxide on wounds and tissue cavities. It has also been shown that hydrogen peroxide, even in dilute solutions and minute quantities can slow the healing process on wounds.[2][59][60][61] Further, hydrogen peroxide applied to wounds can impede healing and lead to scarring because it destroys newly formed skin cells.

Cure for cancer
Following the call by alternative medicine advisors for drinking diluted hydrogen peroxide, and using it in various ways such as in shampoo and as an additive to toothpaste, as a treatment to illness in general and cancer in particular, the American Cancer Society states that "there is no scientific evidence that hydrogen peroxide is a safe, effective or useful cancer treatment", and advises cancer patients to "remain in the care of qualified doctors who use proven methods of treatment and approved clinical trials of promising new treatments."

Inhalation, Oral administration and Injection
For treatment of various illnesses, another alternative medical procedure advocated by this group of medical doctors (now banned from publishing their material) is intravenous injection of hydrogen peroxide, which has been linked to several deaths. Also advocated by this group and its followers are oral administration of "dilute quantities" of H2O2, and inhalation of hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of about 1%. These practices have been challenged by the medical establishment as well.

Bleaching skin
It is absorbed by skin upon contact and creates a local skin capillary embolism that appears as a temporary whitening of the skin.

Bleaching bones for display
It is used to whiten bones that are to be put on display.

Cleaning blood stains
3% H2O2 is effective at treating fresh (red) blood-stains in clothing and on other items. It must be applied to clothing before blood stains are "set" with heated water. Cold water and soap are then used to remove the peroxide-treated blood.

As floor bleach
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean tile and grout on floors. It is sometimes recommended to clean with both hydrogen peroxide and baking soda together.
Skunk odor removal
Mixed with baking soda and a small amount of hand soap, hydrogen peroxide is effective at removing skunk odor.

OTHER USES
Glow sticks
Hydrogen peroxide is used with phenyl oxalate ester and an appropriate dye in glow sticks as an oxidizing agent. It reacts with the ester to form an unstable CO2 dimer, which excites the dye to an excited state; the dye emits a photon (light) when it spontaneously relaxes back to the ground state.

In the Chemical industry
Hydrogen peroxide can be combined with vinegar and table salt to form a substitute for industrial chemicals such as ferric chloride, ammonium persulfate, or hydrochloric acid as a hobbyist's printed circuit board etchant.

Alcoholic beverage industry
Hydrogen peroxide may be used in accelerated aging of alcoholic spirits. Some hobby distillers advocate adding small amounts of hydrogen peroxide to distilled spirits, on the theory that the oxygen released will accelerate the oxidation of compounds that occurs naturally when spirits are aged in somewhat permeable oak barrels. This has not been proven scientifically.

Propellant
For more details on this topic, see High-test peroxide.
High concentration H2O2 is referred to as High Test Peroxide (HTP). It can be used either as a monopropellant (not mixed with fuel) or as the oxidizer component of a bipropellant rocket. Use as a monopropellant takes advantage of the decomposition of 70–98+% concentration hydrogen peroxide into steam and oxygen. The propellant is pumped into a reaction chamber where a catalyst, usually a silver or platinum screen, triggers decomposition, producing steam at over 600 °C (1,112 °F), which is expelled through a nozzle, generating thrust. H2O2 monopropellant produces a maximum specific impulse (Isp) of 161 s (1.6 kN·s/kg), which makes it a low-performance monopropellant. Peroxide generates much less thrust than hydrazine. The Bell Rocket Belt used hydrogen peroxide monopropellant.

As a bipropellant H2O2 is decomposed to burn a fuel as an oxidizer. Specific impulses as high as 350 s (3.5 kN·s/kg) can be achieved, depending on the fuel. Peroxide used as an oxidizer gives a somewhat lower Isp than liquid oxygen, but is dense, storable, non-cryogenic and can be more easily used to drive gas turbines to give high pressures using an efficient closed cycle. It can also be used for regenerative cooling of rocket engines. Peroxide was used very successfully as an oxidizer in World War II German rocket motors (e.g. T-Stoff, containing oxy-quinoline stabilizer, for the Me 163B), most often used with C-Stoff in a self-igniting hypergolic combination, and for the low-cost British Black Knight and Black Arrow launchers.

In the 1940s and 1950s, the Walter turbine used hydrogen peroxide for use in submarines while submerged; it was found to be too noisy and require too much maintenance compared to diesel-electric power systems. Some torpedoes used hydrogen peroxide as oxidizer or propellant, but this was dangerous and has been discontinued by most navies. Hydrogen peroxide leaks were blamed for the sinkings of HMS Sidon and the Russian submarine Kursk. It was discovered, for example, by the Japanese Navy in torpedo trials, that the concentration of H2O2 in right-angle bends in HTP pipework can often lead to explosions in submarines and torpedoes. SAAB Underwater Systems is manufacturing the Torpedo 2000. This torpedo, used by the Swedish navy, is powered by a piston engine propelled by HTP as an oxidizer and kerosene as a fuel in a bipropellant system.

While rarely used now as a monopropellant for large engines, small hydrogen peroxide attitude control thrusters are still in use on some satellites. They are easy to throttle, and safer to fuel and handle before launch than hydrazine thrusters. However, hydrazine is more often used in spacecraft because of its higher specific impulse and lower rate of decomposition.

Bombs
Hydrogen peroxide has been used for creating organic peroxide explosives for improvised explosive devices, including the 7 July 2005 London bombings. Improvised explosive device / home-made bomb precursor - Hydrogen peroxide was the main ingredient in the 7 July 2005 London bombings that killed 52 London Underground and bus passengers. The bomb-making ingredients are reported to be easier to buy than large numbers of aspirin pills. It was used again in other terrorist attacks.

SAFETY
Regulations vary, but low concentrations, such as 3%, are widely available and legal to buy for medical use. Most over-the-counter peroxide solutions are not suitable for ingestion. Higher concentrations may be considered hazardous and are typically accompanied by a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). In high concentrations, hydrogen peroxide is an aggressive oxidizer and will corrode many materials, including human skin. In the presence of a reducing agent, high concentrations of H2O2 will react violently.

High-concentration hydrogen peroxide streams, typically above 40%, should be considered hazardous due to concentrated hydrogen peroxide's meeting the definition of a DOT oxidizer according to U.S. regulations, if released into the environment. The EPA Reportable Quantity (RQ) for D001 hazardous wastes is 100 pounds (45 kg), or approximately 10 US gallons (38 L), of concentrated hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide should be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area and away from any flammable or combustible substances. It should be stored in a container composed of non-reactive materials such as stainless steel or glass (other materials including some plastics and aluminium alloys may also be suitable). Because it breaks down quickly when exposed to light, it should be stored in an opaque container, and pharmaceutical formulations typically come in brown bottles that filter out light.

Hydrogen peroxide, either in pure or diluted form, can pose several risks, the main one being that if forms explosive mixtures upon contact with organic compounds. Highly concentrate hydrogen peroxide itself is unstable, and can then cause a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) of the remaining liquid. Distillation of hydrogen peroxide at normal pressures is thus highly dangerous. It is also corrosive especially when oncentrated but even domestic-strength solutions can cause irritation to the eyes, mucous membranes and skin. Swallowing hydrogen peroxide solutions is particularly dangerous, as decomposition in the stomach releases large quantities of gas (10 times the volume of a 3% solution) leading to internal bleeding. Inhaling over 10% can cause severe pulmonary irritation.

With a significant vapor pressure (1.2 kPa at 50 °C[CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 76th Ed, 1995–1996]), hydrogen peroxide vapor is potentially hazardous. According to the U.S. NIOSH Immediately dangerous to life and health limit (IDLH) is only 75 ppm. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established a permissible exposure limit of 1.0 ppm calculated as an eight hour time weighted average (29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-1) and hydrogen peroxide has also been classified by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) as a "known animal carcinogen, with unknown relevance on humans." Information on the hazards of hydrogen peroxide is available from OSHA and from the ATSDR.