H2O2 Uses

Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent and safe solution for removing molds and mildews including toxic black mold.

While many people still consider chlorine bleach a safe cleaning method for removing mold and mildew it should be noted that chlorine bleach while not long-lasting in the environment does create a class of long-lasting substances known as organochlorines which can be extremely toxic. For example, the most carcinogenic substance known today is dioxin which is an organochlorine produced in various applications of chlorine bleaching, or the incineration of PVC.

Hydrogen peroxide, unlike chlorine, does not produce harmful organic compounds when used for removing and destroying molds and mildews, and its high oxidizing power ensures it will destroy the mold or mildew completely when applied correctly.

Mildew and Common Mold Around the Home

For simple mildew and mold in bathrooms and around refrigerator door seals, window sills and other common mildew and minor mold growth areas a simple 3 percent solution works very effectively if given time to do the job.  Apply a direct spray or liquid (just pour it straight onto the surface) and let it work for up to twenty minutes. Then wipe clean with a cloth dampened with H2O2 to finish the job.

Tile grout can also be cleaned this way; although depending how long it has been since the grout has been properly cleaned it may require a second application and a little elbow grease with a stiff brush. If you are spraying H2O2 at or above eye level, wear protective glasses to make sure not to get any into your eyes.

Some people are sensitive enough to H2O2 that they feel a slight stinging when it comes in contact with their skin, and so you may want to wear rubber gloves for these types of cleaning applications.

Serious Mold and/or Toxic Black Mold Problems Require a Minimum of 10 Percent Peroxide Solution

For serious mold infestations and particularly toxic black mold infestations, a more serious approach is required.

Many professional mold remediation companies use hydrogen peroxide to do the job of killing and eliminating the mold. It will require some preparation and careful application to do it yourself, but it is not difficult or dangerous if done correctly.

Isolate the Affected Area

First, determine the boundaries of the mold growth and close off the entire area from the rest of the house, garage or indoor space. If there are not doors and windows to close off the area, hang sheet plastic to isolate the area and tape it into place so the area is completely contained.  Turn off any air circulation, heaters or air conditioners in the area, and cover any heating or cooling vents in the room to be treated. Cover or remove any furniture (preferably to out of doors in the sunshine). Do not brush or disturb the mold until after the application of peroxide. This is necessary because mold is a spore and will travel in the air if disturbed, and the idea is not to spread the contamination.

Protective Clothing For Working with 10 Percent Peroxide Solution

Next, you’ll need to wear protective clothing – rubber gloves, a respirator mask (if you are removing toxic black mold this is a must) and goggles or safety glasses are required for this job. You will be applying a 10 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide directly to the affected areas, and on vertical walls this will require spraying it on. 10 percent solution is a strong oxidizer, which is what makes it work, but you do not want to expose mucous membranes or especially eyes to this concentration of peroxide. Should you accidentally get it on your skin it will produce a stinging sensation leaving the skin white and disappearing within a day or two but still unpleasant. If you get some on your skin, flush the area with water for a few minutes, this will stop the stinging and there will be no permanent or serious damage.  This is not true for the eyes. Eyes can be permanently damaged by concentrations of 4 percent or higher of peroxide, so wear your goggles for this job.

Important! Saturate the Mold with Peroxide FIRST

It is important to wet the mold with the peroxide solution before brushing or working to clean it. The only exception to this is that you can use a HEPA vacuum to remove loose spores carefully and then spray down the area. But try not to disturb the mold or stir it up into the air as it will spread. Start by saturating the mold area with 10 percent solution of H2O2 and then leave the area for at least thirty minutes or so. Return and re-apply the peroxide being careful to fully cover the entire area as well as the areas directly around the mold growth as they will also be contaminated with spores. While the second application is still wet on the surface you can apply a brush or sponge with warm water and mild detergent to remove the dead mold spores.

A bucket of warm soapy water and your spray bottle of 10 percent solution will provide enough power to clean a small room or single wall, in area. Do not remove the plastic or open the area to the rest of the living area until at least 24 hours after your final application of peroxide and wipe down. For seriously deeply penetrating mold repeat the entire procedure 24 hours after the second application making sure to allow the area to be completely saturated with the peroxide for the duration between applications. (After the second spraying and wipe down spray again with peroxide and then wait the 24 hours.)

Some materials, such as particle board, drywall or foam board may have to be completely removed in order to eliminate the mold. In most cases wood, stone or cement surfaces can be effectively cleaned without the need to remove them entirely.

In severe mold infestations between wall joists, behind drywall, etc., as in from a broken pipe or leaking pipe causing long term water damage, or in flooded basements etc., it may be necessary to hire a professional as there is simply too big a job and too toxic a mold growth to take on on your own. In all cases, once the mold has been removed a proper coating of paint or encapsulating product to prevent the return of the mold is advised.

Resources:

Mold Control On a Budget:  http://www.mold-control-on-a-budget.com/documents/42.html

The Official Do It Yourself Mold Removal Guide: http://www.blackmoldremovalguide.com/category/do-it-yourself-mold-removal/

Hydrogen Peroxide Uses – Medical Uses

As an oxygen delivery system capable of destroying anaerobic and pathogenic organisms, nature’s solution of biological and environmental production of H2O2 is hard to beat. In the late 19th and early 20th century hundreds of medical studies and reports detailed the efficacy of various diluted infusions of hydrogen peroxide.

While it might seem strange that here in the 21st century hydrogen peroxide therapies are still not well recognized or utilized in modern mainstream medicine; it must be acknowledged that hydrogen peroxide suffers the serious disadvantage of a lack of the profitability which drives modern pharmacological and medical innovation.

Hydrogen Peroxide Medical Studies 1888 to 1904 – Charles Marchand

As early as 1888 serious studies and research were advancing the curative powers of introducing dilute amounts of hydrogen peroxide to the body through ingestion, infusions and sprays delivered to the sinuses, ears and throat and through applications of baths and soaks.

“Therapeutical Applications of Hydrozone and Glycozone” by Charles Marchand contains reprints of over 100 articles from medical journals dating from 1888 to 1904 describing treatments of hundreds of diseases ranging from cancers and infections to yellow fever.

Hydrogen Peroxide IV Therapy in Influenza – The Lancet 1920

The first paper published on intravenous hydrogen peroxide for influenza appeared in The Lancet in 1920 by British physicians Oliver, Cantab and Murphy, military physicians treating Indian soldiers during an outbreak of the great influenza epidemic.

At the time of the application of intravenous hydrogen peroxide they were facing a mortality rate of 80% in patients who were contracting pneumonia as a result of the influenza.  The report describes the intravenous infusion of two ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted with eight ounces of saline solution (a 0.75% peroxide concentration) infused very slowly over the course of fifteen minutes given to a specific patient who had been ill with high fever and delirium for two days and thought to be near death. The patient tolerated the procedure with no pain or discomfort. Some six hours later the patient was sitting up in bed and requesting food. This is just one of the examples to be found in the Lancet report.

The Lancet is still one of the world’s leading medical journals, and can be found online here: http://www.thelancet.com/

Dr. Farr 1993 Influenza and H2O2 Infusion Study

Dr. Ch. H. Farr’s conclusive study in 1993 provides a more modern, and perhaps even more astounding, report on the infusion of hydrogen peroxide in influenza patients. (C.H. Farr, “Rapid Recovery from Type A/ Shanghai Influenza Treated with Intravenous Hydrogen Peroxide”, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, C.H. Farr, 1993)

The results were dramatic: of the two groups in the study, the group treated with a 0.0375 hydrogen peroxide infusion included full recoveries within 2, 3, 4 and 5 days with 90% of all members of the group completely recovered within 5.5 days. The total days of work lost in the first group was 5. The second group, receiving conventional treatment (antibiotics and commercial remedies) by comparison, had 41 lost work days. Recounted in “Alternative Medicine – The Definitive Guide” as well as in James Roguski’s “The Truth About Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide.”

The Best Books on Hydrogen Peroxide Medical Uses

“The Peroxide Story” by George Borell

“Flood Your Body With Oxygen” by Ed McCabe

“The Oxygen Prescription” by Nathaneil Altman

“Hydrogen Peroxide Medical Miracle” by William Campbell Douglass, M.D.

“Oxygen and Aging” by Majid Ali, M.D.

“Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide” (2nd Edition) [Paperback] by John W. Anderson , Larry Trivieri, and Burton Goldberg

“Oxygen to the Rescue: Oxygen Therapies and How They Help Overcome Disease, Promote Repair, and Improve Overall Function” by Pavel Yutsis (Feb 1, 2003)

 

“Oxygen is the conductor of the orchestra of life. It is the spark for the furnace of human metabolism. It is the primary nutrient of life.”

Majid Ali, M.D.

Resources:

FoodGrade Hydrogen Peroxide – Comprehensive online body of reference and resources for hydrogen peroxide medical therapies: http://www.foodgrade-hydrogenperoxide.com

“The Truth About Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide” by James Roguski: http://www.foodgrade-hydrogenperoxide.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/TheTruthAboutFGHP.pdf

Hydrogen peroxide comes in a variety of grades designed to address its varied and different functions; many of which are designed to address long-term storage properties which alter the composition of the peroxide.

In general, for the purposes of the average person, either drug store/grocery store or food grade H2O2 are the grades which will be useful.

Drug store/grocery store grade hydrogen peroxide, available in a 3 percent solution is always stabilized to increase shelf life of the product. For this reason it is not an appropriate solution for use in food preparation or the cleaning of food preparation surfaces or equipment.

It is, however, perfectly safe to use in such applications as laundry, general cleaning or applications in which it does not come into prolonged direct contact with plants, animals or humans.

Manufacturers of drug store grade hydrogen peroxide do not, as a rule, identify the stabilizers used in their product; however, it is well known that the most common stabilizer of H202 is acetanilide. Other agents known to be used as stabilizers include phenol, tin, Colloidal stannate, organophosphonates, and nitrate.

It was discovered in 1948 that acetanilide is toxic to the liver in humans if ingested, which is why it was removed from use as a fever reducing drug at that time.

Because all hydrogen peroxide is manufactured by chemical companies, the actual stabilizers used and in what concentrations are quite often stated as being ‘proprietary formulations’ which are not disclosed to the public.  For this reason, it is unreasonable to assume that any hydrogen peroxide sold commercially, regardless of its grade, unless it is food grade hydrogen peroxide, is safe for consumption, food preparation or direct contact.

While decades of use have shown that the drug store variety is not harmful for cleaning up scrapes and bruises, as this is a rather infrequent and insignificant topical use, and it has been stated in recent years by drug companies and other authority sources that this store brand/drug store variety is considered safe for mouth rinsing in concentrations of 50% (relative concentration thereby being 1.5%), but if that is as far as they are willing to go, there should be considered to be a reason, and that reason is most likely the stabilizers contained in the products.

The other grades of hydrogen peroxide range from beauticians grade (bleaching) which comes in concentrations starting at around 6%, all the way to specialized rocket fuels and ultra-purified concentrations used in the space program.

Technical and industrial grades are also manufactured in concentrations ranging from 20 to 70 percent for use in industrial, chemical and manufacturing applications. Typically, these grades also contain proprietary formula stabilizers which are designed to address specific needs of industry and are not fit for use in food preparation or for agricultural or domestic home uses.

In 2007, the FDA approved a new line of 35% Food Grade peroxide products for aquaculture use which must be marketed under the brand name PEROX-AID®.  Clearly, if the FDA wants to ensure that the grades and stabilizers in hydrogen peroxide used in aquaculture are safe, then it only makes sense that any peroxide used in the home kitchen be food grade peroxide.

 

Hydrogen Peroxide Uses – Medical Uses

H2O2 Uses – Pool & Spa

Hydrogen Peroxide Uses: Cleaning in the Home

Hydrogen Peroxide Uses – Mold and Mildew Remediation

Hydrogen peroxide is extremely versatile in industry as well as an ever expanding environmental cleanup and remediation area.

While high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide are used in the wood pulp, paper and milling industries as a bleaching agent, they are also well represented in the caustics of chemical baths for everything from chain metal production to epoxy and polymer product manufacture. Indeed, it seems the further you look, the more varied and diverse the uses are.

From municipal wastewater and drinking water treatments to gas, oil and petrochemical refinery applications hydrogen peroxide is playing a major role in the modern industrial world.

Cleanup of harmful toxins in SuperFund sites where dioxins and other byproducts of older petrochemical and military installations to industrial wastewater and air quality treatment, hydrogen peroxide is there, providing the power of highly concentrated oxygen to do the jobs needed most.

In studies after the Katrina hurricane it was determined that using hydrogen peroxide and other agents, such as copper, could radically increase the speed and completeness of water decontamination, for example.

In today’s age of new understanding of the harmful effects of modern chemicals little understood in the last century, hydrogen peroxide is proving not only to be a major asset for the cleanup of these toxic sites but also to provide new and innovative solutions for everything from fuels to manufacturing.

Hydrogen peroxide has long been the fuel of choice for space travel, rocket boosters, and yes, even race cars… Perhaps it is soon to come of age as a truly universal modern fuel for mass transportation needs around the world. After all, the only ‘exhaust’ created by hydrogen peroxide fuel is oxygen and water – better known as ‘steam’.

China, for example, introduced a new hydrogen peroxide fueled car in 2004 – the Habo 1, a modified Volkswagen. In an age where increasing awareness of the pollution, limited availability and higher costs of oil and gas are at last being recognized, it would seem logical that hydrogen peroxide will only play an ever increasing role in the industrial, environmental remediation and even transportation industries as time goes by.

Resources:

US Peroxide: http://h2o2.com/

Peroxide Thunder – Rocket Car: http://www.swissrocketman.com/ete25.html

News Digest – Automakers unveil efficient cars in China: http://thechina.biz/china-economy/automakers-unveil-efficient-cars-in-china/

Singapore – Green Motoring: http://www.aas.com.sg/?show=content&showview=12&val=157

American Independent – Hydrogen Peroxide and Energy Independence: http://www.americanenergyindependence.com/peroxide.aspx

Hydroponics systems use water to grow plants without soil and rely on providing nutrients in liquid form to the plants. Since most of these systems are indoors, and more and more people are adopting these methods for growing foods at home, it is common for the water temperatures in these systems to be at or above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  Unfortunately, this can lead to a rapid growth of bacteria, fungi and anaerobic pathogens in the watering system as a direct result of the fact that warmer water contains less oxygen.

For this reason, hydrogen peroxide is an important and critically beneficial additive to the water and nutrient system in hydroponics.

Hydrogen Peroxide Leads to Healthier Plants

The peroxide kills pathogens and fungi which leads to diseases like bacterial wilt commonly associated with low oxygen hydroponic systems. The additional oxygen leads to stronger root systems and therefore stronger and healthier plants.

Most hydroponic supply stores carry the higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, although the exact concentrations may be different in different areas of the country due to local regulations. (For example, in California concentrations are limited to 30% for retail sales.)

It is important to remember that higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide are extremely caustic, and must always be properly diluted for use in any system which comes in contact with living organisms, even plants. Just because most food grade H202 is sold at 30 to 35% concentrations, that does not mean it should ever be applied at that strength, particularly when in use for providing additional oxygen and support for living things.

Using H202 as a regular maintenance treatment in hydroponic systems helps to maintain healthy oxygen levels, as the peroxide will break down in a matter of days and will need to be re-applied.

Use Food Grade H2O2 for Hydroponics

It is important to use food grade hydrogen peroxide in hydroponic applications where food is being grown as it does not contain the toxic stabilizers used in drug store 3% solutions or other grades and types of peroxide. In general, any applications which bring the peroxide into direct contact with food, animals or people (other than for simple first aid for cuts etc on people) should use food grade hydrogen peroxide diluted to the appropriate strength.

Resources:

Hydroponic Gardening – Hydroponic Systems: http://www.hydroponic-gardening.ws/

Hydroponic Gardening – Hydrogen Peroxide: http://www.hydroponic-gardening.ws/hydrogen-peroxide-in-hydroponics.html

In recent years, many new agricultural applications for hydrogen peroxide have emerged, from aquaculture to animal husbandry and even in combatting certain plant pathogens and improving crop yields.

Livestock and Poultry Uses of H2O2

In many parts of the US farmers are using hydrogen peroxide in specialized drinking water delivery systems for livestock and poultry, leading to lower incidences of disease, increased milk and egg production and greatly reducing the need for antibiotics in animal stock.

Healing Damaged and Diseased Crops with Hydrogen Peroxide

Another development in H2O2 use in agriculture is in the fields themselves. Farmers have been experimenting with using hydrogen peroxide foliar sprays on crops to reduce fungal diseases and improve crop viability in the early stages of plant growth.

In one specific case, a farmer whose corn crop was destroyed by hailstones sprayed a hydrogen peroxide foliar spray on the broken plants rather than replant as all the surrounding farmers had, and experienced a full recovery of the crop within a few weeks without any replanting.

Additionally, in recent years work has been done to determine the efficacy of hydrogen peroxide in fighting the fungus which attacks banana trees.  In these applications, hydrogen peroxide and a form of molasses are sprayed on the underside of the banana tree leaves in order to apply the peroxide directly to the affected areas of the plants.  This work is ongoing in places like the Philippine Islands, and other tropical banana growing locations worldwide.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Poultry

In the area of poultry health it is noted that the famous “bird man of Alcatraz” was using hydrogen peroxide to achieve his ‘miraculous’ healing of sick and injured birds. Many poultry farmers are discovering the benefit of adding small amounts of hydrogen peroxide to the watering systems for their birds.

Framers who have supplied poultry flocks with hydrogen peroxide in drinking water in specialized delivery systems which carefully regulate the amount of peroxide in the water have reported reduced incidence of in-flock predation (pecking disorder), healthier birds and increased egg production in laying hens.

Hydrogen Peroxide in Aquaculture Approved by FDA in 2007

In 2007 the FDA approved a new product, 35% PEROX-AID® (Eka Chemicals, Marietta, Georgia) for control of mortality in (1) freshwater-reared finfish eggs due to saprolegniasis (a common water mold), (2) freshwater-reared salmonids due to bacterial gill disease (Flavobacterium branchiophilum), and (3) freshwater-reared coolwater finfish and channel catfish due to external columnaris (Flavobacterium columnare) disease.   The main and active ingredient in this product is 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide.

Resources:

Essential Waters Solutions, Inc. (Home of Oxy Blast) – Hydrogen Peroxide for Agricultural Uses: http://www.essentialwater.net/oxy-blast-brochure

Use of Hydrogen Peroxide in Finfish Aquaculture: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa157

In the late 20th century when it was discovered that chlorine based bleaching processes used in wood pulping and the paper industry were creating a serious dioxin hazard, chlorine compounds were replaced with hydrogen peroxide throughout the industry.

Additionally, hydrogen peroxide has long been recognized as an important and effective bleaching agent for fabrics as it does not damage the fibers of many fabrics in the same way that other more caustic and toxic chemical bleaches do.

Hydrogen peroxide is also an active ingredient in many hair bleaches and dyes.

Concentrations of hydrogen peroxide at 6 percent or higher are strong enough to cause bleaching, while lower concentrations can be very effective cleaning agents without a bleaching effect. Hydrogen peroxide is also used in bleaching natural products such as wood, wool, and other natural fibers.

Hydrogen peroxide has long been recognized for its antiseptic properties, as a first aid staple for cleaning wounds, cuts, abrasions and scratches.

It is, for the same reason, an excellent general purpose anti-septic cleaner. In consumer applications the typical drug store variety 3% solution can work as a stain, mildew and mold remover in general household situations. Many commercial mold and mildew removal systems rely on a higher concentration commercial grade of hydrogen peroxide to eliminate mold spores on building surfaces and structures in toxic mold remediation work. Generally in these applications a solution of not less than 10% is required, which requires special handling procedures.

In the food industry and around the home kitchen, Food Grade Peroxide solutions are excellent anti-bacterial and anti-microbial agents. In general these solutions range from 3 to 35 percent concentrations, depending on the application. Most home kitchen uses of Food Grade Peroxide should be done at a 3 percent solution rate.

A University of Virginia clinical trial study found hydrogen peroxide to be the best solution for keeping commercial kitchen surfaces free of bacteria and micro-organisms that could result in contamination of foods by germs, viruses or even E. coli.

For most general cleaning purposes, the use of hydrogen peroxide at a 3 percent solution is perfectly adequate; as higher concentrations can lead to inadvertent bleaching, and require more careful handling.

Concentrations higher than 4 percent can cause uncomfortable burning of the skin which leaves no lasting damage but is unpleasant and can cause permanent damage to eyes.