FORT Koffee Klatch

[Rattus]

One drawback to using hydrogen pyroxide is that it apparently eats away tissue (even healthy tissue). For years, people used it straight to rinse/clean out their dogs' ears (maybe even people's ears), but a vet told me not to use it.

If you've ever put it on wounds, you can see it bubbling/foaming up. I used to think that was just it "working" on the bacteria.

This is true and I should have mentioned that it is not a bad idea to wear gloves while using it because it can sting a little - still far less dangerous than chlorine bleach though, and not nearly the environmental blight.

I do use it to swish my mouth out occasionally if I have chancre sores or some sort of dental infection. It is, bar none, the best remedy I have ever used for the chancre sores. I would never use it on a pet - I can tell if something that I'm using on myself is iffy, but the boys can't.

[MRD]

Our vet told us to give a tablespoon of peroxide to bogie once when he ate an entire pound of chocolate out of an easter basket. He did say to take him outside first. It makes dogs throw up. Immediate results. I'm glad he said to go outside to administer it.

[norealityhere]

Peroxide has been used to remove color for ages. But it is not bleach. As Ellen said, the chemical composition is different. Bleach is toxic, peroxide is not.

It may not be as toxic; however, the effect is that it will change ( dye out / bleach ) the color of your hair, your teeth, your clothing, your carpets, etc.

[chrisg]

Hydrogen peroxide contains oxygen which oxidizes -- that's how it lifts color -- but it is not interchangeable with bleach and suggesting so is potentially dangerous.

Ellen and MRD are absolutely right to have pointed that out. People should also be careful with hydrogen peroxide used topically or orally as VR and Rattus said.

[coltnlasma]

I took NRH's post to mean "a bleach", not specifically chlorine bleach.

There are other types of bleach... what is bleach & how does it work?

[prhoshay]

The hydrogen peroxide NEVER took color out of my clothes....just the offending substance....which was usually blood, no matter how many times I had to use it on the same stain. Of course, a new stain was much easier to remove.

Oxy-Clean operates under the same principle, and I've never had any trouble with it, either, although I know people who have.

[chrisg]

Exactly right, Shay, that's how all those OxiClean products work by lifting stains through oxidation. I have heard that some people have had problems with hydrogen peroxide and those products lifting the original color as NRH said.

I took NRH's post to mean "a bleach", not specifically chlorine bleach.

There are other types of bleach... what is bleach & how does it work?

This is a splitting of hairs that I find completely off tangent of what people have been trying to point out as potential dangers to other FoRTers in the spirit of concern for the welfare of others and a genuine sense of community.

Everyone has 'bleach' at home. This household item that we all colloquially refer to as bleach should not be ingested as it almost certainly contains chlorine. Both bleach and hydrogen peroxide also contain oxygen which oxidizes when applied topically or ingested -- a chemical effect which doctors and scientists are becoming increasing concerned about since oxidation creates free radicals.

So, to conclude, one should be careful with hydrogen peroxide topically and orally due to it's oxidation effects and even more careful with household bleach due to it's oxidation effects likely combined with chlorine. This is my understanding that I pass along out of concern for other FoRTers. I am not a doctor, however, and any futher questions or Internet descriptions should likely be brought directly to one if anyone is seeking further clarification.

[Ellen]

I didn't know this would turn out to be a big thing. But I am pleasantly surprised that I remembered those chemical formulas (formulae?) from high school chemistry!

BTW, OxiClean faded a silk sweater set I had. But I got it (the sweater set) on the el cheapo table at Mervyn's, so just plain water would probably have faded it...

[VelvetRed]

I didn't know this would turn out to be a big thing. But I am pleasantly surprised that I remembered those chemical formulas (formulae?) from high school chemistry!

BTW, OxiClean faded a silk sweater set I had. But I got it (the sweater set) on the el cheapo table at Mervyn's, so just plain water would probably have faded it...

Bravo, you're doing much better than I am at remembering HS chem!

Here's the funny part...your sweater story makes me smile and almost actually LOL, remembering the "Red Dot" epi on "Seinfeld"...OMG.

[Ellen]

Here's the funny part...your sweater story makes me smile and almost actually LOL, remembering the "Red Dot" epi on "Seinfeld"...OMG.

Cashmere!