When it comes to creating a true low-tox home, you need the correct tools and products to get the job done effectively and efficiently.

If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ve probably noticed that we regularly recommend using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, paired with Branch Basics, for cleaning, disinfecting, laundry, stain removal, and many other purposes.

But how do you use these two powerhouse ingredients to clean without the use of harsh chemicals?

That’s a great question!

In this article, you’ll learn seven different ways you can use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda for cleaning – separately, together, or with other natural cleaning products – to create a healthier home.

Why Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda Are A Low-Tox Cleaning Powerhouse

Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are two of the simplest yet most effective cleaning tools in a low-tox home.

Each has its unique purpose, but together they create a fizzy chemical reaction that works to remove tough stains, clean, deodorize, and more.

What Is Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide, also known as non-chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach (or powdered peroxide), is highly effective for household tasks such as cleaning, disinfecting, laundry, and more.

We love hydrogen peroxide because it’s low-tox and a human- and environmentally-safe disinfectant that you can use on just about any surface or fabric in your home.

Hydrogen peroxide is:

• Biodegradable, breaking down into oxygen and hydrogen.
• Pet- and human-safe.
• Fragrance-free, so it doesn’t release any harmful VOCs or synthetic chemicals while cleaning.
• 3% peroxide (brown bottle) is safe for household use.
• More effective at killing common germs and pathogens than Quats.
• Inexpensive and easy to find at your local grocery store.
• A bleach alternative! You can safely and effectively bleach clothes with hydrogen peroxide.

Learn more in How To Clean With Hydrogen Peroxide: A Safer Alternative for Cleaning, Disinfecting, & More.

What Is Baking Soda?

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a natural substance with bleaching, scouring, deodorizing, fabric softening, and stain- and dirt-removal properties.

Sometimes confused with baking powder (which can contain aluminum), baking soda is aluminum-free and completely safe for use around the house. For cleaning, it’s fine to buy plain old, inexpensive baking soda from your local grocery store. 

This non-toxic and versatile cleaning ingredient is a powerful cleaning weapon and has several benefits.

Baking soda is:

• A fine, mildly abrasive, gritty substance that is gentle enough for cleaning most surfaces and fabrics.
• Pet- and human-safe.
• Environmentally-friendly as it’s a natural mineral.
• A mild alkali, meaning it reacts with acids (such as hydrogen peroxide). This helps dissolve and remove dirt, grime, and grease.
• Inexpensive and easy to find at your local grocery store.
• Great at absorbing, neutralizing, and deodorizing odors.

Baking soda is a multi-purpose cleaning tool you can use in nearly every room in your home.

Check out the many ways in Cleaning With Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate): 12 Surprising Uses.

Why do hydrogen peroxide & baking soda work well together?

Because of the reaction they create.

Baking soda is a mild alkali, which reacts with an acid-base such as hydrogen peroxide. When combined, the hydrogen peroxide breaks down the dirt, grime, or grease while the baking soda gently scrubs to loosen and remove it.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one alternative, Branch Basics Oxygen Boost is a great pre-made option of these two ingredients: powdered peroxide and sodium bicarbonate.

It’s one of our most popular products and is an excellent bleach alternative used to clean grout, mold, mildew, watermarks, and stains or as a laundry booster.

Learn How To Use Branch Basics Oxygen Boost in our Complete Guide!

What To Know Before You Start Cleaning

Before you start cleaning, it’s important to note the surfaces and fabrics on which hydrogen peroxide and/or baking soda should not be used.

Hydrogen peroxide is non-corrosive, meaning it can be used on nearly any type of surface except sealed  wood surfaces, including hardwood floors and butcher blocks.

For example, hydrogen peroxide can be used on wood cutting boards without a problem, since there is no sealer on the cutting board.

Since baking soda is mildly abrasive, you should avoid using it on surfaces that scratch easily, like glass, ceramic cooktops and cookware, marble, wood, quartz, gold, and silver. Also, avoid using it on anything with cracks or grooves, as it can settle.

Other things to consider before cleaning include:

• Hydrogen peroxide is not a surfactant-based cleaner; therefore, soap and water must always be used first to remove germs, dirt, grease, and grime. Then, hydrogen peroxide can be used as a disinfectant follow-up on frequently used surfaces.
  
• Affix a trigger sprayer to the brown hydrogen peroxide bottle for easy use.
  
• Use gloves while cleaning to protect your skin. Hydrogen peroxide can irritate the skin, while the baking soda can dry it out.
• Avoid getting the solution into your eyes as it can cause irritation.
  
• If you decide to use vinegar* while cleaning, use and store it in separate bottles. Vinegar contains natural acetic acid, which reacts with peroxide to produce toxic fumes.

*Note: Although vinegar is a natural product, it contains acetic acid, a respiratory irritant when made airborne by spraying. Always ventilate when cleaning with vinegar. If you’re sensitive, have a respiratory condition, have babies, young children, or older people in the house, avoid spraying.

7 Ways To Use Hydrogen Peroxide & Baking Soda for Cleaning

Now let’s take a look at seven simple and effective ways to tackle cleaning tasks around the house using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.

1. In The Bathroom

Bathrooms can be one of the dirtiest and germ-ridden places in the home, which has led many people to believe that harmful chemicals like bleach and antibacterial cleaners are necessary and their only options. 

But that just isn’t true!

After using soap and water or a surfactant-based cleaner like Branch Basics to remove germs, dirt, grease, and grime, follow up with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to disinfect and make your bathroom sparkle.

An added bonus: they’re both safe and non-toxic.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

• Use hydrogen peroxide to whiten and brighten tile grout. Learn how in How To Clean Bathroom Gout With Hydrogen Peroxide.
• Use hydrogen peroxide to naturally disinfect toilets, toilet seats, and other bathroom surfaces.
• Use hydrogen peroxide to clean your mirrors and glass.
• Disinfect makeup tools, toothbrushes, and hair brushes.

Baking Soda:

• Use baking soda or Oxygen Boost as a gentle scouring agent on toilets, showers, tile grout, faucets, and sinks.
  Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to remove mold from tile grout.
  Combine baking soda with vinegar* as a natural drain cleaner, and chase with hot water. Get the full tutorial here.
  Keep an open dish of baking soda in the bathroom to remove odors naturally.

2. For Laundry

Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are game-changers for the laundry room, especially if you’re looking for natural alternatives to conventional laundry products like chlorine bleach and other harsh detergents.

Here’s how to use them:

Hydrogen Peroxide:

• Add peroxide to the washing machine’s bleach dispenser as a natural alternative to bleach. Always test diluted hydrogen peroxide on colored fabrics in an inconspicuous area to make sure the colors do not fade.
• Remove organic and protein-based stains like blood, grass, and sweat, with hydrogen peroxide or Oxygen Boost.
• Soak smelly clothes in a large sink of water and 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide to deodorize.
• Use hydrogen peroxide to clean your washing machine. Just add a few cups to the empty drum and run a hot water cycle. When the cycle is complete, wipe the drum dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
• Always leave a front-loading washing machine open after completing a washing cycle.

Baking Soda:

• Combine baking soda with hydrogen peroxide to remove yellow stains from pillows and white shirts. For tough stains, make a paste out of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.
• Use baking soda as a natural fabric softener. Add a scoop to each wash to prevent hard water and minerals from building up.
• Soak stinky clothes in a basin of water and baking soda (or Oxygen Boost) to eliminate odors.
• Combine baking soda with hydrogen peroxide to enhance the bleaching action of hydrogen peroxide.

3. For Stains

If you wear clothes, have pets, or children, then you know that stains are inevitable.

To remove them naturally, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are great non-toxic options to keep on hand.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

• 3% hydrogen peroxide can be used directly on light-colored fabrics, with the exception of wool and silk, to remove nail polish, chocolate, pet stains, and nearly any type of food or drink stains.
• Use hydrogen peroxide with Branch Basics All-Purpose, Laundry Dilution, or Laundry Detergent to remove stains before washing.
• Apply peroxide directly to surface stains for quick removal.
• Spray hydrogen peroxide on shower curtain liners to remove mold and mildew stains.

Baking Soda:

• Use a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste to remove food stains and discoloration from plastic food containers. However, we recommend switching to glass containers whenever possible.
• Soak colors and whites in baking soda or Oxygen Boost to remove stains.
• Mix baking soda or Oxygen Boost with warm water to use on carpet stains (light-colored carpets).
• Combine baking soda with Branch Basics Concentrate and Laundry Detergent or Laundry Dilution to remove oil stains.

Looking for more natural stain removal tips and tricks? Check out How To Get Stains Out of Everything With Branch Basics [Complete Guide].

4. In The Kitchen

If you’re anything like us, the kitchen is the most popular and most used area of your home. 

With that comes the many messes from cooking, baking, entertaining, and just everyday living.

Cleaning the kitchen, though, needs to be done intentionally and with low-tox cleaning products that are safe around humans, pets, and the food you eat.

Here are a few ways you can use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in the kitchen.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

• Use soap and water or a surfactant-based cleaner like Branch Basics to remove germs, dirt, grease, and grime from the interior and exterior of the refrigerator. Follow with a spray and wipe with hydrogen peroxide for extra disinfecting action..
• Put a glass cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide in the top rack of an empty dishwasher. Run the dishwasher on a high-heat cycle to kill and remove mold, mildew, and odors.
• Spray produce with one part hydrogen peroxide and four parts water to remove pesticides and dirt. Let the produce soak for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing and eating.
• After cleaning countertops and surfaces with soap and water, spray and wipe with hydrogen peroxide for extra disinfecting action.

Baking Soda:

• Make a paste out of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, or use Oxygen Boost, to deep clean and remove burnt-on food from cookware and bakeware. This is especially effective on silicone bakeware.
• Deep clean the oven. Combine baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste to remove baked-on grease and grime.
• Set an open dish of baking soda inside the refrigerator to absorb odors.
• Although we don’t recommend them, you can use baking soda to clean and deodorize the interior of a microwave.

5. For Natural Disinfecting

Always remove germs, grease, and grime with plain soap and water or a surfactant-based cleaner, such as Branch Basics. Use hydrogen peroxide* on frequently touched surfaces as a follow-up step to kill any remaining germs.. 

Combined with baking soda, these two powerhouse ingredients are popular alternatives to chlorine bleach and other harsh chemical disinfectants, like Quats.

*Note: It’s important to remember that there is a contact time for disinfectants that requires the solution to remain wet.

Standard household 3% hydrogen peroxide requires at least one to ten minutes of dwell time to kill germs. So, don’t just apply and wipe! Always let it sit, and dry, then wipe, if desired.

Before disinfecting, always clean the item or surface first with soap and water to remove germs.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

• Clean and sanitize cutting boards (including wood cutting boards) using soap and water first to remove germs, dirt, grease, and grime. Then apply hydrogen peroxide.
  • For tough stains, make a paste out of baking soda and peroxide. Let sit at least 5 - 10 minutes, then scrub clean.
• After washing with soap and water, naturally disinfect retainers and mouthguards in a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse clean.
• Soak a kitchen sponge in equal parts warm water and hydrogen peroxide to naturally disinfect. Rinse well.
• Spray diluted hydrogen peroxide on houseplants to prevent and eliminate pests and diseases. Check plant compatibility with diluted hydrogen peroxide. Use this sparingly to prevent disturbing the soil's microbiome. Read this article for proper ratios and usage. 
  

Baking Soda:

Although baking soda is not a disinfectant, it can be combined with other natural disinfectants to clean and sanitize. Here are a few ways:

• Clean and disinfect a mattress by combining equal parts baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a natural dish soap, like Branch Basics Concentrate, into a bottle. Spray, blot, and let dry completely before making the bed.
• Pour a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar down a sink drain to sanitize. Flush with very hot or boiling water.
• Use baking soda and vinegar to disinfect surfaces, like kitchen counters.

To learn more, see How to Naturally Disinfect Surfaces [Complete Guide].

6. On Floors and Carpets

Regular floor cleaning is a must, especially if you wear shoes inside your home (in which case, you should consider adopting a “no shoes indoors” policy!).

To keep your floors and carpets clean and fresh, we recommend putting hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to work. 

You can also check out Our Ultimate Guide to Natural Floor Cleaning for more!

Note: Before using hydrogen peroxide or baking soda to clean floors and carpets, be sure to always test them in an inconspicuous area to ensure they won’t cause discoloration or damage. This is especially important on carpets and wood floors.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

• Use soap and water to mop and remove germs on hard floor surfaces such as tile, vinyl, laminate, and concrete. Follow with diluted hydrogen peroxide to mop and disinfect hard floor surfaces, if desired..
• Spray 3% peroxide directly onto grout for mildew removal. Combine peroxide with baking soda for tough stains.
• Spot clean carpets. This is especially useful on blood and pet urine stains.

Baking Soda:

• To deodorize carpets, generously sprinkle baking soda about. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to overnight, then vacuum.
• Treat carpet stains with a paste made with one part baking soda and two parts hydrogen peroxide. Apply, then gently blot with a microfiber towel. Let sit for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse clean. Please test this mixture on an inconspicuous area of your carpet to make sure of compatibility.
• Clean tile floors by mixing vinegar and baking soda.

7. Other Unique Uses

Aside from the obvious, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda can be used to clean some unique and possibly surprising items around the home.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

• Clean and sanitize children’s plastic toys. Avoid submerging battery-operated or electronic toys. Instead, lightly spritz a microfiber cloth and wipe them down.
• Remove mold and mildew from outdoor furniture.
• Dilute hydrogen peroxide to spray on pet toys to disinfect after cleaning with soap and water to remove germs. Be sure to rinse it before giving the toys back to your pet.
• Run equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide through your humidifier to keep it mold- and mildew-free.

Baking Soda:

• Clean and deodorize garbage cans. First, use soap and water to remove germs, dirt, grease, and grime. Spray the empty can with diluted hydrogen peroxide (equal parts water and peroxide). Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, sprinkle with baking soda or Oxygen Boost and scrub with a Natural Scrub Brush. Rinse clean.
• Use baking soda to remove crayon marks on walls.
• Make a baking soda and water paste to clean corroded car battery terminals.
• Freshen pet beds with baking soda. Sprinkle with baking soda, lightly spritz with hydrogen peroxide, let fizz, then vacuum it up when dry.

Safety Precautions When Cleaning With Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda

To keep you and your family safe while cleaning, there are a few safety precautions you should consider:

• Ventilate the area. Open windows and run fans while cleaning to ensure proper airflow.
• Never mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide, as this can create toxic fumes.

Try Branch Basics Oxygen Boost To Simplify Your Cleaning

If you enjoy using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to clean your home, then you’ll love Branch Basics Oxygen Boost!

Branch Basics Oxygen Boost is a laundry booster, stain remover, bleach alternative, and scouring agent made with two biodegradable minerals: sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium percarbonate (oxygen bleach or powdered peroxide).

This versatile product can be used directly on surfaces, clothing, and fabrics or dissolved water to activate its sanitizing and stain-lifting properties.

Purchase it individually, or choose one of our Premium Starter Kits (available in refillable plastic or glass), which include a full bag of Oxygen Boost. You’ll also receive our all-in-one Concentrate and refillable bottles to make our Laundry, All-Purpose, Bathroom, Streak Free, and Foaming Wash solutions.

Shop the Branch Basics Premium Starter Kits here!

 For more natural cleaning tips, check out the following articles:

• Hydrogen Peroxide Vs Rubbing Alcohol: Which is Safest?
• The Power of Sodium Percarbonate for Cleaning
• How To Clean With Hydrogen Peroxide: A Safer Alternative for Cleaning, Disinfecting, & More
• Cleaning With Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate): 12 Surprising Uses
• Our Top 6 Substitutes for Baking Soda in Cleaning