• Peroxide and vinegar (along with orange oil and baking soda) are part of the current trend to use natural health, beauty and cleaning products. These products are eco-friendly in three ways. First, they are made naturally without the use of dangerous chemicals. Second, they are usually less caustic and dangerous than their synthetic counterparts. Last of all, they don't break down into harmful residues.
  
  

Hydrogen Peroxide

• Hydrogen peroxide is H2O2, which is very close to water (H2O), and it easily breaks down into water and oxygen. It also looks like water, but it behaves quiet differently. Pure peroxide is caustic. The kind consumers usually buy is 3 percent peroxide and 97 percent water. It is sold in brown bottles because sunlight can break it down. Peroxide occurs naturally when water mixes with ozone (O3) and it is even manufactured in the human body by the white blood cells.
  
  

Hydrogen Peroxide Uses

• Peroxide kills germs. It is commonly used as a disinfectant on cuts or scrapes. Dentists recommend rinsing the mouth with peroxide--sometimes diluted half and half with water. Cooks use it to disinfect cutting boards and counter tops. Peroxide is an excellent disinfectant that breaks down into water and oxygen.
  
  

Vinegar

• Vinegar is what happens when wine is exposed to oxygen. The name derives from the French expression for sour wine: "vin aigre." It is an important part of many cuisines, especially European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and the Indonesian and Filipino cuisine known as "adobo." It has been found in Egyptian urns that have been dated to around 3000 BC.
  
  

Vinegar Uses

• Vinegar is mostly used to add tang and flavor to foods and is an essential ingredient in sushi rice. It is also used to preserve foods in a flavorful way--such as pickling cucumbers and cabbage. Vinegar has also been shown to reduce cholesterol, triacylglycerol and the glycemic index. It increases satiety (the feeling of being full) which helps control food intake. Vinegar is an excellent eco-friendly cleaner. It is especially good for removing mineral deposits from glass, mirrors and coffee makers.