What’s the difference between food grade and non food grade hydrogen peroxide?
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the hydrogen peroxide you see at the drugstore and the hydrogen peroxide we use in our products? You’re not alone. We get this question all the time. Here are the differences between food grade hydrogen peroxide and non-food grade hydrogen peroxide.
What is hydrogen peroxide?
First, let’s talk about what hydrogen peroxide is. Hydrogen peroxide was discovered in the 1800’s. Over the next 100 years, it was stabilized and put into use throughout the world for many different occasions.
Hydrogen peroxide consists of 2 hydrogen molecules and 2 oxygen molecules. When these 4 molecules combine, it creates hydrogen peroxide. After a lot of experimentation, it was discovered that hydrogen peroxide is extremely effective when used to clean surfaces and fight germs.
In the 21st century, we most often use hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting surfaces and other liquids. Because hydrogen peroxide safely breaks down into water and oxygen, it is a great non-toxic disinfectant.
Grades of Hydrogen Peroxide
Did you know that there are different grades or types of hydrogen peroxide? If you didn’t, you’re not alone. In fact, there are many different strengths of hydrogen peroxide that are available. The most common grade of hydrogen peroxide is the 3% strength that you will commonly find in the drug store.
At Homage, we use 7% food grade hydrogen peroxide in our cleaning concentrates. This means our cleaning concentrates contain double the strength of hydrogen peroxide that you find on the store shelves.
What’s the Difference Between Food Grade and Non-Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide?
When we talk about our hydrogen peroxide being food grade, we are referring to the compound of the hydrogen peroxide itself. Most commercially available hydrogen peroxide contains stabilizers to increase the shelf life and effectiveness of the product. This means that the hydrogen peroxide doesn’t lose its strength as fast when you open the bottle.
Because hydrogen peroxide starts to break down into water and oxygen once it’s exposed to air, most companies add other chemical ingredients to extend the shelf life. However, once these other chemicals are added, the hydrogen peroxide is no longer considered food grade. Common stabilizers include:
- Colloidal stannate
- Sodium pyrophosphate
- Organophosphates
- Nitrate
- Phosphoric acid
- Colloidal silicate
- Sodium citrate
What You Can Find in Homage Essentials Cleaning Concentrates
Homage Essentials’ Cleaning Concentrates contain no chemical stabilizers. Our 7% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (available here) contains only distilled water and hydrogen peroxide. Our original Homage 270+ and our best selling Homage 360+ only contain distilled water, 7% hydrogen peroxide, organic surfactants, citric acid, xanthan gum, and fragrance oils. These few ingredients work together to stabilize the hydrogen peroxide without compromising the non-toxic nature of our cleaning concentrates. One more thing to note, Homage Essentials premium hydrogen peroxide for cleaning is formulated in a solution characterized as a mildly acidic pH, which makes the hydrogen peroxide shelf stable.
To help extend the life of your hydrogen peroxide based cleaning concentrates and products, we have a few helpful tips to share.
- Keep your solution in a dark bottle; stored in a cool, dark place.
- If storing your cleaning solution for an extended period of time, loosen the cap on the bottle to avoid pressure building up and bursting the bottle.
Homage Essentials’ Core Values
At Homage Essentials, we want our customers to have quality, safe, and effective cleaning products. We believe that everyone deserves to be able to use powerful cleaning products that won’t cause them or the environment harm.
Homage cleaning concentrates use the power of hydrogen peroxide to seek out and destroy the evil grime and germs that are lurking in your home and office. And because we use only food grade hydrogen peroxide and organic surfactants in our formulations, you can be confident that these products are safe to use around your kids and pets.
Now that you know what’s the difference between food grade and non-food grade hydrogen peroxide, it’s time to get the best cleaning concentrates on the market! You’ll be amazed at the cleaning power of Homage Essentials’ concentrates. And we know you’ll love the fact that you can ditch the toxic chemicals and multiple formulas of your current cleaners and laundry products. Find everything you need to make the switch to hydrogen peroxide based cleaners at Homage Essentials.
