As I was pawing through an overcrowded cupboard looking for a bottle of spot cleaner, I came across a tall, dark brown bottle, shoved toward the back. I knew immediately what it was and wondered why I had let myself be persuaded to buy so many expensive potions when I had one of the most powerful, inexpensive solutions to many problems right there on my shelf.

You probably also have, somewhere in your cupboards or medicine cabinets, that familiar brown bottle of hydrogen peroxide, probably the 3-percent solution. I’ll bet you don’t even recall exactly why you have it, but do remember that it was useful for something, at some point.

Hydrogen peroxide; sounds dangerous, doesn’t it? But, it’s a lot safer than bleach, as in chlorine bleach, and I’ll bet you have a big bottle of that in your laundry room. Remember, chlorine can be a killer, liquid or gas. But, for about a buck, you can buy enough hydrogen peroxide, a safer alternative, to do all of the following, and then some.

Fido has fleas? Put some hydrogen peroxide in his bath water; it kills fleas. Sure, you don’t want him to lap up the water, but then I doubt you’d let him do that under any circumstances, especially if you’re using that expensive flea-begone stuff you bought.

Worried about kitchen contamination, all those warnings about your cutting boards and salmonella? Keep a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle on your kitchen counter. Spray the boards after use and wipe with a damp cloth. The same spray can be used to clean mirrors (won’t streak) and counter tops or stove tops. Compare the price of that bottle to what you pay for a bottle of commercial cleaner/disinfectant. Hydrogen peroxide, by the way, is safe for septic systems.

Canker sores bother you? They used to plague me when I was a teen, until my grandmother told me to rinse my mouth regularly with hydrogen peroxide. Again, 50/50 water and h.p., rinse well and spit. It’ll not only get rid of the canker sores, it will kill a lot of other microbes that might be hanging around. And put your toothbrush in a glass of the same mixture at least once a week to get rid of anything that might be lurking there, as well.

Foot fungus giving you fits? Again, a 50/50 solution, sprayed on your feet and allowed to dry every night before bed will, in many cases, do the trick after a week, perhaps longer depending upon how extensive your invasion is. Or, soak your feet in a water bath well laced with hydrogen peroxide. And should you have any type of skin infection, put half a bottle in your bath water and have a good soak. Hydrogen peroxide has been known to clear up problems expensive creams and salves don’t.

Feel a cold coming on, sinuses clogged? Hold your head back, spray the 50/50 solution in your nose, hold it there a few minutes, then blow your nose. Blood stains? Pour on undiluted h.p., let it sit a few minutes, rub the area and rinse in cold water (but this works only for “new” stains). Use a cup in your laundry to whiten; it’s much less expensive and less damaging than bleach.

One of the key ingredients in that expensive tooth whitening agent you use is hydrogen peroxide. Try this, instead. Take a capful of hydrogen peroxide (3 percent, not diluted) in your mouth once or twice a week. It will foam and fill your mouth and you may even have to spit part of it out, but if you keep it in your mouth for at least 5 minutes (and try for 10), you’ll see a noticeable difference. And remember, it’s killing any unwelcome inhabitants in your mouth at the same time. Just don’t swallow it.

There are a few no-no’s, of course. As I said, don’t swallow it; don’t put it in or near your eyes (be careful if you’re spraying it in your nose); and for Heaven’s sake, don’t set it on fire or use it near flames. During World War II, it was used as rocket fuel!

RECIPES

No, I have no recipes that call for hydrogen peroxide as an ingredient, but you can learn more about it on-line at several sites. There are people who use a diluted form of hydrogen peroxide as a health aid; I use it only as a super cleaner, disinfectant, whitener and only, ever, externally, and the reason it gets pushed to the back of the cupboard and often forgotten is to keep it away from children.

Meanwhile, since we’re talking about things we have in our cupboards that are simple, inexpensive and very useful, that’s what we’ll concentrate on in these recipes. I love stir fry dishes because you can combine all the ingredients of your meal in one pan, quickly cook and season, then serve. Be creative with whatever you have on the shelf or in the fridge.

ASPARAGUS CHICKEN STIR FRY

½ cup chicken broth (hopefully homemade, but canned is OK, too)

8 green onions, including tops

1 lb. fresh asparagus

½ lb. mushrooms (I usually have my favorite criminis in the fridge)

1 T. each, cornstarch, dry sherry and soy sauce

3 T. sesame oil (or if that’s too strong for your taste, use vegetable oil or a mixture of both)

1 T. minced fresh ginger (or 1/2 t. ground ginger if you don’t have fresh on hand)

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 1/2 lbs. boned, skinned chicken breasts, cut into strips 1/2 by 1-inch

Heat chicken broth and keep warm on low heat. Cut onions diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus; cut spears into 1-inch slanting slices. Thinly slice mushrooms. Combine cornstarch, sherry and soy; add to chicken broth and stir until cornstarch is dissolved.

Heat wok or large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the oil and when the oil is hot, add ginger, garlic and chicken. Stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 2-3 min., being careful not to let the garlic burn. Lift chicken from the wok and set aside.

Add onions, asparagus and mushrooms to the wok/skillet; stir-fry for 1-min., then add the broth mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring, and stir for 1 more minute. Serve with rice, if desired, and/or a tossed salad. Serves 4.

For vegetarians, here’s another quick and easy stir-fry. Substitute any other fresh vegetables you may have on hand for the ones called for here. I like to add green pepper (or red/orange) if I have it on hand, and if I have no bulgur, I use orzo.

VEGETABLE BULGUR STIR-FRY

2 T. salad oil

1 cup bulgur

1 T. sesame seeds

2 carrots, thinly sliced

2 med. sized zucchini, thinly sliced, or a mix of zucchini and other squash, if preferred, or 1 zucchini and 1 green or red pepper, also thinly sliced

1/4 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced

1-3 cloves garlic (to taste), minced or pressed

1/2 t. each, dry basil, dry marjoram and dry oregano (or 1 t. each of fresh, if available)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 3/4 cups water

2 cups broccoli flowerets (fresh, or frozen, thawed)

1/2 cup shredded jack cheese

1/2 cup sliced green onions (including some of the tops)

Pita pocket bread (optional), warmed, to spoon mixture into

Lemon wedges

Place a wok or large skillet over med.-high heat. When hot, add 1 T. of the oil. When oil is hot, add bulgur, sesame seeds and carrots; stir-fry for 2 min.

Add remaining 1 T. of oil; add zucchini (or whatever mixture you’re using), mushrooms and garlic; stir-fry 2 more min. Add herbs, pepper and water, reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed (about 10 min.) Be sure bulgur or orzo is cooked.

Add broccoli, cover and cook for 2 min. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle with onions and serve, spooned into pocket bread, if available, or in a warm tortilla. Squeeze on a few drops of lemon juice. Serves 6.

Remember when we all had Spam in the cupboard? This recipe goes back more years than I like to admit, but it was a very popular one dish meal that pleased kids and adults alike. It’s easy, but Spam is no longer so inexpensive, nor is butter, and this takes a lot of butter. I have no Spam in my cupboard these days, but I do remember how good this tasted with a freshly made biscuit. I may pick up a can of Spam next shopping trip.

SPAM HOT DISH

2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and set aside

11/2 cups melted butter

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

1 small green pepper, chopped

11/2 cups hot milk

1 can Spam, cut into small dice

1 small onion, diced

4 beaten egg yolks

1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese, or mixture of Cheddar and Jack

4 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

1 can cream of chicken soup

Combine the first 9 ingredients. Fold in the egg whites. Place mixture in a large greased loaf pan or souffle-type baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Meanwhile, stir together the can of chicken soup with 1/2 of the soup can of water, or milk if you want a richer sauce. Heat gently; don’t boil. Cut spam loaf into squares and serve with chicken sauce on top, with tossed salad and/or fresh biscuits. (If you really want to go retro Spam dinner, serve this with a Jello salad.) Serves 6 or more, depending upon serving size.