12 Uses for Borax in the Home and Household

What is Borax

Borax is a 100% natural odorless mineral, classified in the crystallographic class as monoclinic-prismatic, grayish, white, yellow, green or colorless. The mineral in crystal form was discovered 4000 years ago and used in ancient times both in China and Egypt for making graces or embalming mummies, being first described in 1748 by the famous mineralogist Johan Guttschalk Wallerius. The name Borax comes from the Arabic language (Bauraq meaning white).

The chemical formula of Borax is Na2[B4O5(OH)4 - 8 H2O also known as sodium tetraborate, sodium borate, borax decahydrate, pentahydrate or natrium diborate and is formed by drying, evaporation or drying of salt lakes. Today it is found in various parts of the world, but most commonly in Tibet, California and Turkey. Its crystalline or massive form is similar to that of gypsum, anhydrous or natural salt.

Depending on the water concentration, borax is divided into 3 branches:

Sodium tetraborate - Na2B4O7

Pentahydrate - Na2B4O7 - 5H2O

Decahydrate - Na2B4O7 - 10H2O

HOW TO USE

1. As a natural laundry detergent

Most of the time, detergents on the market contain many substances that can cause various lung diseases or cancer and the fragrances in them can be highly allergic for sensitive people. Replace your regular laundry detergent with the following recipe:

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate - 250 g

Sodium carbonate - 250 g

House soap - 250 g

Essential oils (different flavors according to preference)

How to prepare:

Squeeze the household soap as finely as possible into a bowl then add the sodium carbonate, borax pentahydrate and no more than 30 drops of essential oil while stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth.

2. For cleaning and disinfecting surfaces

Can't use commercial disinfectants because of its ingredients or overpowering fragrances? Use the simplest natural recipe for removing dirt and disinfecting your walls or floors, whether it's linoleum, parquet, tiles or tiles.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate - 3 tsp.

Ammonia or lemon juice - 1 teaspoon

3-4 drops of dishwashing detergent

Water - 5 liters

How to prepare:

Very simple! Mix together the borax, ammonia or lemon juice while adding the drops of dishwashing detergent for a few minutes and you are ready to use. For a proper application, you can use a spray bottle. Don't forget to rinse surfaces after each use.

3. As an insecticide for eliminating kitchen cockroaches

Using borax in the following method you will be able to obtain a powerful insecticide with which you will get rid of kitchen bugs, black bugs, bedbugs, ants, fleas, ticks and more. Borax can be used both in powder and liquid form for spraying.

Ingredients:

Borax 150 g

Sugar crystals or powder 50 g

Water: 1 litre (optional)

How to prepare:

Mix sugar with borax and spread in the corners of affected rooms, under cupboards, fridges, stoves or any other object present in the room. The beetles will be attracted to the sweetness of the sugar, seeing to eat and carry the borax sugar back to the colony which will lead to the elimination of the entire colony. This mixture will destroy the digestive system of the beetles and their eggs, preventing them from reappearing.

4. 100% natural herbicide for weed control

This natural method with borax and hot water will quickly get rid of unwanted weeds in your garden or any other green space.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate - 250 g

Water - 2 litres

How to prepare:

Heat 2 liters of water. Mix the borax with water until it dissolves completely. Use a spray bottle and apply directly to the weeds in the garden.

5. Cleans metals such as stainless steel and aluminium

Stainless steel or aluminium surfaces and objects can be effectively cleaned and polished with just a few dozen grams of borax, water and ammonia.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate: 30-40 g

Ammonia: 15 g

Hot water: 1 litre

Combine the 3 ingredients, mix until completely dissolved soak a washcloth and clean by gently scrubbing, then rinse.

6. Drain the sink or any other drain.

If your sink, tub or floor drain is clogged from soap, hair or other impurities and you don't have a snake or special unclogging solution handy, don't worry! Borax gets rid of this inconvenience in just 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate: half a cup

Lemon juice: 2 teaspoons

Hot water: 1 litre

First, pour the borax pentahydrate into the clogged drain, then the lemon juice, wait about 2-3 minutes and pour in the hot water. After 15 minutes, the drain will be completely drained.

7. Deodorize the refrigerator or the trash can

Do you need a quick solution to get rid of the lingering smell of food in your fridge or the unpleasant smell of household debris inside the bin? Just a teaspoon of borax will do the trick in no time.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate: 2 teaspoons

Warm water: 1 bowl (500 - 750 ml)

Completely dissolve the 2 teaspoons of borax in the bowl of warm water and you're ready to clean. Soak a cloth and wipe with confidence. Don't forget to rinse!

8. Remove grease and grime from pots, enameled pans, porcelain dishes or oven trays.

Simple, fast and effective! Combine borax with available dishwashing detergent and you'll remove stains, oil, grease, dried-on food debris and bacteria.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate 15 - 20 g

Dishwashing paste or liquid

A little water

Mix until you get a homogeneous paste. Use a slightly abrasive sponge for application and cleaning, then rinse thoroughly.

9. Clean bathroom sanitary ware

Borax removes stains, sticky dirt or soap scum from the toilet, sink, bidet, bathtub, mirror or shower.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate: 150 g

1 litre warm water

Dissolve the borax in the water, apply to the dirt and leave for 10-15 minutes, then scrub with a brush or sponge.

10. Removes mold and fungus (fungi)

Thanks to its alkalinity and disinfecting properties, borax is excellent for removing fungus or mold deposited between tile joints, on walls, or various other objects.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate: 150 g

Vinegar: 100 ml

Warm water: 250 ml

1 spray bottle

You can combine the borax with the vinegar and apply to the affected area, leaving it to work for 20-30 minutes or add water in a spray bottle, then spray the area and leave for up to 2 hours then wipe off with a washcloth.

11. Removes rust

Over time, metal objects tend to oxidize and rust to appear. Most of the time we don't take this into account, as it seems to be just an aesthetic problem. Over time, rust can severely damage metal objects and surfaces, making them unusable. Most of the time special solutions for rust removal are quite expensive. With borax and lemon juice, you will save money and remove rust efficiently.

Ingredients:

Borax pentahydrate

Lemon/lime juice

Depending on the degree of rust, prepare a paste of borax and lemon/lime juice. Apply to the rusty spot and wait 20-30 minutes, moisten the area gently at different intervals so that the paste does not dry out. With a small brush with semi-sharp bristles, scrub the area until the rust disappears completely. If it has not completely disappeared, repeat the process.

12. You can make slime with borax

Borax can be used to create any type of slime, as it helps to form it.

Here are 3 simple recipes for regular, fluffy and transparent slime).

Ingredients:

Regular slime

One teaspoon of borax

240 ml warm water

110 grams of glue

Food coloring

Regular slime

A teaspoon of borax

240 ml warm water

110 grams of glue

120 g shaving cream

Food coloring

Transparent slime

A teaspoon of borax

240 ml warm water

110 g glue

For the 3 recipes, the preparation is almost identical. Dissolve the borax completely in warm water. Add the glue to another bowl and color it by adding a few drops of food coloring and mix well. Start adding the solution created earlier from the water and borax, but not all at once, as you risk hardening the slime. Gradually add 2-3 teaspoons at a time and mix until it binds and becomes slightly sticky. In the case of fluffy slime, repeat the same preparation process, only you will mix the glue with the shaving foam and then add the coloring. Once the Slime has reached the desired consistency you can play with confidence. Don't forget to store it in an airtight container.

To remember!

Even though borax is 100% natural, this does not mean that it is safe for people or the environment. It is highly toxic to the human body, even lethal in doses of over 15 grams in adults and 5 grams in small children or animals. Prolonged exposure can cause skin peeling (desquamation), kidney failure, involuntary muscle contractions (convulsions), irritation of the respiratory tract and eyes. For these reasons it is absolutely advisable to use it with caution and to equip yourself with protective gloves, mask and glasses. It should also be mentioned that, after all, most solutions, detergents and cleaning products are toxic and you should not stop using borax, but just do your research and be aware of all these things.