According to Clark, people should be aware that drinking or consuming mixtures of borax and Epsom salt could be extremely harmful. Ultimately, he said, “it can lead to some more damage and potentially death.
Don't Mix Epsom Salts with Pure-Castile Soap. Don't mix Epsom salts with any true soap, including Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile.
Mixing borax with popular cleaning products — like vinegar and bleach — to create those popular DIY cleaning recipes is not recommended.
Pure borax can be sprinkled on clothes in the laundry machine to get them whiter. It can also be mixed with washing soda and a bar of soap to make homemade laundry detergent. Borax also makes a natural household cleaner when mixed with water in a spray bottle.
It's incredibly simple. Epsom salts plus coconut oil and a little essential oil. Mix 'em up. Done.
You will see when you combine the Epsom salts with pure baking soda, no reaction occurs; but when you combine the Epsom salts with sodium carbonate, white magnesium carbonate precipitates! And when you are done, you can use your new compound as hand chalk for rock climbing or gymnastics!
To experience the numerous health benefits of Epsom salt, take relaxing, stress-relieving Epsom salt baths three times weekly by adding 2 cups of Ultra Epsom Salt to a warm bath and soaking for at least 12 minutes. For the added benefit of moisturizing your skin, add 1/2 cup olive oil or baby oil.
Borax (sodium tetraborate) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) aren't the same thing. They're both salts, and they're both popular as “green” household cleaning agents, but borax has a pH of 9.5, compared to baking soda's pH of 8. This makes borax considerably more alkaline than baking soda.
As per the University of California, borax reacts with cobalt, copper, chromium, manganese, and nickel to generate colorful compounds. The mineral has been employed as a pottery glaze since the Middle Ages because of this characteristic. Photographic developers and buffer solutions contain borax, which is a weak base.
The Bottom Line on Consuming or Bathing in Borax. There is currently no evidence supporting the specific use of borax for any health benefits. Park says that no amount of borax is safe to consume or bathe in. The effects of borax poisoning can include stomach irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes.
It was commonly used in laundry detergents and hand soap before it was banned in the UK and Europe in 2010. It was deemed to be a “substance of very high concern” by the European Chemicals Agency because studies suggested that it may be toxic to reproductive health.
An application of 4.4 lbs/acre boron was shown to leach out of the surface 8 inches of a sandy loam soil within six months. Boron applied at planting will normally remain available for the cropping season on most soils.
Consuming Epsom salt can lead to side effects, including diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, and muscle weakness.
Do not soak in Epsom salt if you've experienced allergic reactions or infections from it, or if you currently have open wounds or severe burns. Use Epsom salt only as directed. Otherwise, you may experience nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal cramping as a result of having too much magnesium.
There are 105 drugs known to interact with Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate), along with 7 disease interactions. Of the total drug interactions, 12 are major, 92 are moderate, and 1 is minor.
Some of the insects that borax kills include ants, flies, and other insect larvae. Borax is an ant poison, and it controls flies around manure piles. It also prevents larvae from growing. The main insect borax kills are termites.
Borax is safe when used as directed. Do not bathe in, apply to skin or ingest it. Borax is not intended for use as a personal care product or dietary supplement. Do not use outside the recommended uses as a laundry booster and multi-purpose cleaner.
Borax health risks
Borax can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if you ingest it by itself, and large amounts can lead to shock and kidney failure. It's banned in U.S. food products. It also can irritate your skin and eyes, and it can hurt your nose, throat, and lungs if you breathe it in.
Borax is a basic compound, while vinegar is acidic. When you mix an acid and a base, they partially neutralize each other, resulting in a solution with a more neutral pH. This mixture won't be toxic or release harmful fumes, but it also won't have the enhanced cleaning power of each ingredient on its own.
Unlike the insecticide-like qualities of borax, baking soda won't harm ants at all. When mixed with sugar or another sweet treat, the baking soda will become a highly sought food source for the little pests in your home. Instead of eliminating the ants, you'll only further encourage the infestation!
The chemistry used to refine these raw minerals was also largely unfamiliar and unproven. Compounding these limiting factors were cumbersome logistics, and refineries that were often far from the ore source. These circumstances kept borax production low, and the price was too expensive for everyday household use.
To create your own scrub combine one cup of Epsom salt with half a cup of coconut oil. This will exfoliate your skin and will help get rid of dead skin to reveal softer and smoother skin.
Moderation is key when it comes to Epsom salt baths and foot soaks. Overuse can cause dry, irritated, and itchy skin from being in hot water for too long. Prolonged soaks can also increase the risk of allergic reactions.
Soaking in an Epsom salt bath has very few risks, though you should avoid it if you have open wounds, a skin infection, or a burn.