Whether added to soap or detergents, the benefits of borax for laundry are: Improving cleaning action by aiding in the emulsification of oils and oil dispersion. Preventing dirt from redepositing by increasing particulate surface charge so that soils and cloth repel each other.
Borax is extremely alkaline (pH of around 9.1), which creates a basic solution that can help fight acidic stains (like tomato, coffee, or mustard) when dissolved in water and used as a pre-treating solution. When added to a load of laundry, borax can help get white clothes whiter.
Borax is a basic compound, so that means that when it is added to water the pH level of the water would move from a neutral 7 to a slightly more basic 8. The combination of water and Borax allows detergent to work even better as it is easier for it to clean with a more basic water pH.
While the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies borax as being noncarcinogenic, it does pose some risks, including: skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. digestive problems. infertility.
Luckily, by adding a few common household ingredients to your washing machine, you can improve performance. Just add some borax, vinegar, or baking soda to your washing machine drum (for top-loaders) or detergent compartment (for front-loaders) and run a cycle.
For this reason, borax makes for a decent laundry detergent substitute. While borax is a great sidekick to detergent in small amounts, it can be used to loosen stains and brighten up clothing on its own. If you have them, adding a few other ingredients to borax will make it much more effective in the wash.
Unlike bleach, borax is safe to use on colored fabrics without fear of dye removal or other damage. This general rule applies whether borax is used as a laundry booster in the washing machine, as part of a pre-soak solution, as a spot treatment for stains or as an ingredient in homemade laundry detergent.
Borax, also known as sodium tetraborate, is a naturally occurring salt mineral with amazing cleaning properties. Because borax is used in its natural state, it doesn't have any added chemicals. This makes it safer for use in clothing than your typical store-bought cleaning agents.
Borax health risks
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. If you're around it often, it can cause rashes and might affect male reproductive organs.
Instead of sprinkling borax in the bottom of your trash can, try baking soda or used (or fresh) coffee grinds, which all work wonders. You can also use baking soda and water to clean your trash can. Throw in some vinegar for extra odor-fighting action.
Oxiclean powder is essentially washing soda with sodium percarbonate, which turns into hydrogen peroxide. It's color safe and works great to get rid of stains and keeps whites white and colors bright. It's also much safer / less toxic than Borax. Borax works well too, helps get rid of stains, and whitens clothes.
Baking soda won't strip your laundry as well as borax or washing soda (more on that shortly), but it's also gentler on fabrics, and you're more likely to have it on hand! When used one after another (or together, in certain situations), baking soda and vinegar can be useful for cleaning.
First, make sure to keep it away from children's reach. Second, avoid using it as a cosmetic product and handle it with care at all times. This usually means wearing a mask and gloves when using it. Finally, do NOT mix Borax with any boric acid products, such as pesticides.
Substitute borax for bleach to make your clothes look brighter. If you want a natural alternative to chlorine bleach, add ½ cup (204 g) of borax directly to your washer's drum with your standard detergent. Choose a warm or hot cycle on your washer to help the borax strip the most dust and dirt from your clothing.
20 Mule Team Borax™ is an all-natural powder used to help with cleaning, laundry, odor control, DIY crafting, and more!
20 Mule Team™ simply refines the raw Borax that is mined from the ground and converts it to a powder for your easy use.
Boric acid is low in toxicity if eaten or if it contacts skin. However, in the form of borax, it can be corrosive to the eye. Borax can also be irritating to the skin. People who have eaten boric acid have had nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, and diarrhea.
Borax causes irritation of skin and respiratory tract. The gastrointestinal tract, skin, vascular system and brain are the principal organs and tissues affected. It causes nausea, persistant vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, erythematous and exfoliative rash, unconsciousness, depression and renal failure.
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. And while baking soda is safe to consume, borax is definitely not.
Statement on FDA Status of Borates
The FDA has approved boric acid and borax for use under the indirect food additive regulations listed in the table below (X mark indicates approved use).
Borax, or sodium tetraborate, is considered a safe alternative to chemical drain cleaners and other cleaning ingredients that could damage your pipes. This product can break debris down and disinfect surfaces. It's also commonly used as a booster for laundry detergent.
Borax will: 1. Whiten Your Whites: When your washing machine fills up with water, Borax converts some of the water molecules to hydrogen peroxide, which is a whitening agent. This enhances the action of bleach, whether you add it separately or it's already present in your laundry detergent.
Pour ½ cup of borax powder to every gallon you used. Stir to agitate the borax and dissolve it. Soak your clothes for 30 minutes. Transfer clothes to your washing machine and wash them like normal.
Borax Substitute is sodium sesquicarbonate - a mineral compound, with similar pH to borax, making it ideal for cleaning and laundry. It is gentler than Soda Crystals yet stronger than Bicarbonate of Soda.