Fortunately, the active ingredient in Borax (Sodium Borate) has properties that help soften water and eliminate odor, so here we'll explain how you can turn that into an all-purpose cleaner around your home.
Borax: Helps to clean and deodorize. Use on wallpaper, painted walls and floors. Use it with your detergent to remove stains and boost cleaning power. Vinegar: Helps remove stains, wax build-up and mildew.
Scientific website How Stuff Works explains that Borax is a naturally occurring compound. Its chemically known as sodium tetraborate, and it is composed of oxygen, sodium and boron. It is used as a cleaner, a flame retardant, a component of porcelain and glass, a mildew remover and many other things.
Both baking soda and Borax are effective because they are alkaline and abrasive. But Borax has a higher PH than baking soda, making it a slightly harsher but arguably more effective cleaning agent.
Kill Boxelder Beetles and Other Pests
Ants aren't the only thing borax will kill. In fact, many companies make borax insecticides designed to get rid of household pests. Sprinkle borax powder along the edges of your sidewalk, foundation, and driveway to get rid of boxelder beetles and cockroaches.
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.
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.
6. Keep pests away from your house. Keep pesky bugs away by sprinkling Borax around your home. Borax can be an effective way to keep pests away from your house because it acts as a natural insecticide.
Borax acts as a buffer and raises the pH of the water to a slightly basic solution, right around a pH of 8. Don't use Borax at the same time as vinegar or you'll just create a nice little acid-base reaction and make salt.
Make an all-purpose cleaning spray
To create an all-purpose spray, dissolve 2 teaspoons of borax into 4 cups of hot water, then mix with 1 teaspoon of dish soap and 4 tablespoons of vinegar.
Before you reach for a caustic drain cleaner to unclog that kitchen or bathroom drain, try this much gentler approach: Use a funnel to insert 1/2 cup borax into the drain, then slowly pour in 2 cups boiling water. Let the mixture set for 15 minutes, then flush with hot water. Repeat for stubborn clogs.
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.
Clean Outdoor Furniture
Combine one teaspoon of dish soap, one teaspoon of Borax, and one quart of warm water in a spray bottle, then spray it all over the outdoor furniture. Rinse the solution off with your garden hose.
Clean your floors
Borax removes dirt and stain from tile, linoleum, and wood floors, says Syren. Adding it to your floor cleaning solution will soften water and improve cleaning power. How to do it: Fill a mop bucket with warm water. Add 2 tablespoons of borax, 1 tablespoon of Castile soap and 4 tablespoons of vinegar.
Borax can kill pests, though it is not nearly as effective as boric acid. You will often find boric acid used in pesticides. You should be able to find it as a tablet, liquid, or powder or in a trap. Boric acid kills certain insects by absorbing into their bodies and poisoning them.
Borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) is a powder that is usually used to control cockroaches or ants. It is effective when sprinkled in out-of-the-way places where spiders and insects hide. We prefer to sprinkle it in the cracks between the window and the storm or screen window.
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.
Borax is also a great natural cockroach killer. Compared to most chemical pest control treatments, it's a relatively low-risk product.
Some children suffer nothing but sticky fingers, but the rare but severe injuries point to a much bigger danger. Dr. Robin Jacobson, a pediatrician at NYU Langone Medical Center, warns families to stay away from the white powder altogether. "Borax can cause burns, especially when you touch it multiple times," she says.
That brings us to the crucial questions: Is borax toxic to dogs or cats? Or can we clean with this natural ingredient worry-free? Unfortunately, borax is, in fact, toxic to both dogs and cats. And although it's considered natural, borax can cause harmful side effects in pets—and humans.
In addition, you can use Borax to deter mice from invading your home. Sprinkle borax around any openings, crevices, eaves, or roofs. If you have children or pets, you should choose a different method.
But borax and boric acids are the common insect repellents that are more effective than any other products in your home. These two compounds are formed by the same base element called boron, which is directly extracted from the earth.