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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Borax is effective at cleaning clothes and helping detergents work because it helps adjust the pH levels of the wash itself. 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.
Regular bar soap can be grated and combined with Borax to create a very effective laundry detergent alternative. Here's how to do it: Using a butter knife, a spoon or even a cheese grater, grate about a cup of bar soap. Add the grated bar soap to ½ cup of borax and ½ cup of washing soda.
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.
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) has a very high pH level, making it an extreme alkaline compound that is very effective as a cleaning agent. Borax (sodium tetraborate) pH levels aren't as high as washing soda, and it doesn't have the same cleaning power as washing soda.
Some delicate fabrics, whether white or colored, are labeled as cold-wash only. However, borax readily dissolves only in warm or hot water.
20 Mule Team Borax™ is an all-natural powder used to help with cleaning, laundry, odor control, DIY crafting, and more!
Similarly, borax is a deodorizer that will help to break down and neutralize odors from the material because of the solution's high alkalinity. Additionally, borax will help to improve stain-fighting capabilities and improve the overall cleaning efficiency of the wash cycle on clothing materials.
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!
Borax. Although you shouldn't use it on delicate fabrics, borax is an effective product that can help remove sweat stains. All you need is one tablespoon of this powder mixed with a little water to turn it into a paste.
Hard water prevents laundry detergent from working as it should leaving your clothes gray and dingy. Since borax contains sodium4, adding one-half cup per load helps to soften the wash water, so your clothes come out looking great.
Use borax as a DIY laundry detergent by following Julia's method: Use a food processor to shred 1 bar of Dr. Bronner's Castile soap into a fine powder. Using a spoon, mix together 1 cup of borax and 1 cup of washing soda. Add 1 tablespoon to a load of laundry.
When it comes to precious cashmere and wool garments, borax or vinegar are successful in how to shrink clothes. Fill your sink with lukewarm water, and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of borax or vinegar per quart of water. Soak your wool item in the water, working it into the fabric.
For a front-load washer, put 2 tablespoons of oxygen bleach or borax and 2 tablespoons of washing soda in the tub of the washing machine. For a top-loading machine, put 1/2 cup of each of the powders into the wash tub. Run the biggest cycle at the hottest temperature or use the “clean tub” setting on the washer.
For a bathtub, we recommend ¼ cup borax, ¼ cub washing soda, and ½ cup detergent. Stir to dissolve. Completely submerge your towels in the mixture and soak until the water has cooled, which usually takes four to five hours. Stir occasionally to help coax out all the buildup in the towels.
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.
Borax is added as a natural exfoliant to many skin care products. It helps remove excess grease and maintains the natural pH level of skin. Borax, in some cases, may lead to skin irritation, especially on broken skin. Borax inhalation or long overuse may cause liver cancer and skin peeling.
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. It inhibits fungi, mold, and bacteria.
This is probably due to residual moisture that causes mold and mildew growth. To overcome this problem, simply add 1/4 cup of borax to the wash load. If odours are well established, soak for several hours and wash as usual afterwards. Rinse well by performing a double rinse to remove any residue.