|
Using Borax around the home
I always thought borax to be an extremely toxic man-made chemical, best avoided - but it turns out it's a naturally occurring substance with many uses. It's cheap and relatively environmentally friendly when handled with the proper care (i.e. don't eat the stuff and keep out of reach of pets and children) and used minimally.
Borax, also known as sodium borate or sodium tetraborate, occurs naturally and is mined in the Mojave Desert (Boron, California), other US states, in Chile and Tibet. It can also be created synthetically from other boron compounds. The mining side of borax production isn't all that earth friendly, but compared to some other chemical compounds used around the home, it's likely lesser of the many other evils, so it's a "greener" choice.
Borax used in all sorts of products - pesticides, insulation, makeup, detergents and other cleaners. In our house we have recycled cellulose fiber for roof insulation that's been treated with Borax in order to make it flame retardant. The other side effect of this treatment is that it discourages vermin from nesting and kills insects.
Handy Borax tips
Warning - as mentioned in the start of this article; it's *relatively* safe to use. Given it's insecticidal properties, that indicates that it does have some level of toxicity and should therefore be treated with care. Ingesting Borax is certainly not recommended, although in some countries it's used in foods in small quantities as a replacement for salt. Given that it does have some toxic properties, I was very surprised to find it used as a food additive and in makeup. It's always advisable to wear gloves when handling borax as it can cause skin irritation for some people. Borax should also not be inhaled.
Insecticide
- Sprinkle borax powder around your refrigerator and stove as a cockroach deterrant.
- A mixture of borax and sugar or honey will attract and kill silverfish and ants
Urine smells and stains
- Half a cup of borax in with your wash to rid clothing/bedding of urine smells and stains
- Dampen urine stains on mattresses, carpets etc with a little water; sprinkle borax on, allow to dry then brush or vaccuum up
- Remove urine smells from diaper buckets by adding warm water and a quarter of a cup of borax
- A quarter cup of borax in your toilet, let sit, then brush around toilet bowl sides. This will also help deodorize the toilet brush
General washing
- For pre-soaking, one tablespoon of Borax per gallon of water. Allow to soak for 30 minutes
- Safe to use on colors, add half a cup of borax for a brighter wash and to boost your washing detergent's cleaning power
General deodorizer
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon of Borax in a quart of warm water and use as a refrigerator wipe/deodorizer.
Mold and mildew
- For outdoor furniture and bathroom tiles, mix a teaspoon earth friendly dishwashing liquid and one teaspoon borax with one quart warm water. Pour in a spray bottle, spray on furniture/tiles, allow to sit, rinse and then air dry.
Cookware
- Sprinkle Borax on pots and pans and rub with a damp sponge or cloth to remove stains and buildup - using Borax in this way will not scratch your cookware
Floors
- In a half bucket of warm water add a third of a cup of Borax and a teaspoon of earth friendly dishwashing detergent
I was reminded today that sometimes we forget that simple water and a bit of extra elbow grease is all that's often needed for cleaning. When that's not enough, substances such as baking soda and borax are effective "greener" cleaning solutions than many of the other products available commercially today.
Do you have any have any handy borax tips? Please add them below!
Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Article reproduction guidelines
Comments
-
Comment #1
(Posted by Pat Smith)
Would you have to wear gloves if using a water and borax solution? Would you be cautious about inhaling fumes from a diluted mix? Thank You.
-
Comment #2
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Hi Pat - good question. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) I checked on Borax says that it can cause skin irritation and inhaling fumes should be averted. That's when it's in pure form; so dilute solutions shouldn't be a problem - but it's never a bad idea to wear gloves when using most types of cleaning products; green or otherwise.
-
Comment #3
(Posted by Julie)
Is Borax safe to use as a cleaner with a septic system?
-
Comment #4
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Hi Julie - good question, I've seen a lot of conflicting views on that point. I think it would be safe to say that Borax is *less* harmful than other substances in a septic system, but should be avoided if possible and if used; sparingly.
-
Comment #5
(Posted by jim brown)
Can you use the sugar and borax mixture in a vegetable garden? I am trying to get rid of ants organically.
-
Comment #6
(Posted by Amy)
I am currently lookign for a recipe for homemade dishwasher dteregent. I have found many with borax as an ingredient..is this safe?
-
Comment #7
(Posted by El Mak)
Hi, Michael, is borax effective with killing fleas? What is the correct method? How long does it take to give results? My bedroom "caught" fleas from my neighbour's dogs - not a flea source inside the house, just fleas coming through the window - and they bite really hard!
-
Comment #8
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Jim, just for safety's sake, I'd put the borax and honey mix on the perimeter of the garden where children and pets can't get to it. The ants will still find it; it only takes one of their scouts to locate it, then he tells the whole team :)
Amy - borax should be ok as long as it's not a whole pile being used. If you're looking for an earth friendly dishwashing detergent recipe without borax, try this article:
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/221/1/Castile-soap.html
El Mak; there's a thread here about using Borax for fleas that you may find useful:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf747531.tip.html
-
Comment #9
(Posted by C McGale)
This spring has been really bad for ants (Central Alberta, Canada) and I have recently discovered from some older folks in my town that if you mix 1/2 Borax with 1/2 Icing sugar and sprinkle it on ant hills it kills the entire colony.
I tried it earlier this week and the results are great!
-
Comment #10
(Posted by Isis)
A few months ago I was looking for a greener solution to automatic dishwasher detergent. And came across this recipe of Borax and "Calgon" or Sodium Carbonate (both natural mineral water softeners, Calgon is a mix of Na2CO3 and other minerals) with just a few drops of what ever essential oil for fragrance. You start with just the Borax and adjust the amount of water softener to meet your needs, here in S. California I find that 2 part Borax to 1 part water softener works great.
Just thought I'd pass on the tip.
-
Comment #11
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Thanks Isis and CG
-
Comment #12
(Posted by Mark from Colorado)
I recently received an e-mail that said use borax to get rid of ants I put it on patio cracks and their 90% gone (the ants not the patio) can I use it on the lawn?? I'm worried that it would be like putting salt on the lawn. Also will it get rid of spiders?? Brown recluse and black widows.
-
Comment #13
(Posted by Sharolyn)
I was told that sprinkling borax on chickweed will kill it without hurting my perenniels. Has anyone else tried this?
-
Comment #14
(Posted by Anna Khonda)
FOUND A RECIPE FOR CLEANING TOILETS WITH 1/2 CUP BORAX AND 1/4 CUP WHITE VINEGAR THAT WORKS VERY WELL - YOU CAN DOUBLE THE AMOUNTS, IF NECESSARY. THIS WORKS VERY WELL AND SEEMS TO KEEP THINGS CLEANER LONGER.
-
Comment #15
(Posted by RJ)
I have used the borax, sugar or honey, sometimes a little soap for density to get rid of ants in my home-however-when I had ants on my deck this summer I read up on them: ants eat aphids and other houseplant type pests that can destroy any plants you put out during the summer and bring in for the winter or bring the pests back in with you. I told the ants they could eat the aphids and mosquito larvae(can last years on a surface and then get wet and activate becoming a mosquito), another reason you may see ants on your decks, patios and outside plants. My Hibiscus has not been devoured by aphids this summer, it was crawling with ants for a while, but I guess they ate all the aphids. it's been amazing because they have not come in the house. Of course when they are in the house if they don't listen to my attempt at animal communication, I try salt at the entry point or diatomaceous earth any powder they don't like to cross, bothers their feet, and also essential oil of lemon turns them away. If we kill all the insects that eat real pests, we are gonna be even more off balance envirnmentally. I just found myself fascinated just when I iwas mixing up the borax sauce to kill them, I googled and read, and learned they were on my plants and deck for a GOOD reason and I left them alonge and within a week or so they found the next area to clean up and then they left. Thanks for caring about our mother, she's the only planet we've got right now!
-
Comment #16
(Posted by katrina )
for homemade laundry soap that is inexpensive & works fantastic:
1 c finely grated Fels Naptha soap (or Ivory)
1/2 c. borax
1/2 c. washing soda (made by Arm & Hammer but NOT baking soda
Use 1 Tablespoon for regular loads, & 2 Tablespoons for heavy loads. It will not suds a lot as that is chemicals; the REASON you use so little is that store bought is full of fillers: to make you THINK you are getting more for your $; you can also go to www.tipnut.com to get more laundry detergent recipes or google it; works fantastic!
-
Comment #17
(Posted by Mabel White)
Borax the Salt
Borax is basically a salt and is toxic to bugs for three reasons. It cuts bugs up who run accross it-with edges sharp to bugs, it deyhydrates them like salt will dry up water-and they cannot respirate it. Being a salt, borax is not really toxic-but correct it can irritate lungs so do not stand there trying to inhale it. For a long time I did think it a synthetic sulfate-not so. Great booster for soap and excellent water softener.
You can scent yoru borax and sprinkle that on carpets, leave over night and vacuum up. Fleas REALLY croke with borax. Boarx is cheap [the Mule Team Stuff] and basically the same stuff sold in carpet powders.
-
Comment #18
(Posted by Angela P.)
Borax works wonderful as a flea killer. I used it like carpet deoderizer. Sprinkled it on the carpet and my bed mattress let it stand for an hour or so and vaccumed it up. In addition to getting rid of the fleas, it made everything smell fresh. Also kills snails/slugs I powdered it around the base of my deck. We had a snail problem on the back deck, I live near a lake. Anyway within a week, no more snails/slugs. Good stuff.
-
Comment #19
(Posted by nicola)
I had fleas from a neighbor bringing in her dog against my wishes to get frontlined first. After scratching up my legs for the last time, I sprinkled borax all over my carpets and brushed it in using a broom. I left it while I took cat to vet for updates and frontline and boarded him there for the day while I vaccuumed up the rugs and repeated. Next day I brought the cat home and all was pretty ok.
You dont have to go to that extent i just happened to be taking cat to the vet for updates that week anyways but him not freaking out over the vaccuum cleaner in my small apartment and getting them out of the house before he came home worked out that day. Good luck! :D
-
Comment #20
(Posted by theresa)
i remember my mother using borox, aluminum foil and adding something else to hot water to clean her silver and gold jewelry..any ideas of that elusive missing part was, and what amounts would be used for thorough cleaning?
-
Comment #21
(Posted by Tabetha)
Were can I buy borax ?
-
Comment #22
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Thanks for all the additional tips folks! Tabetha, you should be able to buy borax in your supermarket or from hardware stores. In the USA, one of the better known brands is "20 Mule Team"
-
Comment #23
(Posted by Jacquie)
I have been recommended to use Borax as a permanent protection against insect infestation on my wooden floor joists etc in a new self-build construction. Does anyone have any comments please?
-
Comment #24
(Posted by Katherine)
1 oz. of pure Borax (22 Mule has filler in it, apparently) can be added to your high efficiency front loading washer (with your clothes) to keep it from developing foul mold smells. This is marketed as Nu Fresh but since it is essentially pure Borax you can get it from any soap making supplier.
-
Comment #25
(Posted by mylonas)
what happens if you mix borax with baking soda and lemon? Would this mixture be beneficial for cleaning and deodorizing?
-
Comment #26
(Posted by Terrie r)
I agree that ants have thier purpose. But sometimes thier invasion of your home is too much.
Here's an old time recipe for ant poison that I got from a 90 year old woman that I worked for.
Mix 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water, boil for 10 minutes( I think 5 min. is OK but recipe says 10 ). Cool and add one tablespoon of Borax. Spread on a flat container where ants congregate.
I have used old bottle caps, tops to recyclable plastic containers or aluminum foil "boats" to put it in. It will form a gel.
Be sure to place it out of reach of pets and small children, the sugar makes it taste good to the ants but also to others!
-
Comment #27
(Posted by Dodie)
In the original column you wrote
"Given it's insecticidal properties, that indicates that it does have some level of toxicity and should therefore be treated with care."
I wanted to explain this to any readers. Insects have an exoskeleton. The borax, because it absorbs moisture, dries out the exoskeleton on insects, and they die. They are not dying because borax is "toxic" in any way. Borax is as "dangerous" as baking soda and should be treated in like manner.
Your friendly chemistry teacher. :^)
-
Comment #28
(Posted by Kim)
I use it to kill creeping charlie in the yard, one cup to 3 gallons of water, hasn't harmed the lawn at all and the creeping charlie is gone.
-
Comment #29
(Posted by noel kehrlein)
I am struggling to be green as silversmith. Most of the flux I need to use when soldering contains boric acid. Is this toxic? Any better ideas?
-
Comment #30
(Posted by Karl)
For cleaning around rivet heads on airplanes or anything else that's riveted, use a cheap battery-powered electric toothbrush, a small container of water, and another of borax. Moisten the brush in water (so the borax will cling to it), dip it into the borax, then scrub away. The borax is harder than dirt, softer than paint or bare aluminum, and I've seen nothing to suggest that it's corrosive.
-
Comment #31
(Posted by Renee)
the solution for cleaning jewelry was borax, hot water, aluminum foil and salt. never put in anything that is glued or has pearls. I use borax for everything in my house.
-
Comment #32
(Posted by Wendy)
Borax is great for keeping weeds and plant growth out of sidewalk cracks and around stones on the patio.....For those who asked about using it in the garden, be aware that it will kill any plants growing nearby......so be VERY careful if you are trying to elinimate a certain plant or weed.You may end up killing off plants you don't want to!You would be better off by hand pulling the offensive weeds or plants.
-
Comment #33
(Posted by Lawana)
I recentally moved into a house that, unknowingly, was infested with FLEAS! After several,and might I add, unsuccessful, attempts to rid my home of these unwant pests, a friend told me about BORAX! She told me that applying dry, powdered BORAX directly to my carpents would kill both the live fleas and the eggs as well. To my surprise, she also informed me NOT to vaccum the Borax up for 2 or 3 days, allowing it to 'sift' into the underlieing pad, thereby eliminating unwanted new infestation. IT WORKED!!!! I am now 'FLEA FREE'!!!
BUT, a word of CAUTION ----- if you have small children, wait until they are away from your home for a few days-----------send them to Grandma's for the weekend ---------- and run the vaccum and EXTRA time just for safetys sake! The same goes for PETS!!
-
Comment #34
(Posted by Anne)
It is save around plants, trees? I'd like a safe way to get rid of ants in orchard but am unsure if it will harm the trees.
-
Comment #35
(Posted by Elia P)
Great article and ideas via Borax. Allow me to add, for weeds or unwanted herbage- boiling water! My daughter is 'in charge' of setting the electric kettle and pouring the water in the patio caracks and over our rockery. It's green, safe, and makes her feel very important!
(within a day or two the plant will be brown and withered)
-
Comment #36
(Posted by Kelly)
Borax is an excellent for applying on building material, but will have limited value if subjected to water (e.g., rain). Water will leach off the borax over time.
Borax works to deters carpenter ants and termites, so is great for use on wood where they might strike, such as around foundations. To apply the borax requires dissolving it in water and spraying, brushing or otherwise applying it and allowing it to dry.
-
Comment #37
(Posted by John Comereski)
Is Borax safe for dogs if sprinkled on carpet and vacuumed up?
-
Comment #38
(Posted by ron)
does borax have a shelf life or is it forever ?
-
Comment #39
(Posted by Glass Collector)
I have been told that a solution of Borax & water left in glass bottles can clean water spots otherwise impossible to reach in narrow necked bottles. Has anyone else known this to be true? Do you know what the solution is? Is it appropriate for use on 50 year plus old vintage colored, handblown glass? Thanks for your help!
-
Comment #40
(Posted by Amanda Garvey)
I have had a huge problem with keeping my pool algae free.. 2 days ago i folloed atip from a friend and now i would like to share it with you...
I have a 60,000 liter pool..I have been shocking it with chlorine for 5 weeks now and it is still green..lol....
aparently all i hade to do was add 2 boxes of borax and 6 jugs of 6% bleach to it..did this 2 days ago and it is crystal clear...The bleach will not work with out the borax...just amazing ..I spent 100's of dollors trying to clean this pool and I only needed to spen 20$,,,hope this helps some one
-
Comment #41
(Posted by Casie)
I live in South Georgia and the fire ants are horrible! No matter what we put out they pick up and move to another spot in the yard. I was thinking of spreading Borax all over our yard. Will it kill the grass?
-
Comment #42
(Posted by Kim)
Hi. Does anyone know if borax will kill carpet beatles? Have already had one infestation and used pesticides in my home:-( Trying to avoid harmful chemicals!
-
Comment #43
(Posted by susan)
I just cleaned my carpet using borax and cleaner the carpet came out really nice thank you
-
Comment #44
(Posted by Nadine)
Does anyone know if Borax will assist with cockroaches? If so any suggestions?
-
Comment #45
(Posted by tami Defenderfer)
Back when I was in college I lived in an old house that was divided into apartments. we had a terrible infestation of roaches because a guy would leave town for several days and leave trash and food lying around. yuk. After many unsuccessful attempts by the landlord to kill them chemically, i had read somewhere that borax sprinkled around the perimeters of the rooms would do the trick. I was amazed! in a very short time they were gone for good. The only down side was seeing the borax (it's a white visible powder) at the baseboards. At the time though, that was nothing compared to seeing several roaches scurrying about!
-
Comment #46
(Posted by RS)
Borax can be used in the dishwasher and vinegar for the rinse. We use it all of the time.
Submit Comment (reviewed before publishing)
|
