All of our parents keep a box of Borax at home, as this cleaning powder is an effective anti-fungal, fire-resistant, and an excellent pest repellent.

According to ThoughtCo:

“Borax (also known as sodium borate decahydrate; sodium pyroborate; birax; sodium tetraborate decahydrate; sodium biborate) is a natural mineral compound (Na2B4O7 • 10H2O), discovered over 4000 years ago. Borax is usually found deep within the ground, although it has been mined near the surface in Death Valley, California since the 1800s.

Although it has numerous industrial uses, in the home borax is used as a natural laundry booster, multipurpose cleaner, fungicide, preservative, insecticide, herbicide, disinfectant, dessicant, and ingredient in making ‘slime’. Borax crystals are odorless, whitish (can have various color impurities), and alkaline. “

Its effectiveness as a natural cleaning product is explained as follows:

“Borax and other borates clean and bleach by converting some water molecules to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This reaction is more favorable in hotter water. The pH of borax is about 9.5, so it produces a basic solution in water, thereby increasing the effectiveness of bleach and other cleaners. In other chemical reactions, borax acts as a buffer, maintaining a stable pH needed to maintain cleansing chemical reactions.

The boron, salt, and/or oxygen of boron inhibit the metabolic processes of many organisms. This characteristic allows borax to disinfect and kill unwanted pests. Borates bonds with other particles to keep ingredients dispersed evenly in a mixture, which maximizes the surface area of active particles to enhance cleaning power.”

Therefore, it can be used in numerous other ways in your household, so here are 15 Borax hacks you probably didn’t know:

Kill weeds

Prepare a paste of borax and water, and spray directly on the weed in the garden.

Clean the sink

Add some lemon juice to borax, to get a watery mixture, and rub it over the sink. Rinse with water.

Freshen your laundry

To clean the grease stains and whiten the whites, pour half a cup of powder in with your load, and let the cleaner do the rest.

Scrub your shower tiles

Make a paste out of borax and water and leave it to act overnight on the tiles. In the morning, scrub off easily. This will eliminate mold and prevent its growth.

Freshen a litter box

Pour a few spoonfuls of borax underneath the kitty litter, to freshen it and prevent bad odor.

Cure toenail fungus

Mix a teaspoon of borax and the same amount of baking soda, and apply the paste on the affected areas. In a few days, the toenail fungus will be gone.

Freshen the mattress

In a spray bottle, mix one part borax and three parts water, and spray all over the mattresses to destroy bacteria and eliminate foul odors.

Unclog a drain

Pour Borax in the drain, and flush with hot water. Wait for a few minutes, and run the sink to remove any leftover powder. 

Clean away rust

Mix one part Borax and two parts warm water, and scrub the paste onto the rusted metal. Then, scrape the rust off.

Tidy your toilet bowl

For a clean, shiny, and white toilet bowl, sprinkle a cup of the powder in the toilet bowl, and leave it to act until the next morning. Then, scrub it well and flush.

Deodorize your home

Add a few teaspoons of borax to water, pour a few drops of the essential oil, and spray the mixture all over your home, to clear the air and leave a fresh and pleasant smell.

Destroys pests

It is a powerful pest repellent, and in a combination with sugar, it will attract poison flies, wasps, roaches, and other insects. Moreover, sprinkle it around the house to keep mice, beetles, and ants away.

Make slime

You have surely already heard of or seen slime- the kids love it! Well, you can make your own slime at home, using Borax.

Clean the home

Borax is a safe, natural, all-purpose household cleaner. Add a few spoons into hot water, add some lemon juice, and clean all surfaces in the house, including pencil crayons and markers on the walls, and grease stains.

Clean the carpets

Sprinkle a bit of borax in the carpet and vacuum it up. This will clean dark spots, and eliminate bad odors.

So, make sure you never run out of borax anymore!

Sources:
www.fabhow.com
www.diyncrafts.com