5 Smart, Easy Ways to Use Borax in the Home

Borax, a natural mineral compound has a wide range of uses in the home, and I learn about more all the time.

It has a pH of around 9, which is higher than baking soda (which is 8.1; 7 is neutral). It is a good deodorizer and mold inhibitor, as well as a successful way to kill cockroaches, fleas, and other insects. One of my favorite uses for it is as a toilet bowl cleaner and it is always my first choice for such a job.

Learn here how I use borax for many jobs including deterring mice!

1. Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Pour 1 cup of borax into the toilet bowl at night before you go to sleep. The next morning clean out the toilet bowl with a brush. You will find the job effortless because the borax has loosened all the grime buildup. Note that this method of toilet cleaning works very well for rust rings.

2. Flea Killer
Sprinkle borax on dog beds, carpets, and other areas where you suspect that fleas are hatching. Borax releases boric acid, which is a poison (note that very high doses would need to be ingested to harm a pet or human).

3. Mold Inhibitor
This method of inhibiting mold is very good to use on areas where mold and mildew is growing but that you don’t need to worry about paint being damaged. Make a thick borax and water paste. Smear it on the moldy area. Let set until dry (overnight or longer). Sweep up the powder, and rinse off the rest.

4. Mice Deterrent
Sprinkle borax on the floor along the walls (mice like to run along the side of walls). They don’t like getting the borax on their feet, so they are less likely to return to that area of the house.

5. All Purpose Cleaner
Put 2 teaspoons of borax in a spray bottle with 2 cups of very hot water. Shake to blend.

Read more: Home, Non-Toxic Cleaning

By Annie B. Bond

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Holly J.

7:21PM PST on Mar 9, 2012

How do you get the solidified borax out of the toilet after you're done cleaning? My landlord's coming to show the apartment later and it's glued to the bottom, making it impossible to flush. Is there a trick for this?

send a green star

Draudi O.

6:24PM PDT on Jun 4, 2011

How do you use Borax to kill cockroaches ?

Jan B.

10:51AM PDT on Sep 17, 2010

Works great with laundry detergent for anything that is heavily soiled or smelly.

Inga T.

2:31PM PDT on Sep 15, 2010

Thank goodness I found this article! I'm an insectiphobe and germiphobe, and my dog has gotten fleas! I have the creepy crawlies now. I just washed her with Hartz flea shampoo, and it did Nothing. She still has them. I think our yard is infested. :( I'm going to buy some borax and (sensibly) coat my house with it. I'm going to get a large salt shaker type thing and sprinkle my carpets and furniture with it, and then onto my dog and rub it in. I've also seen good things about apple cider vinegar on here.

Betty C.

10:04AM PDT on Jul 4, 2010

Thanks.

Philippa P.

3:54PM PDT on Jun 26, 2010

Nicole C.

10:39PM PDT on Jun 22, 2010

Sue P.

4:09PM PDT on Jun 9, 2010

I do have a inside cat, will the borax harm him and can I use the borax to kill other insects than ants?

Andrew M.

2:42AM PDT on May 17, 2010

Food for thought
Everything we use especially that is mixed with water does eventually end up back in our food chain & water supply
Would I eat or drink this
Ask yourself every time you use anything

Adam H.

4:17PM PDT on Jun 9, 2009

Borax is a godsend...but one thing I'd like to know. The box says it helps "soften" hard water (a big problem around here....) - would this stuff be safe in a dishwasher? Generally, I fill the "main" cap with regular dishwasher gel (generally Palmolive Eco due to it's low phosphates and being on septic, that's a plus- though I know the bleach content doesn't help much). Would it be safe to sprinkle maybe half a cup, or even a teaspoon into the "open" cup of the dishwasher?

My only concern would be the chlorine bleach + borax, do they react in any way like ammonia and bleach do?

But yea, I'm a big fan, I used to be a big fan of the "OxyClean" and other "oxygen" non-chlorine bleaches, but since finding Borax, I saved the little plastic scoop that came with the last Oxy tub I bought, and I use that scoop to measure into my "HE" washer. I know the directions say to use like 1/2 a cup, and that little cup is probably far less than that.

But my main concern was the Borax + Chlorine Bleach(dishwashing gel) - would that pose a problem? I'm thinking the "water softening" attributes of the Borax would help my dishes get cleaner.