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Annie B. Bond

5 Smart, Easy Ways to Use Borax in the Home

posted by Annie B. Bond May 6, 2002 10:19 pm
filed under: Healthy Home, Non-Toxic Cleaning
10 comments

By Annie B. Bond

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.

More on Non-Toxic Cleaning (145 articles available)
More from Annie B. Bond (3249 articles available)

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Adam H.

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.

Annabelle R.

I have 4 cats and never had a flea problem, We just moved to FL and now we have tons of fleas I had a customer tell me to try borax to kill them and It really worked like a charm. my cats don't itch at all. i'v also used it as a general cleaner dishes and bathtub works great. it is very inexpensive also so please try it you won't regret it. also safe for fine china

rona s.
  • rona s. says
  • Apr 29, 2008 4:41 AM

Thanks Jessica! I'll try that - and add it to my web page. I just sprinked it near where I saw them. At first they seemed to avoid it - then they just ran over it, regardless! However, they did seem to reduce in numbers gradually, so maybe it was getting to them. My partner got some standard ant killer after that.

As I don't like killing things if I can help it I would love to find something you can just smear around the doorway or other entry point which just deters them harmlessly.

Jessica R.

To Rona I use borax to get rid of ants and it works a charm, mix with some sugar and water to a paste. They take it back the nest and they all die. I also use it to deodorise my carpets as I have big dogs.

rona s.
  • rona s. says
  • Mar 29, 2008 9:54 AM

I've researched a web page on borax for my site: Greenfootsteps. I understand that it is very safe as a cleaner and is unlikely to cause any skin problems for most people from handling it. However, it can be very toxic if swallowed. Even a teaspoonful could kill a small child. So, clearly safe storage is an issue.
I'm quite impressed with it as a cleaner. It has removed some rust stains from bathroom tiles which resisted everything else I've tried. It's also quite safe for the environment in low concentrations.
Has anyone used it as an ant repellant with success?

Shannon V.

I bought some borax to clean with but once I got it home and read the box I am a bit afraid to use it because it says it can be posious. How harmful can it be? Thanks.

Shannon V.

I bought some 20 mule borax to clean but I read the box and now I am kinda scared to use it because it says it can be piosinous. How harmful is it? can anybody tell me? THANKS

Jon Dare

I use 20 Mule Team Borax with Dr. Bronner's Eucalyptus liquid castille soap to steam clean my carpets. It works great and smells good too.

Angela Brown

I use borax and equal parts baking soda for dishwasher cleaner it's cheap and very effective. I don't know if I'd use it on delicate wine glasses or anything it's more for tough grime removal but I have kids so I have no fine china anyway. It saves money and leaves them cleaner than commercial dish detergent and hey it's not toxic.

Jenny Graham

One time I used a turkey baster and put borax all the way around my laundry room to keep out the crickets and it work like a charm! Thanks!

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Disclaimer: Care2.com does not warrant and shall have no liability for information provided in this newsletter or on Care2.com. Each individual person, fabric, or material may react differently to a particular suggested use. It is recommended that before you begin to use any formula, you read the directions carefully and test it first. Should you have any health care-related questions or concerns, please call or see your physician or other health care provider.

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