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.

Winn A.

6:39PM PDT on Mar 12, 2013

Thanks

March 12
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Heidi A.

6:23PM PST on Dec 2, 2012

This is absolutely true for fleas. I went to the vet and asked for an alternative to poisoning my pet monthly with a skin contact/absorbtion solution such as Advantage for Cats. He suggested Borax powder sprinkled on all the carpeted surfaces(couch and chairs as well) and bedding. It is completely non toxic. However Diatomaceous Earth kills fleas best and is completely non toxic. How it kills fleas: is it has a very small particle size and is razor sharp. It gets inbetween the fleas exoskelatal plates and cuts it to death(insects wear their skeleton on the outside). It is completely harmless for normal contact to the house or pets or yourself. It is in microdoses for macroscopic animals and humans. Not so harmless to the microscopic pests. For cockroaches(borax), they ingest it and it is poison to them. Borax is also a great ant repellant.

I had no idea about the toilet cleaning. I have hard water stains in my toilet(toilet ring) and have been looking for something to effectively clean it with. I'll give the Borax a try.

December 2
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Adena Z.

6:02PM PST on Dec 2, 2012

Great stuff that 20 Mule Team Borax

Robert S.

10:02AM PST on Nov 18, 2012

On the TV show "Supernatural" Borax is used as a weapon to slay the beasts of the Apocalypse!

November 18
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Karen M.

10:13AM PST on Nov 17, 2012

Have to watch out and use the borax sparingly when you have animals that groom themselves. We sprinkle it around the baseboards. It helps.

November 17
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Elisabeth T.

7:22AM PST on Nov 17, 2012

Love borax, have been using it for years. Put about a cup in each load of laundry with the detergent. Also, it's the only thing that got rid of the ants. Just sprinkled some where they were and haven't seen any since.

Past Member .

6:53AM PDT on Jun 6, 2012

Thanks A link for more uses plus a whole lot more stuff > http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-revised.html

June 6
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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?