QuikGuide to: Borax

By:  Linda J. Johnson

JOHNSON PUBLISHING HOUSE

©2012    Linda J. Johnson

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to everyone who wants to live a healthy life.

You can use borax in many ways to maintain a clean, fresh, healthy home environment.

I hope the tips and ideas in this QuikGuide helps you, as you strive to live a happy, healthy life.

Sincerely,

Linda J. Johnson

Table of Contents

Contents

DEDICATION              2

Table of Contents              3

What is Borax?              4

Borax is not boric acid.              5

Is Borax Safe?              5

Borax Cleaning Solutions              7

Lemon Scrub              7

Homemade Laundry Soap              8

Simple Borax for Laundry              9

For Dishes.              9

In The Dishwasher.              10

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent              10

Heavy Duty All Purpose Cleaner              10

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner              10

Mixing Borax with Vinegar or Bleach              10

How to Kill Mold with Borax              11

How to Remove Mold from Clothes with Borax              11

Simple Borax Liquid Soap                12

Shampoo.              12

Borax Weed Killer              13

Drying Cut Flowers with Borax              13

Symptoms of Poisoning with Borate Compounds              13

Borax as a Pest Killer              14

Pest Repellent              14

Indoor Pest Prevention              14

Natural Ant Killer              14

Natural Termite Killer              15

Borax Insect Spray              15

Borax Flea Powder              16

Disclaimer              16

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION              18

Johnson Publishing House              19

Our Other Books:              19

Blogs:              19

Websites:              20

Follow Us:              20

THANK YOU              20

What is Borax?

Borax, also known (most predominately in the way we’re talking about right now) as sodium tetraborate, is a boron mineral and salt that’s mined directly from the ground.

Borax is not boric acid.

Borax and boric acid are found together in many places, especially volcanic areas where the borax has naturally reacted with sulfur. You can also find both compounds in seawater.

Borax was first discovered in Tibet, in dry lake beds.  It was imported via the Silk Road to Arabia.  The word borax is Arabic– the Arabic is from the Persian word “burah,” meaning potassium nitrate, which is a fluxing agent.  (Another name for borax is tincal, in Sanskrit.)

In the 1900s, borax was used by gold miners in parts of the Philippines, as a substitute for mercury, which is toxic, to extract gold from the earth.

Borax first came into common use in the late 19th century when Francis Marion Smith's Pacific Coast Borax Company began to market “20 Mule Team Borax.”  Their trademarked their name in honor of the teams of 20 mules that would haul wagons of borax out of the California and Nevada deserts.  This delivery method allowed borax to be available in large enough quantities to make it cheap and easy to distribute to consumers.

Borax has a wide variety of uses. It is a component of many detergents, cosmetics, and enamel glazes. It is also used to make fire retardants, as an anti-fungal compound, as a, neutron-capture shields for radioactive sources, a texturing agent in cooking, and in other boron compounds.

Is Borax Safe?

Not one single natural ingredient has me quite as perplexed as borax.  “Green cleaning” and “natural beauty” sites list it as a wonder ingredient.  Listed below are what other professionals say about Borax.  You’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not to use Borax in your household.

                      The EWG’s Skin Deep Database lists it as a 5-6 (or moderate hazard):  Their studies were the nebulous “borax or boric acid” test studies.

                      The ToxNet studies on the NIH website:  Safe unless ingested in high quantities.

                      The Material Safety Data Sheet:  Lists borax as a health hazard of 1, the same as baking soda and salt.

                      The FDA banned borax as a food additive, and the European Chemicals Agency added it to their “list of substances of very high concern” a few years ago, due to the ongoing debate as to whether excess boron in the soil harms crops.

                      Borax is classified as non-carcinogenic and a mild skin irritant. The high alkalinity of borax is likely what causes skin irritation (just as excessive use of baking soda would cause irritation).

                      There are also several studies in the ToxNet database that show it’s only a very mild lung irritant and causes no lasting damage.

                      Borax does not penetrate the skin well, and is not considered to be bio-accumulative. So, the repetitive use over time does not build up in your system.)

                      The one concern is with its potential to disrupt the reproductive system. Studies have not been done in humans regarding this; however, potential reproductive issues in mice are suspected from high levels of (ingested) borax.

                      Borax is acutely toxic in the same manner that salt is. Ingested in moderate quantities, it may cause gastrointestinal upset and nausea. While it may be listed as “poison” on the box, it’s only toxic at very, very high levels. (Like salt, baking soda and even water is.)

Boron is an essential mineral that the body needs for bone building, immune function, and brain function.  Plants need it to grow. But, like anything, it’s needed in small moderation; much like salt.

Boron is found in borax. People even take borax as a supplement and swear by it (I am NOT recommending you do this).

1.        Borax is natural.

2.       Borax doesn’t cause cancer,

3.       Borax doesn’t accumulate in the body

4.      Borax isn’t absorbed through the skin.

5.       Borax is not harmful to the environment. In fact, the largest borax (borate) mine in the world – found in Boron, California – is considered to be the most ecologically sound and environmentally sustainable mine in the United States. This is also the mine where 20 Mule Team comes from.

6.       Toiletry makers use borax as an emulsifier in conjunction with beeswax (ration 18:1 beeswax to borax) and as a natural preservative in making products such as creams and lotions.

7.       Borax is frequently added in small quantities to eye drops or artificial tear products to provide pH control and moisture retention.

Is borax dangerous, toxic, or a poison?  No.  Borax is just fine to use in a household cleaning routine.

Borax Cleaning Solutions

Lemon Scrub

Borax and lemons are known for cleaning and whitening.  Borax is alkali.  It is good for cutting grease, oil, and dirt. Lemons are acidic, so they are good for eliminating soap scum and hard-water deposits.

Dip a lemon half in borax and use it as a scrubber for the bathroom, kitchen counters, cupboards, and appliances.  You can use it on any surface that is likely to have both alkali and acidic dirt.

To remove rust or food stains on countertops, rub a cut lemon over the spot or squeeze fresh lemon juice onto the area and let it sit for up to 30 minutes.  Wipe and rinse thoroughly.

BONUS Natural all-purpose cleaner:

Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. It’s not overpowering and it does the job.  Use it to clean the counters, walls, bathrooms and everywhere else that needs some cleaning. It does a good job on windows and mirrors, too.

BORAX Window & All-Purpose Cleaner:

2 cups water

2 cups white vinegar

¼ teaspoon borax

Place water and borax in 1 ½ quart microwaveable glass bowl.  Heat water and borax in microwave until hot; remove from microwave and stir until the borax crystals dissolve completely.  Add vinegar and stir.  Pour solution into a 4 cup spray bottle.

The borax works as a surfactant.  Use this solution on all glass and hard surfaces.  Wipe clean until there is no drag on your cotton or microfiber cloth.  Your glass will sparkle!  If you do NOT wipe completely – the borax will leave a white, cloudy film.  Wipe off thoroughly.

(Note:  The borax will keep the solution from getting cloudy, as it keeps the bacteria from growing.  The vinegar cuts grease and deters house flies and fruit flies.)

Borax, baking soda, and peroxide work great in the bathroom. The Borax cleans the toilet bowl and soap scum in the tub.  Peroxide gets rid of mold and mildew that appears in the grout and baking soda is a back-up scrubbing agent.  Once the cleaning is done, just toss your dirty cleaning cloths in the washer with your load of towels.

These natural cleaners do just as good of a job as the chemicals you buy in the store, at a fraction of the cost!

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Zote or Fels Naptha Laundry Soap

1/2 cup washing soda

1/2 cup borax powder

Grate the bar of Zote or Fels Naptha Soap into a sauce pan.  Add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap melts.  Add the washing soda and borax.  Stir until dissolved. It will start to thicken.

Get at least a 2 gallon bucket, and pour in 4 cups hot water. Add the soap mixture and stir. Then add 1 gallon plus 6 more cups of water and stir again.

Let soap sit for 24 hours. It will gel.

NOTE:  If you want the soap to have a scent, add a capful or two of essential oils. I have used Lavender.

Simple Borax for Laundry

½ cup Borax powder load

It is the main ingredient of non-chlorine bleach and has excellent cleaning power without fading colors.  For bleaching occasionally use chlorine bleach.

For Dishes

Any dish soap that you use should be safe enough to eat because nothing rinses off clean. Regular dish detergents, including health brands, are now polluted with PCBs. They also contain harmful chemicals. Use borax for your dishes.

Use a dishpan with ¼ cup borax and add a minimum of water.

Keep a bit of dry borax in a saucer by the sink for scouring.

Don't use any soap at all for dishes that aren't greasy and can be washed under the faucet with nothing but running water.

Throw away your old sponge or brush or

In The Dishwasher

Use 2 tsp. borax powder pre-dissolved in water. If you use too much it will leave a film on your dishes. Use vinegar in the rinse cycle.

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent

1 cup Washing Soda

1 cup Borax

Just mix 1 cup washing soda with 1 cup borax and use 2 tablespoons for each load.

Use vinegar in place of rinse aid in your dishwasher! I think it works better.

Heavy Duty All Purpose Cleaner

1 tsp. borax

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vinegar

1/4 tsp. dish soap

2 cups hot water

Mix all ingredients together and put in a spray bottle!

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup baking soda

Pour in baking soda into toilet, pour vinegar on top, let foam for 10 minutes, then scrub.

Mixing Borax with Vinegar or Bleach

You can mix borax with vinegar and water safely. This solution can be more effective at killing mold. Some people also add salt.

However, mixing borax with bleach is not recommended. Bleach often produces dangerous gases when mixed with other products (e.g. bleach and ammonia produces a toxic gas).

How to Kill Mold with Borax

You can either buy borax based cleaner to kill and remove mold, or you can mix borax powder in water, following these directions.

Borax can irritate sensitive skin and can be toxic if ingested. So you can wear rubber gloves if you want to be cautious.

         Mix borax with water using a ratio of one cup of borax with one gallon of water. Make sure the borax fully dissolves in the water. Hot water will dissolve borax powder faster.

         You can pour the solution into a spray bottle, if you want to apply it by spraying.

         Next, apply the borax and water solution to the moldy area. Let it sit for a few minutes. You can then use a scrubbing brush, cloth, etc to wipe the mold away.

         You do not have to rinse afterwards. The borax will prevent the mold returning.

         If you want, you can make a paste instead. Add less water to the borax powder to make a paste. To apply the paste, smear it on the moldy area.

How to Remove Mold from Clothes with Borax

You can also use borax to remove mold from your clothes. It can also remove tough stains.

There is borax laundry detergent which you can buy from the supermarket. Simply follow the directions when you add it to your washing.

You can add borax powder to your washing yourself:

         First mix half a cup of borax powder with hot water. This is to make sure it completely dissolves.

         Then add the borax and water solution to your washing, once the washing machine has filled with water.

         Next, run your washing through a normal cycle.

NOTE:  Borax is a natural, white mineral powder. It is based on the element, boron. Borax has a pH of approximately 9, so it is alkaline.

Borax is good for general cleaning, and it is an effective deodorizer.  It is one of the best mold killing products and inhibits mold growth. It also kills germs and bacteria. It is a disinfectant, biocide, insecticide, pesticide, herbicide and fungicide.

Simple Borax Liquid Soap

Empty 1 gallon jug

1/8 cup borax powder

Plastic funnel

Funnel the borax into the jug, fill with cold tap water. Shake a few times. Let settle. In a few minutes you can pour off the clear part into dispenser bottles. This is the soap.

Easier way: use any bottle; pour borax powder to a depth of ½ inch or so. Add water. Shake. When you have used it down to the undissolved granules, add more water and shake again. Add more borax when the undissolved granules get low. Keep a dispenser by the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and shower.

Shampoo

Borax liquid is ready to use as shampoo, too. It does not lather but goes right to work removing sweat and soil without stripping your color or natural oils. It inhibits scalp bacteria and stops flaking and itching. Hair gets squeaky clean so quickly (just a few squirts does it) that you might think nothing has happened! You will soon be accustomed to non-lathery soap. Rinse very thoroughly because borax is alkali; you should leave your scalp slightly acidic.

Take a pint container to the shower with you. Put ¼ tsp. citric (not ascorbic) acid crystals in it. For long hair use a quart of rinse. Only citric acid is strong enough to get the borax out, lemon juice and vinegar are not. After shampooing, fill the container with water and rinse. Rinse your whole body, too, since citric acid is also anti-bacterial.

All hair shampoo penetrates the eye lids and gets into the eyes although you do not feel it. It is important to use this natural rinse to neutralize the shampoo in your eyes. (Some people have stated that citric acid makes their hair curlier or reddens it. If this is undesirable, use only half as much citric acid.) Citric acid also conditions and gives body and sheen to hair.

Borax Weed Killer

Powdered borax can kill weeds by sprinkling the powder in areas where you don’t want weeds to grow, but keep it away from plants you want to keep alive.

Drying Cut Flowers with Borax

Borax powder is used for drying cut flowers. Just sprinkle the powder in a container and lay the flowers in it. Cover the flowers with more powdered borax. After about a week, the flowers will be dried and preserved.

Symptoms of Poisoning with Borate Compounds

- Irritation of skin and respiratory tract.

- The gastrointestinal tract skin vascular system and brain are the principal organs and tissues affected.

- Nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

- Lethargy and headache may occur but are less frequent.

- In severe poisonings, a beefy red skin rash affecting palms, soles, buttocks and scrotum has been described.

With severe poisoning;, erythematous and exfoliative rash; unconsciousness, respiratory depression, and renal failure.

Borax as a Pest Killer

Borax is effective against many types of pests like roaches andants.  Sprinkle a light coating of borax powder on all surfaces that are infested.  Make sure all cracks or tiny spaces are coated with the powder. It's useful to grab a broom from the kitchen and brush the powder around the floor. This ensures that the powder is getting into the cracks in your room, if you do this carefully. The pests who come into contact with this powder will die, as the dust from the powder dehydrates them.

Pest Repellent



Sprinkle a two to three inch wide path of Borax around the house, next to your foundation. This repels insects, as they dislike the scent and feel of borax. Borax is not toxic to either your family or your pets.  Sprinkling this borax around the outside your home regularly can help you stop a pest problem before it starts.

Indoor Pest Prevention

Use Borax in your kitchen to keep roaches away. Pour a thick white line of the powder along the wall behind your refrigerator, oven and under your sink.  This Borax may have to be repeated every couple of months.

Natural Ant Killer

Getting rid of ants is easy with borax, which kills the ants by dehydrating them

Ants feasting on powdered sugar mixed with borax

Just mix equal parts of borax and powdered sugar.  Set the mixture out for the ants in a bottle cap.  Dust a little bit of the powder solution directly on their trail. This way the ants find the trail to the bottle cap.  The next day, dead ants should be in the bottle cap.

NOTE:  This mixture will kill termites, ants, cockroaches and silvermoths

Do not leave the Borax balls where children or pets play.

Natural Termite Killer

Mix 8 oz. of Borax, flour and sugar together in a bowl. Add oil to the Borax mixture and mix well. Add more oil to the mixture as needed, until the mixture forms a soft dough

Place a small amount of dough in your hand and roll gently until the dough forms a marble-size ball.

Place the balls of Borax dough inside the termite hills. Store any leftover mixture in a marked container with a cover in the refrigerator.

Replace the Borax balls of dough when the balls become hard

Borax Insect Spray

Mix 1 1/2 cups of Borax into 1 gallon of hot water and stir until the powder dissolves. Pour into a pump sprayer.

Spray the Borax mixture on all of the sill plates, window-sill boxes and infested wood. Use this mixture if you can not locate the termites. Apply three coats, letting each coat dry before the next is applied.

Note:  This mixture will kill termites, ants, cockroaches and silvermoths, but does not work on finished wood.

Borax Flea Powder

Pour borax into a cheese, or powder sugar shaker.  Shake on your carpet.  Work the Borax into the carpet with a broom and vacuum it up.

Shake borax powder onto upholstered furniture, then vacuum.

Empty the vacuum outside and place the contents into a garbage bag that should be disposed of in an outdoor trash receptacle.  Repeat as needed.

Sprinkle borax behind appliances and anywhere that is not in contact with food.

One last look at borax

Disclaimer

The information in this guide is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.

The author makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of information contained on or available in this guide, and such information is subject to change without notice. You are encouraged to confirm any information obtained from reading this guide with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician.

NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH READING THIS GUIDE.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise reproducing without express written permission.

For permission contact:

Linda J. Johnson at Johnson Publishing House:

johnsonpublishinghouse@gmail.com

Or write at:

Linda J. Johnson

(360) 232-4477

PO Box 764

Rainier, WA 98576

Thank you,

Linda J. Johnson

Copyright © 2012 By Linda J. Johnson

Johnson Publishing House

Our Other Books:

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QuikGuide to Dandelion Recipes & Remedies

QuikGuide to Reading Nutrition Labels

QuikGuide to Borax Uses and Solutions

QuikGuide to Natural Head Lice Remedies

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I Am a Dream (Coming Soon!)

How I Healed My Bleeding Gums

How I Healed My Dog’s Lick Granuloma

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THANK YOU

Dear QuikGuide Reader,

Thank you for buying our little booklet.  We hope you enjoy it & refer to it often.

Sincerely,

Linda J. Johnson

Johnson House Publishing

Table of Contents

DEDICATION

Table of Contents

What is Borax?

Borax

Is Borax Safe?

Borax Cleaning Solutions

Lemon Scrub

Homemade Laundry Soap

Simple Borax for Laundry

For Dishes.

In The Dishwasher.

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent

Heavy Duty All Purpose Cleaner

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Mixing Borax with Vinegar or Bleach

How to Kill Mold with Borax

How to Remove Mold from Clothes with Borax

Simple Borax Liquid Soap

Shampoo.

Borax Weed Killer

Drying Cut Flowers with Borax

Symptoms of Poisoning with Borate Compounds

Borax as a Pest Killer

Pest Repellent

Indoor Pest Prevention

Natural Ant Killer

Natural Termite Killer

Borax Insect Spray

Borax Flea Powder

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Our Other Books:

Blogs:

Websites:

Follow Us:

THANK YOU