Borax may look like flour, but this material is definitely not edible. But, despite the fact that you can’t consume it, Borax is far more useful than you think.
Here are 40+ ways to make use of Borax. Get your notes for these hacks can make a huge difference on how you can manage your home using this versatile material.
1. Stops a tree stump from growing back
Do you have a tree already cut down in the backyard and would like for it to stay that way? Just spray a little Borax over it until you can tell that the stump is really dead and not regrowing. You may get it out of the ground afterwards using a tractor.
2. Makes clothes fire resistant
Clothes are highly flammable. In cases of emergency, putting Borax on clothes will help in keeping them fire resistant.
3. Cleans your dishwasher better
Do you want to make sure that your dishwasher is truly clean? You can use Borax as a detergent booster for your dishwasher.
4. Great for crafts to entertain the kids
Borax is an ingredient in making slime and bouncy balls. With glue and borax, you can be able to entertain the kids and make their playtime even more fun.
5. Cleans hair tools
Hair tools like comb, brushes and hair scissors can be really dirty, especially if you are running a barber shop. To ensure that your tools are properly cleaned and disinfected, you can soak them in a mix of 1/4 cup borax, a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and warm water. Rinse and then, let dry.
6. Great for cleaning your swimming pool
Borax is actually useful if you own a pool. It maintains or increases the PH level in your pool, making easier to maintain as well.
7. Your DIY detergent
Looking for a cheaper detergent brand for your clothes? You don’t have to go to the supermarkets for that! Borax can actually be a good alternative. You can get more details on how to prepare this homemade detergent here.
8. Homemade dish soap
If you are not keen on paying for dish soap, there is an alternative that you might want to try. Making your own dish soap using borax is definitely cheaper. The steps for homemade dish soap is: 1 tablespoon finely grated soap, 2 cups boiling water, and 1 tablespoon of Borax. Allow it to cool before using it.
9. Removes stains
Stains are quite tough to clean. But, with a mixture of two tablespoons water and one tablespoon Borax sprayed onto the stain, it should be easier to remove and clean the dirty area.
10. Eliminates molds
Molds inside your home can bring sickness to the family. In order to eliminate the molds, all you have to do is to create a paste made out of borax and water. Carefully place the paste on the molded area and wait for it t dry and become flaky and eventually powdery. Sweep off the powder afterwards.
11. Cheaper alternative for Febreze
Febreze is great, but it can be expensive for some people. It’s a good thing that Borax can be used in making a cheaper version of this product. Just mix half a cup of Borax with a pint of water and place the mixture in spray bottle. You can now spray this solution onto rugs, mattresses or clothes to keep them smelling fresh.
12. Great for cleaning your floor
Floor cleaning is also important in making sure that the entire house is free of bacteria and germs. Mix 1/4 cup of Borax, 1/2 cup of vinegar and hot water in a bucket. Soak your mop and use this solution in cleaning the floor.
13. Deodorizes and cleans your fridge
The mix of food inside your fridge can sometimes result to unpleasant odors. Using a tablespoon of Borax mixed in a quart of warm water is what you need to clean the fridge and remove the bad smells.
14. Great window cleaner
Cleaning your windows is easy with Borax in hand. Just mix 2 tablespoons of Borax and 3 cups of water, soak your rug in the solution and wipe away.
15. Removes carpet stains
Borax is also useful in cleaning carpets. Combining 1/2 cup of Borax with 2 cups of warm water will do the trick. Soak the dirty area in this solution and sponge it until it is clean. Let the remaining solution dry and vacuum it afterwards.
16. Deodorizes your carpet
Carpet deodorizing is also easy with Borax. Just combine 1 part Borax with 1 part baking soda then sprinkle it all over your carpet. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then vacuum it up. This will definitely remove unpleasant smells in your carpet, making it safer to be used around pets and babies.
17. Refreshes your humidifier
Humidifiers can get bad odors when used for quite some time without cleaning. Wat you can do is to add one tablespoon of Borax per gallon of water inside your humidifier. Let it sit until you are ready to use the humidifier again. Just remove the solution and replace with fresh water before turning it on.
18. Extinguishes fire in the kitchen
Grease fires are not usual, but that does not mean that it can’t happen. Keeping Borax available in the kitchen anytime can be a safety measuer should there be any fire-related accidents.
19. Shower cleaner
Cleaning the shower is easy if you have Borax handy. Just sprinkle Borax on a wet sponge and then scrub your shower until it’s clean.
20. Works great on ants
Ants can be very annoying, not to mention the fact that their bite can feel really painful and itchy. Keep your family safe from ants by combining equal parts Borax and sugar. Sprinkle this along the ants’ path and they will be gone sooner than you expect.
21. Great for towels
Keeping towels clean and free from foul odors is not easy. But with Borax around, all you have to do is to soak them in two cups of Borax mixed with two quarts of water. Leave them for two to three hours, then rinse them.
22. Cleans sinks
Borax is quite versatile when it comes to cleaning sinks. Whether you have a stainless or a porcelain sink, this is not a problem because a cup of Borax mixed with ¼ cup of lemon juice always does the trick. Just scrub the sink with this solution to keep it clean and free from bad odors.
23. Keeps your fine china shiny
Fine china are normally used for special occasions. They can be passed from a family’s generation to the next, provided they are kept and maintained the proper way. To carefully clean them, just fill the sink with warm water mixed with 1/2 cup Borax. Soak the china in the solution and then rinse them.
24. Cleans garbage disposal
Did you know that cleaning the garbage disposal is not such a hassle if you use Borax? Just sprinkle three tablespoons of Borax into the drain, leave it there for an hour, then rinse the drain with hot water.
25. Removes the stink from your garbage cans
Garbage cans are naturally stinky. To refresh them, you will need to sprinkle Borax and add water. Soak it for an hour or twoo and then rinse thoroughly.
26. Removes rust
Removing rust using Borax is totally easy. Just sprinkle it on a damp sponge, add lemon juice and wipe the rust away.
27. Excellent toilet cleaner
Borax is a great alternative for the harmful toilet cleaners. All you need to do is to add a cup of Borax to the toilet. Let it sit overnight. The nest day, clean the toilet with a brush and flush.
28. Great for cleaning patio furnitures
Summer can be very harsh to patio furnitures. To keep them clean and looking nice, just combine one tablespoon of Borax, one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and a quart of warm water. Spray it onto the furniture and wipe away.
29. Kills weeds
Do you have weeds that sprouts between your concrete pavement in the garage or pathways? You can just sprinkle Borax over them to kill them.
30. Lessens odor from the litter box
Of course, litter boxes are smelly. But, with Borax, this unpleasant odor can be minimized. Mixing in two tablespoons of Borax in the litter can result to lessening of bad smells.
31. Great in fighting pests
Having a pest issue in your home? Get equal part of Borax and mix it with equal parts sugar. Leave it in problematic areas in the house and find that it can kill bugs and ants, too.
32. Great for fruit trees
Borax can make your fruit trees healthier. Add a cup of Borax around the base of a mature fruit tree or a few tablespoons around the base of a younger fruit tree every 3-4 years you can . This will increase the boron compound in the soil which makes the tree even healthier.
33. Helps candle wicks
If you are fond of making homemade candles, you surely have observed that candle wicks are more smokey than most candles out there. Using Borax can lessen this. You only need to soak the candle wicks in salt and Borax.
34. Preserving cut flowers for longer
Borax is quite useful if you would like to keep your cut flowers fresh for longer. Just mix two parts Borax with one part dry sand adn place your flowers.
35. Great for cleaning pots and pans
Borax is quite usefulw hen it comes to cleaning pots and pans. Just sprinkle Borax on them then rub with a damp cloth to remove dirt. Finally, rinse and let them dry.
36. Preserves your instrument strings
Strings in guitars and other stringed instruments cannot stay perfect for long. Maintain them by simply dipping a toothbrush in Borax, dampening it and scrubbing the strings gently.
37. Fights fleas
Having pets means being responsible enough to keep them clean and free from fleas. The key is to keep your surroundings flea-free and this can be achieved by sprinkling Borax on carpets, rugs and areas where you pets usually stay.
38. Fights mice
Having mice in the house is definitely not a good thing. To keep them away, sprinkle Borax on your walls because that’s where they usually travel. It has been proven that mice do not like the feel of Borax on their feet and will avoid to run over areas with it.
39. Helps in removing sticky residue
To remove sticky residues from stickers and tapes, just mix two parts of Borax with one part water. Spray this solution in the sticky area and it will be gone in no time.
40. Cleans and deodorizes mattresses
Cleaning and deodorizing mattresses is easy with Borax. Just wet the mattress, then use a wet cloth with Borax all over it. Let the Borax sit for a few hours until the mattress gets dry. Once dry, you can now vacuum up the powder left on the mattress. This only means that the odors are being absorbed.
41. Borax can ferilize plants
Sprinkling a large amount of Borax on plants can kill them. But, if you use tiny amounts, this can actually help in making your plants healthier because it increases the boron compound in the soil. Learn more about this use of Borax here.
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Who knew Borax could be this useful, right? Now that you have learned how verstile this material it, you can now have more ways on how to manage your home. These ways are way cheaper and easier to do, thanks to Borax.
Source: Morning Chores, Urban Survival Site, Wikimedia Commons