Borax (also known as sodium borate) is a naturally-occurring mineral found in soil, plants, and even our own bodies. When I was growing up, my mom used it as a laundry booster, which is what most people use it for. In my twenties, I learned to use it as an ingredient in homemade laundry detergent. Then in my thirties, I was surprised to discover over 30 other things you can do with borax!
Granted, most of these uses have nothing to do with survival. But what I love about versatile items like vinegar, baking soda, and borax is they eliminate the need to store lots of cleaning supplies.
One four-pound box can be used to clean almost anything around the house and it takes up very little space, leaving you room to store more important things, like food. That’s why I recommend adding borax to your survival supplies.
If you’re still not convinced, check out this list of uses for borax.
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1. Clean Tubs and Showers
Sprinkle some borax on a sponge or damp cloth–like you would a powdered cleaner such as Ajax–and scrub tubs and showers. When you’re done, thoroughly rinse every surface with water.
2. Clean Brushes and Combs
Fill your bathroom sink with warm water, add 1/4 cup of borax and a squirt of dish soap, and stir it up with your brush and/or combs. Then let them sit in the mixture for 30 minutes before rinsing.
3. Clean Toilets
To clean toilets, simply pour one cup of borax into the water, stir it up, then let it sit overnight. The next day, scrub it with a brush, and your toilet will be sparkling clean.
4. Unclog Toilets
Scoop as much water as you can out of the toilet, then add 1/2 cup of borax. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, then add 2 cups of boiling water and flush. Repeat as necessary.
5. Unclog Drains
Use a funnel to pour 1/2 cup of borax down the drain, then slowly add 2 cups of boiling water. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, then flush it out with hot water. Repeat as necessary for tough clogs.
6. Clean Sinks and Counters
Put 1 tablespoon of borax and 2 tablespoons of vinegar in a spray bottle, then fill it up with hot water and add a few drops of dish soap. This makes a great all-purpose cleaner.
7. Clean the Fridge
That same all-purpose cleaner works on the outside of the fridge. But for food spills on the inside, all you need is one tablespoon of borax per quart of warm water.
8. Clean Mold and Mildew
Mix 1 cup of borax with 1 quart of hot water and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray the mold and mildew until it’s saturated, wait several hours, then rinse thoroughly.
9. Wash the Dishes
Mix 1 tablespoon of borax with 1 tablespoon of finely grated soap, then add 2 cups of boiling water and whisk until blended. Let it sit until it cools, and then you’ll have homemade dish soap.
10. Clean Cast Iron Cookware
You don’t want to use soap on cast iron because the taste of it could get in your food. Instead, mix 1 teaspoon of borax with 1 teaspoon of salt, spread it on your cookware, and scrub it.
11. Remove Rust
Mix 1 part borax with 1 part lemon juice, spread the mixture onto the rust, then let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Finally, just wipe it clean. Repeat if necessary.
12. Clean the Floor
Put 1/4 cup of borax and 1/2 cup of vinegar into a bucket, then fill it up with hot water and add a squirt of dish soap. Use the resulting solution to mop your floors.
13. Get Rid of Goo
Mix 1/2 cup of borax with 1/4 cup of water to make a solution that can be used to scrub away things like gum, tar, grease, and other adhesive residues.
14. Remove Laundry Stains
Mix 1 tablespoon of borax with 2 tablespoons of water, and spread it on the stain. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then scrub it away and wash as usual.
15. Remove Carpet Stains
Mix 1/2 cup of borax with 2 cups of warm water, then use the solution and a sponge to saturate the stained area. Scrub it thoroughly, let it sit for 30 minutes, then vacuum the area and let it dry.
16. Deodorize Your Carpet
Mix 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 neutralize odors in your carpet.
17. Deodorize Other Fabrics
Mix 1/2 cup of borax with a pint of water and pour it into a spray bottle. The resulting solution can be sprayed on things like curtains, couches, and padded chairs.
18. Clean Your Mattress
You can remove stains and deodorize your mattress with the same methods that are used for carpets. To make your mattress smell even better, add a few drops of lavender essential oil.
19. Deodorize Your Trash Can
Fill your trash can with water and 1/2 cup of borax, then stir it up. Let it soak for 30 minutes, rinse it out, dry it, then sprinkle some borax inside the trash can.
20. Deodorize The Litter Box
Just mix 1/4 cup of borax into the kitty litter and it will significantly reduce unpleasant odors. As long as your cats don’t ingest it, it’s perfectly safe.
21. Make Candle Wicks
Mix 1 tablespoon of salt and 3 tablespoons of borax in 1 cup of boiling water. Soak a length of twine in this solution for 24 hours, then hang it up to dry for 2 days.
Related Article: 20 Uses for Salt You Didn’t Know About
22. Put Out Fires
Baking soda is normally recommended for grease fires, but borax works just as well. You can also use it to put out campfires or any other type of small fire.
23. Kill Ant Colonies
Mix equal parts of borax and sugar and sprinkle it anywhere you see ants. Not only will ants die when they eat it, they will also carry it back to the colony and get other ants killed, too.
24. Keep Bugs Away
For cockroaches, sprinkle it on shelves around your food. For bedbugs and fleas, sprinkle it on your mattress or carpet, let it sit for at least 30 minutes, then vacuum it up.
25. Keep Mice Away
Sprinkle it along pathways and anywhere you see signs of mice. This will deter them. You can also sprinkle bait with borax. With any luck, one of them will bring it back to the nest and poison the others.
26. Wash the Windows
For very dirty windows. Soak a washcloth in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of borax and 3 cups of water and wipe your windows. Repeat with equal parts water and vinegar before drying.
27. Wash Patio Furniture
Add 1 tablespoon of borax and 1 tablespoon of dish detergent to a gallon of hot water, stir it up, then soak your sponge in the solution and use it to wipe down your furniture.
28. Kill Weeds
Sprinkle it on weeds between cracks on walkways. For garden weeds, you have to be careful because it can kill other types of plants. Don’t use it on windy days or when rain is forecast.
29. Fertilize Plants
Although large amounts of borax will kill plants, tiny amounts can increase the soil’s boron, a mineral essential for cell wall growth. Here are more details. Only do this if your soil is boron deficient.
30. Preserve Flowers
This isn’t something I would ever do myself, but if you’re interested in preserving flowers, this article has detailed instructions on how to do it with borax.
31. Entertain the Kids
Borax can be used to make green slime, snowflakes, bouncy balls, and even color fire. These could be fun things to do with the kids if the Internet is down (or even if it isn’t). You can find borax in most grocery stores or you can buy it online.
32. Make Your Trees Healthier
One of the lesser-known hacks for borax is to use it to make your trees healthier. This is especially important if you have any trees that grow food. Take a cup of borax and pour it around the base of the tree. This will provide higher boron levels to the tree, which should make it healthier and more productive.
33. Stop Regrowth on Tree Stumps
You can also use borax to stop growth from tree stumps. If you’ve ever cut down pine trees, you should be more than familiar with the fact that little shoots and growths can extend out of them. This isn’t a critical issue, but it can make your tree stumps look less visually appealing for your property. Simply sprinkle borax over the stump, and repeat this process intermittently over a few weeks. This should cause any shoots and growths to stop spreading.
34. Clean Your Stringed Instruments
Do you have any stringed instruments, such as violins or guitars, in your possession? If so, you can use borax to keep them in good condition and extend their overall lifespan. Just make sure that you allow the strings to dry before you begin playing again.
35. Remove Fleas From Your Pet’s Fur
Here’s another neat trick: mix water and borax together in a spray bottle. Proceed to spray it directly over your pets’ bedding, or wherever else they sleep, and it will have the same effect as a chemical flea killer. Allow the bedding to dry, or otherwise vacuum it up, and the chances of your pets catching fleas will be reduced.
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#25 makes no sense. If the Borax will deter the mice, why would they take a piece of bait that has Borax on it.
waiting for my delivery of borax primarily as an ant killer due to the fact i live in the philippines .ants are truly invasive here .they seem to even be immune to most ant killers so will let you know the results
Please don’t use Borax in cat boxes . Cats can get the Borax under their claws/nails when they dig in the cat liter to bury their business and then can ingest it when they clean their paws/nails.
Agreed
Can you use BORAX to clean tile from clay stain
Don’t forget hurting Leviathans.
Remembers me of the old 20 mule team. With prices going to the moon practical down to earth items are a requirement. Things that have multi uses regardless of what it is are an important addition to the household cabinet. Thanks.
NEVER pour boiling water in a toilet! You can melt wax rings and possibly crack the bowl.
True! Use hot water instead
Thanks for all the great info. Now for sure I’m going to take care of my yard next spring, instead of paying someone to get rid of the weeds and there still in my yard. And I will use it for everything I can. I will also pass it on to my friends!
We have a fountain that becomes clogged with algae. I use to use bleach to kill the algae. Then I recalled using Borax to control weeds. Algae is a plant. Hello! The fountain contains about 5-6 gallons of water. So I began algae control with 1 cup of borax. Some effect. So I added another cup of borax. Walla! That did it. Now I simply add a cup of borax when I see algae growth beginning. Beginning because water evaporates and I must replenish. Borax remains residual, but with rain and fountain over-flow the borax concentration diminishes.
How does a person get mold out of clothes?
Haven’t done this with clothes but have with shower curtains & to treat mould & mildew in the bathroom. I put 8 sprigs of fresh thyme into 4 cups of boiling water & leave for 35 minutes. Strain the infused water & mix with 1/2 cup of borax shake well to mix then use in a spray bottle on mould & milldew. Once dry sponge off before giving a rinse. Hope this of help to you. Mixture can be used all over the bathroom to prevent mould & milldew.
How do you dissolve borax? I tried to make another solution once it didn’t work
Very hot water dissolves borax.
For fleas..I sprinkle it lightly on the rug and next to the wall where the rug meets the wall and shuffle it in with your feet… Leave it in until you vacuum next…days later…Then repeat…..Borax drys out the fleas…DO NOT USE IT ON YOUR ANIMALS….
It works even better if the borax is also mixed with salt in roughly a 50/50 mixture- it works by desiccating the exoskeleton of the fleas. I’ve used that mixture in some of the worst infestations. Needs to be done twice though at least and then vacuumed well. It does desiccate the eggs but there are always some fleas and the eggs that are not affected. I’ve only had to repeat 24 hours later once. Scrub the borax salt into carpet, rugs, furniture; sprinkle into cracks between floors and walls, etc., wait 24 hours, vacuum and repeat (keeping animals and children away during the entire process, including vacuuming). I had no need for further pesticide use and have used this method many times.
Borax is great to kill all kinds of bugs – used by exterminators
How?
Darrell, read the thread. You will find the answers to your question.
Hi, I’m after a way to get rid of brown/red staining on my dogs beards/mouths and I’ve just read a way of dealing with this is to use borax mixed with baby powder and milk of magnesia, but you’ve said DO NOT USE ON ANIMALS. Is it safe or not.
It is definitely NOT safe to ingest for humans or animals.
Incorrect.
No, I’m not. Please do not ingest borax. https://www.healthline.com/health/is-borax-safe
What do you mix with borax if you use it to get rid of weeds?
Mix 4 ounces of borax with a gallon of water and spray the weeds with it.
Borax in a paste with water makes a great soldering flux. It can also be used to prevent fire scale when anealing silver during jewelry-making.
Awesome. What amounts?
Hi, I wish to manufacture or blend an ALL IN ONE water based: Engine / Truck Chassis Degreaser / Truck Cab Cleaner(without the streaks on Cab) Yourselves perhaps have ANY formula available?, and where a Borax product can perhaps be successfully incorporated? In joining your Newsletter, cost?, or monthly cost thereof??
There is product called purple power. It is one of the greatest cleaning agents for all most all grime. But do not use it full strength on paint it will take it off . All so I do believe it is safe on the environment.
I use the purple stuff to get grease and oil stains out of his clothes.
And have also used it on some blankets I had in my garage that the neighbors cat came in and sprayed his urine on , it was disgusting. The purple power got out the pee stains AND the smell.
I use Borax when necessary to raise alkalinity level in my swimming pool. Cheaper than the stuff the pool
company wants to sell you.
We had big blank ants around the house. My husband made peanut mix with Borax. Ants ate it and died. He try Borax with sugar and water mixed too. Following day, we saw lots of Black ants death. Amazing but it works great! Until we find out the queen ants is death, we going to continue using Borax. Thank you to Borax product!!
I used Diatomaceous Earth for ants coming in from under the house
every spring.
Since then, not one ant has come onder the 3 doorways.
It is sold in a huge bag for about $15 and lasts forever–dogs/cats/livestock owners feed it to their pets for parasite conrol.
And on fur for fleas.
What’s the name of the huge bag for $15.00 do you know?
DiatomaceousEarth sold in pet stores, feed store and farm supply chains.
Boraxdpme hardware stores got itit can be used in recycling gold from computer boards
Where did u purchase that from?
Any grocery store or Walmart.
Borax spot cleaning carpet works better than anything I’ve ever tried!
How much borax is used as fertilizer for small areas…like very large balcony pots. I can’t find any measurements other than one lb. per acre…um…
It only takes a few tablespoons of borax to boost the soil for a large garden, so for a balcony pot, you’d probably only need a pinch. Honestly, I wouldn’t use it in a balcony pot because I wouldn’t want to risk using too much and hurting my plants.
Excellent I have 2 boxes of borax at home and never used it. Now I have so many uses.
I use Borax/Arm & Hammer/Fels Naptha flakes for my homemade laundry detergent. Mix in a quart/gallon container.
Works great and lasts forever….1/8 cup per wash and so inexpensive and no carcinogens.
Is that a HE washer? Do you put it in the drum, or up in the container for the soap?
Just plop it in the drum with your clothes. Made my own soap for 30 years, trial and error. I found out the hard way.
Also used by blacksmiths as a flux for forge welding, forge brazing, and end-of-day hand cleaner.
Bob,
Right on ! I use borax as a flux when I melt lead to cast bullets . Scrap lead has all kinds of garbage mixed in it. Borax cleans it right up.
What is the difference between borax and bicarbonate of soda, which has all the same uses?
Bicarbonate of Soda is “baking soda” or Sodium BICARBONATE. It is a salt of carbonic acid and is used as a leavening agent in baking. It does have some of the effects that borax has in cleaning but has nothing to do with boron, whereas borax does. Borax is Sodium BORATE. The names sound similar and they’re used for similar things in cleaning ONLY. BORAX, unlike Baking Soda, is NOT to be used internally as it is toxic (see my post above).
Borax is toxic when ingested and should be handled like any other chemical. Kids should not be playing with it nor should you be treating water or pink eye with Borax. Please research the proper handling and hazard warnings of this product before using. I do support that this is better than most commercial cleaners – at least you know what you are getting.
That’s not true. You need to keep researching. People drink it
Some rather uneducated folks might ingest it after reading about fad type cures on the net but it
is toxic.
See link: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+328
You are completely incorrect. Humans do drink it in small quantities mixed in water. It is called boron water and it is extremely healthy. It is not a soap product. It is a product that is Harvested from the earth. It is found in mountains in California and in Turkey. There are many many things that can be done with it. Are used to drink it all the time in my labs from the doctors were always perfect.
Borax and boron water are not the same thing at all. You’re conflating the two. Borax can be fatal if a child consumes more than 5 grams and if an adult consumes more than 10 grams. Small amounts of boron water are probably harmless (but don’t quote me on that). However, larger amounts can make you sick.
You put homemade detergent in the drum first and then add your clothes. It works great with my he washer
Pinkeye can be treated with boracic acid from the drugstore. My mother knew that from ww2, 1950s, before OHIP & everybody running to the doctor at first sniffle.
Boric/Boracic Acid is not the same thing as Borax. For heaven sake, don’t put it on your eyes. Please look it up.
Hi, I just bought 50 lbs of Borax after learning of its many uses. However I have never heard of it for arthritis. Can you tell me how to use it for this purpose? I wouldn’t know where to start or if I have to be tested for boron levels first, etc. I was diagnosed with arthritis this year and it can be very debilitating. Thank you so much!
I want to know where you can buy 50 lbs of borax. I’ve only seen the small boxes for $7.99
Read “THE BORAX CONSPIRACY”… you find out how good it really is and what dosage to take.
Boraxdpme hardware stores got itit can be used in recycling gold from computer boards
Borax also cures arthritis.
Borax – aka boric acid. Is also used to treat pink eye. Take that urgent care who charges 75 a visit just for some eye drops. Dissolve one tbs in water bring to a books stir in the boric acid let cool and use one of the old school glass eye cups to get rid of pink eye. Probably one of the most useful prepping things borax will accomplish since when SHTF there will no longer be medical supplies.
Borax and boric acid are essentially the same thing and normally associated with making homemade laundry soap. Both materials contain the element boron. Usually, Borax is mined and refined from tourmaline, kernite, and colemanite. Boric acid is mined from the mineral sassolite.
NO!!!!! Boric acid and Borax are two completely different compounds!
Thank you, Jason! Why people think that borax, boric acid and boron are the same, is beyond me…
Folks- they are utterly different! Boron is a micronutrient that is required in teeny doses in human physiology; it is NOT borax! One can get boron in the diet by consuming raisins and nuts, having a glass of red wine even. We also require copper in our diets in miniscule amounts but consume too much and it will destroy the liver- because it is a MICRO-nutrient (and there is no penny conspiracy)… Elemental boron is a micronutrient and lacking it can cause joint pain but it will NOT be replaced in your body by consuming borax! Consuming borax, depending on the quantity over time can cause gastric distress to death.
There is no conspirator trying to keep anyone away from getting their micro dose of dietary boron. If there were, raisins and nuts (and red wine) would all be banned. One can usually, without a science education, come to some sort of a reasonable conclusion by looking at a number of reputable, science oriented, evidence based websites and that should alleviate any fear about a borax conspiracy. If you ask yourself, “what anyone have to gain from that”?, and check a few sites, like the CDC, etc., you might 1) learn the difference between all 3 (boron, borax and boric acid) and 2) have less anxiety about a non-existent conspiracy theory.
Jason IS SO RIGHT!!!!!! Boric ACID and BORAX are TWO, TWO, TWO, ” TOTALLY DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS !!!!!!! SERIOUSLY PEOPLE it is called “EDUCATION” and “READING” !!!! They are VERY DIFFERENT in the USAGE FACTOR ~
You are better off using a tea of yarrow leaves, or oregano leaves, as an eyewash for “pink eye”… That is if you do not want to go to an Ophthalmologist…
I was a technician for eye surgeons… I would not recommend borax for eye infections.
An optholmogist one told me to rub Johnson No More Tears directly on the eyeball and rinse. Within 24 hours pink eye is gone. Used this method for 30 years. Never failed.
i think some people are getting mixed up with Epsom salts, it is good for many body and health things, soaking bruises and swelling, it is good to soak your eyes with too, It is used to control the PH in plants and will make the almost dead looking grass bright green, sprinkle a little on you flower beds for healthy plants, you can ingest it for help with constipation mixed with water or juice…many things for healthy body and healthy plants…much different than Borax or Boric acid….
No, they aren’t the same thing! Please don’t put Borax on your eyes!
Can Borax remove flouride from drinking water?
another use for borax is tanning animal skin, when I dabbled in taxidermy we used borax to tan the skin on birds we would mount
I have used borax many times to tan deerskin .
Tempering and hardening steel after forging. Get steel yellow hot , coat in borax heat to yellow hot again , quench in transmission fluid . Polish to desired finish.
That is some good information about borax. I never thought about adding this to my preps.
I suppose that this is going to be something that is worth its weight in gold after TSHTF.
Love what you wrote. I’m a HUGE fan of stockpiling items that have multiple uses in prepping. That’s one of the reasons that love products like duct tape and paracord so much.
For many preppers, especially “apartment preppers”, storage space is a really vital commodity so if they can store items that like this that have 31 or more uses, that’s so much better than stocking 31 different items.
Great article!