What do I do with Borax?

[Petersmamma]

I bought a box of Borax, now I'm not sure what to use it for!

Tried and true ideas, please! I have heard that you can sprinkle it on the carpet, let it sit, and vacuum it up and it will get rid of fleas (we have animals). This is supposed to be safe for pets AND kids. Is this true? What else can I use this for?

TIA!

[Bartock]

mix it with sugar and if you have an ant problem they will eat it and it will kill them, and bring it back to there nest and kill those ones too

[Star]

Originally Posted by ilovemy2ds

mix it with sugar and if you have an ant problem they will eat it and it will kill them, and bring it back to there nest and kill those ones too

That never worked for me. I had a bad ant problem in my last apartment and I tried the borax/sugar mix and it didn't seem to help one bit.

[Skim]

Use it to stop mildew growth in a solution you leave on instead of rinsing off.

Add to diaper wash.

Scrub bathroom with it.

Mostly I like it for mildew and diapers. And I looove it for diapers.

[ZeldasMom]

My fav thing to do with it is to sprinkle about a quarter cup in the toilet, scrub it, then let it sit overnight. The toilet looks beautiful the next day.

I also use it to make Alice's Wonder Spray, which is what I use as my all-around spray cleaner.

One day my DS's preschool made borax into stuff to play with called flubber. I was a little concerned about this because Karen Logan, the Clean House, Clean Planet woman says borax is mildly toxic and that she always wears gloves when using it. Then I decided not to sweat that one, since it's not like DS is spending great amounts of time playing with flubber. He did enjoy it though!

[raleigh_mom]

I make dish soap - 1/3 borax, 1/3 baking soda, 1/3 regualar dish detergent. And use 2T in the dishwasher.

I also make laundry soap with it.

[Petersmamma]

:

[Catherine12]

Adding to diaper wash helps prevents diaper rash. Also good for pet stain deodorizing.

[Ellp]

I use it to clean lino. floors. 1/2C in 2 G. of hot water. Its not very sudsy but it does do the job. Just be careful when its wet though, very slippery!!

Oh, and the ant thing. I mix borax with peanut butter and it worked for me. There was usually a good smattering of dead ants the morning after I put the dish out.

[daisymommy]

Just be careful. After doing quite a bit of research lately, I came across info stating that borax is toxic when you repeatedly have it contact with your skin. Ie--it is absorbed thru the skin, and is toxic to your liver and kidneys.

Very scary since it is in Burts Bees lotions, even the baby stuff!

[bu's mama]

Originally Posted by daisymommy

...Very scary since it is in Burts Bees lotions, even the baby stuff!

off to google....

[spero]

Mostly I use it as a laundry additive, in place of bleach. It whitens clothes, makes them soft and fresh, and doesn't damage/eventually discolor fabric the way bleach does. I also use it in loads of super dirty/smelly/musty clothes.

I haven't used bleach in about 10 years - and I never miss it. DH's undershirts last a lot longer and don't get gray. And I use cold water to wash my whites!

I've made the flubber (it's actually a cool science experiment!) and I've used the sugar/Borax solution for ants (with success - though it seems to work better on those tiny ants than the larger black ones).

Originally Posted by daisymommy

Just be careful. After doing quite a bit of research lately, I came across info stating that borax is toxic when you repeatedly have it contact with your skin. Ie--it is absorbed thru the skin, and is toxic to your liver and kidneys.

Do you have a link?

[Sativarain1]

I was unaware that it was toxic if it touched your skin. yikes. I use it to scrub my bathtub with. I guess I'll start wearing gloves.

[daisymommy]

List of ingredients in Burt's Baby Bees Buttermilk Lotion: (It is in all their other adult lotions as well.)
Filtered water, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, vegetable glycerin, stearic acid (vegetable fat), beeswax, fragrance, phenoxyethanol, glucose, orange wax, tocopheryl acetate & tocopherol (vitamin E), aloe barbadensis leaf juice, buttermilk powder, rosemary leaf oil, sodium borate (natural borax), xanthan gum (natural thickener), glucose oxidase & lactoperoxidase (natural enzymes), sucrose stearate (sugar emulsifier).

PHENOXYETHANOL (from http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2...ENT&id=1010691)
"evidence of reproductive or developmental toxin - thought to possible present risks to human reproduction and development, linked to potential for reduced fertility or reduced chance for a healthy, full-term pregnancy"

http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/002485.htm
Poisonous Ingredient:
Sodium borate

Where Found:
Antiseptics and astringents
Medicated powders
Skin lotions
Sodium borate is the main ingredient in boric acid

Poisoning may also occur in those who are repeatedly exposed to sodium borate. In the past, boric acid was used to disinfect and treat wounds. Patients who received such treatment over and over again got sick, and some died.
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/info...ates_borax.htm

Heres a quote:However, while boric acid has become one of the chemicals of choice for many urban pest control programs, it can be toxic. EPA considers boric acid as a moderately acutely toxic due to acute effects including oral and dermal toxicity, and eye and skin irritation

I know I saw information about the effects on the liver & kidneys. I wish I had saved the links. I'll try to find them again.

But if you scroll down to the bottom on the Skin-Deep website http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2...EDIENT&id=1382

it says "Not safe for use on infant skin according to industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR)".
Am I just over-reacting here?