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24 Uses for Borax

Borax, Homemade Candles

24 uses for borax? Okay, you’ve read the articles about germs and bacteria in your home, and how the chemicals in cleaning sprays can create chemical pollution, that just adds to the problem.

You’ve probably also heard that borax is a good cleaning agent for your home, but you’re wondering how in world do you use it to clean and what would you mix it with.

Well wonder no more… below is a list of 24 uses for borax, the Recipes for making each solution, and a brief history.

Borax has been around since 2000 BC where it was mined in the salt lakes of Kashmir and Tibet. It was used in pottery glazes, during the Middle Ages and later it was transported to Europe by the Arabs.

Borax was later discovered in 1881 by W.T. Coleman, in Death Valley, California. Mr. Coleman was a sales agent working for F. M. “Borax” Smith. Coleman promptly purchased that property and all the surrounding property, and began mining operations.

In 1890, Smith purchased Coleman’s borax operation and built Pacific Coast Borax Company. In 1886, this company merged with a chemical company in Great Britain and was then named Pacific Coast Borax and Redwood’s Chemical Works, Ltd.

In 1968, Pacific Coast Borax and Redwood’s Chemical Works, Ltd. was purchased by RZT Corporation, which is a company out of London. In 1998, the company was sold to Dial Corporation.

Now, below are the Recipes for your cleaning solutions.

Window Washing Solution:
½ cup of ammonia
1/4 cup borax
2 gallons of water

Clean windows with this solution and they will sparkle.

Garbage Disposal Deodorizer:
3 tablespoons of borax

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Leave borax in disposal for 15 minutes then turn disposal on and flush with water.

Make China Shine:
Full sink of warm water
½ cup of borax

Dip china in solution, rinse in clean water and dry.

Dishwasher Soap:
3 tablespoons of borax
3 tablespoons of washing soda

This can be used in your dishwasher when washing dishes.

Refrigerator Cleaning And Deodorizing:
1 tablespoon borax
1 quart warm water

Wash out refrigerator with solution, rinse and dry.

Laundry Detergent Booster:
½ cup borax

Add to each load of clothes you do. This will deodorize, remove stains, condition the water and boost the power of your detergent.

Making Homemade Candles:
3 tablespoons of borax
1 tablespoon of salt
1 cup of warm water

This is for your twine or wick. Put it in the solution for 24 hours. When it dries, it’s ready to be used in your homemade candle. This will get rid of the smoke and reduce the ash.

Baby Diapers:
1 cup of borax
1 pail of warm water

Clean off soiled diapers. Put them in the pail to soak for 30 minutes, then wash in warm water.

Baby Clothes and Bibs:
½ cup of borax

Mix in with your wash and warm water. Eliminates stains and odors.

Metal Coffee Pot Cleaner:
1 teaspoon of borax
1 teaspoon of detergent powder

Fill the coffee pot with water and mix in borax and detergent. Bring water to a boil, and let it stand for about 5 minutes – then rinse.

Cat Litter Deodorizer:
1 ½ cups of borax

Mix this with 5 pounds of cat litter to reduce odor.

Eliminate Urine Odors On Mattress:
2 tablespoons of borax
1 damp cloth

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Make sure the spot is dampen with water. Rub the borax into the spot. Once it’s dry, you can vacuum residue from mattress. This process neutralizes the odor.

Wash Water Softener:
1 tablespoon of borax per quart of water.

This will soften the water you wash your clothes in. You can also add it to your rinse cycle. Not only will it soften the water, it will also freshen your clothes.

Preserve Flowers:
1 part borax
2 parts cornmeal
1 airtight canister

Pour mixture in bottom of canister, about one inch. Put flower on this layer and cover with the rest of the mixture. Flowers with lots of petals, like roses should have the mixture poured directly
onto them before you put it in the container. This process eliminates all the moisture in the petals so they dry out, instead of wilting.

Clean Combs:
1/4 cup of borax
1 tablespoon dishwashing detergent

Mix in sink with warm water. Let you comb and hairbrush soak until clean. Then rinse and dry.

Eliminate Chocolate On Clothing:
1 tablespoon of borax
2 tablespoons of warm water

Make a paste and put mixture on chocolate. Work it in and let the item stand for 1 hour. Rinse with warm water, then wash as you usually do.

Eliminate Pet Urine Odor:
2 tablespoons of borax

Make sure to dampen the spot with water, then rub borax onto it. When it dries, vacuum clean. This will also eliminate any spilled sour milk odor.

Rust Stains In Bathtub:
borax
lemon juice

Make a paste and rub it on the rust stain.

Flame Retardant Children Clothing:
9 oz. of borax
4 oz. of boric acid
1 gallon water

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Rinse their clothes in this mixture after they have been washed. If you can’t wash them, then spray the solution on them. This mixture is not permanent, it will wash off, so re-apply after each wash or cleaning.

Floor and Wall Cleaner:
½ cup borax
½.

Carpet Stains:
½ cup of borax

Make sure to get as much of the spill up as you can. Rub borax onto the stain, let it dry, then vacuum it up.

Have Spot Free Dishes and Glasses:
1 tablespoon of borax

Just add this to your dishwasher when you wash the dishes and they will come out shining and spot free.

Porcelain and Aluminum Cookware Cleaner:
½ cup of borax

The amount of borax you use will depend on the amount of cookware you want to clean. Using a damp cloth, rub the borax directly onto the cookware, rinse and dry.

Delicate Washables:
1/4 cup of borax
2 tablespoons detergent

Fill the sink with warm water and let your delicates soak for about 15 fifteen minutes. Use cool water to rinse them, then either hang them on hangers to dry or lay flat on a drying board.

I’m sure there are more than 24 uses for borax, but this is just a few of them.