What do I do / what can I do with two cups of Borax?
May 15, 2017 4:23 AM Subscribe
I obsessively use everything to the last drop. What can I do with two cups of borax? I had the idea of making laundry detergent, and I have one other ingredient, bar soap, but I don’t want to spend money to buy the remaining ingredient, washing soda. Can I still make laundry detergent?
I have two cups of borax that I used to use as a laundry add-on in my last apartment. I can’t use them for laundry in my current apartment because the washers here don’t do a good job of absorbing the powder.
I had the idea to use the borax to make liquid laundry detergent since I’m running out of laundry detergent and this would be a good way to use up the borax before I move apartments again next year (and not have to buy any more detergent).
The problem is I don’t have washing soda that I need to make the laundry detergent. I don’t want to buy washing soda. I have baking soda though. Can I still make laundry detergent?
As a last resort, I suppose I could do this.
Or do you have any other ideas for the borax? Can I add it to what commercial laundry detergent I have remaining as an extender? How would you recommend I do that?
I don’t need borax to clean other things. I have enough kitchen and bathroom scrubbers I’m trying to use up. Thanks!
I have two cups of borax that I used to use as a laundry add-on in my last apartment. I can’t use them for laundry in my current apartment because the washers here don’t do a good job of absorbing the powder.
I had the idea to use the borax to make liquid laundry detergent since I’m running out of laundry detergent and this would be a good way to use up the borax before I move apartments again next year (and not have to buy any more detergent).
The problem is I don’t have washing soda that I need to make the laundry detergent. I don’t want to buy washing soda. I have baking soda though. Can I still make laundry detergent?
As a last resort, I suppose I could do this.
Or do you have any other ideas for the borax? Can I add it to what commercial laundry detergent I have remaining as an extender? How would you recommend I do that?
I don’t need borax to clean other things. I have enough kitchen and bathroom scrubbers I’m trying to use up. Thanks!
If you have a problem with ants, borax makes a very effective ant killer (mix a bit with some jelly/jam and place it where ants can find it but other animals can't).
posted by pipeski at 4:50 AM on May 15, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 4:50 AM on May 15, 2017 [3 favorites]
This is the kind of thing that Pinterest users love to pin. A quick search there for “Borax uses” turns up a bevy of DIY ideas for cleaning solutions and fun-things-for-kids .
posted by D.Billy at 4:56 AM on May 15, 2017
posted by D.Billy at 4:56 AM on May 15, 2017
I have baking soda though
To answer the actual question, yes you can make washing soda from baking soda; it just needs to be heated. Then you can make laundry detergent. Yay.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:02 AM on May 15, 2017 [3 favorites]
To answer the actual question, yes you can make washing soda from baking soda; it just needs to be heated. Then you can make laundry detergent. Yay.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:02 AM on May 15, 2017 [3 favorites]
You can try making these beautiful crystallized books with borax.
posted by dysh at 5:05 AM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by dysh at 5:05 AM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
There are lots of crafty uses of Borax, such as the aforementioned slime and crystallized things, but if you don't want to bother with crafts, Borax is good at brightening light clothes. Just put a half-cup in the bottom of your clothes washer the next four times you do a load of lights, and then use your normal detergent.
Other uses for Borax. The thrifty mom blogs are kind of obsessed with Borax, which they see as a more-environmentally-friendly alternative to chlorine bleach, so you should definitely be able to find stuff on Pinterest.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:20 AM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
Other uses for Borax. The thrifty mom blogs are kind of obsessed with Borax, which they see as a more-environmentally-friendly alternative to chlorine bleach, so you should definitely be able to find stuff on Pinterest.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:20 AM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
The slime is also useful for cleaning crevices. It's the same as the slime product sold to clean out keyboards.
I use Borax as a pre-soak for laundry for stains (in a tub, outside the washer itself) and as a carpet spot cleaner (wet spot, cover it with Borax, scrub at it, let it dry, vac up the Borax.) You can use it anywhere you need a scrubbing powder, so, tubs, tile, sinks, etc.
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:34 AM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
I use Borax as a pre-soak for laundry for stains (in a tub, outside the washer itself) and as a carpet spot cleaner (wet spot, cover it with Borax, scrub at it, let it dry, vac up the Borax.) You can use it anywhere you need a scrubbing powder, so, tubs, tile, sinks, etc.
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:34 AM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You could dissolve the borax the same way you would to make detergent, and then use it as a liquid laundry booster without in-washer dissolving issues.
posted by metasarah at 5:51 AM on May 15, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by metasarah at 5:51 AM on May 15, 2017 [9 favorites]
You can pre dissolve the borax into water before using it in you washing machine. Borax really needs nice warm water to hot water to dissolve properly so this new machine might just run cooler, or mix it with hot tap water. You can let it sit before use to cool, but if it can sperate of left too long. The watery mix also makes a good cleaning solution. Half a cup to a gallon of water is the ratio I use, as per the big. It can be used to clean dishes, add it to you dish washer to boost cleaning, clean lawn furniture. Test an area before use etc.
posted by wwax at 5:55 AM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by wwax at 5:55 AM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yup, you can make washing soda out of baking soda. Or use the borax to clean your toilet.
posted by kjs4 at 5:56 AM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by kjs4 at 5:56 AM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
As mentioned borax is good along bases boards to combat insects/cockroaches but not good for pets so don't do this if you have cats or dogs
posted by raccoon409 at 6:23 AM on May 15, 2017
posted by raccoon409 at 6:23 AM on May 15, 2017
Well, borax for insect control is a more finely ground powder than borax for laundry. I don't know if it would be ineffective, but the idea is, it adheres to the vermin and they carry it back to the nest.
posted by thelonius at 6:46 AM on May 15, 2017
posted by thelonius at 6:46 AM on May 15, 2017
Be careful making slime with Borax. There was a recent incident here in Massachusetts of a little girl who received serious burns from playing with homemade slime that had Borax in it.
posted by briank at 7:11 AM on May 15, 2017
posted by briank at 7:11 AM on May 15, 2017
Any young (8-15ish) people in your life? Slime made with Borax and glue is in.
As someone with an entire box of borax bought to make slime with, using it a teaspoon at a time to a bottle of glue is a slow way to use up your borax. And rather expensive on the glue front.
posted by leahwrenn at 9:16 AM on May 15, 2017
As someone with an entire box of borax bought to make slime with, using it a teaspoon at a time to a bottle of glue is a slow way to use up your borax. And rather expensive on the glue front.
posted by leahwrenn at 9:16 AM on May 15, 2017
You could make fish bait, if you happen to have some salmon roe laying around.
posted by humboldt32 at 9:18 AM on May 15, 2017
posted by humboldt32 at 9:18 AM on May 15, 2017
I don't think anyone mentioned this, but you can put some in your toilet tank. It will clean the tank, and when you flush, help clean the bowl. For that matter, you can sprinkle some in the bowl itself to clean between flushes.
posted by zorseshoes at 11:33 AM on May 15, 2017
posted by zorseshoes at 11:33 AM on May 15, 2017
Throw it away. Honestly. It is now classed as a reproductive toxin by reputable groups (e.g. the EU) and certainly don't give it to children. Yes, many people use borax for many things but times (and evidence) change.
posted by firesine at 4:22 PM on May 15, 2017
posted by firesine at 4:22 PM on May 15, 2017
It is now classed as a reproductive toxin by reputable groups (e.g. the EU) and certainly don't give it to children. Yes, many people use borax for many things but times (and evidence) change.
It is classified as a reproductive toxicant, but in that same document is also states that it is allowed to be in talc up to 5% by mass and even in oral hygiene products (up to 0.1% by mass). It is also allowed to be in hair waving products up to 8% by mass and in bath products up to 18% by mass. Also from the EU they state that no dermal absorption has been seen and that the NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) has been determined at 17.5 mg/kg meaning that an average man can "safely" consume 1.2 g of boron per day.
My take home assessment (IAAC IANYC) would be that using borax as per normal use should pose little to no risk to a human. Eating and inhaling borax should be avoided. I wold gladly make slime and give to to age appropriate children, provided they were old enough to not eat it. Even for a child to get to a harmful amount of borax ingested would require eating a significant amount of slime, easily a few mouthfuls. (Unfortunately the don't give molar concentrations on the science page linked above)
posted by koolkat at 7:30 AM on May 16, 2017
It is classified as a reproductive toxicant, but in that same document is also states that it is allowed to be in talc up to 5% by mass and even in oral hygiene products (up to 0.1% by mass). It is also allowed to be in hair waving products up to 8% by mass and in bath products up to 18% by mass. Also from the EU they state that no dermal absorption has been seen and that the NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) has been determined at 17.5 mg/kg meaning that an average man can "safely" consume 1.2 g of boron per day.
My take home assessment (IAAC IANYC) would be that using borax as per normal use should pose little to no risk to a human. Eating and inhaling borax should be avoided. I wold gladly make slime and give to to age appropriate children, provided they were old enough to not eat it. Even for a child to get to a harmful amount of borax ingested would require eating a significant amount of slime, easily a few mouthfuls. (Unfortunately the don't give molar concentrations on the science page linked above)
posted by koolkat at 7:30 AM on May 16, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hawthorne at 4:47 AM on May 15, 2017 [5 favorites]