Borax, also known as sodium borate, is a versatile mineral that has been used for centuries for various household and gardening purposes. From cleaning and disinfecting to pest control and gardening, borax offers a wide range of applications that can help make your home and yard tasks easier and more efficient. Here are 101 ways to use borax around your home and yard:
- All-purpose cleaner: Create a simple cleaning solution by mixing borax with water and use it to clean countertops, sinks, and other surfaces.
- Carpet stain remover: Remove tough stains from your carpets by making a paste of borax and water, applying it to the stained area, and letting it sit before rinsing.
- Laundry booster: Add a ½ cup of borax to your laundry to boost the cleaning power of your detergent and brighten your clothes.
- Toilet cleaner: Sprinkle borax in the toilet bowl, let it sit for a while, scrub with a brush, and flush for a sparkling clean toilet.
- Dishwasher booster: Add a tablespoon of borax to your dishwasher along with the detergent to help remove tough stains and residue.
- Window cleaner: Mix borax with water and vinegar for an effective homemade window cleaner that leaves your windows streak-free.
- Grout cleaner: Create a paste using borax and water, apply it to the grout lines, scrub, and rinse for clean and bright grout.
- Oven cleaner: Make a paste of borax and water, apply it to the inside of your oven, let it sit for a few hours, and then scrub away the grime.
- Silver polish: Mix borax with water to form a paste and use it to polish your silverware and remove tarnish.
- Rust remover: Combine borax with lemon juice or vinegar to create a paste and apply it to rusted surfaces. Let it sit for a while before scrubbing away the rust.
- Grease remover: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to remove grease stains from your clothes or surfaces.
- Deodorizer: Place an open container of borax in your refrigerator, closets, or shoes to absorb unpleasant odors.
- Mattress freshener: Sprinkle borax on your mattress, let it sit for a few hours, and vacuum it up to freshen and deodorize it.
- Tile cleaner: Mix borax with water and use it to clean tiles and remove soap scum.
- Wallpaper remover: Dissolve borax in warm water and use it to remove wallpaper by spraying or applying with a sponge.
- Ant killer: Create a solution of borax and sugar and place it in areas where you have ant problems. The ants will be attracted to the sugar and take the borax back to their colony, effectively eliminating them.
- Flea repellent: Sprinkle borax on your carpets, let it sit for a few hours, and vacuum it up to repel fleas.
- Weed killer: Sprinkle borax around weeds or unwanted plants in your yard to inhibit their growth.
- Garden pest control: Mix borax with sugar and water to create a solution that can be sprayed on plants to deter pests like aphids and ants.
- Slug repellent: Create a barrier around plants with a sprinkle of borax to keep slugs away.
- Lawn care: Use a spreader to apply borax to your lawn to promote healthy grass growth.
- Flower preservation: Dip fresh-cut flowers in a mixture of borax and cornmeal to dry and preserve them.
- Fireproofing wood: Soak wood in a borax solution to make it more fire-resistant.
- Wood preservative: Treat wooden furniture or structures with a borax solution to prevent rot and insect damage.
- Pet bedding cleaner: Sprinkle borax on pet bedding, let it sit for a while, and then vacuum it up to freshen and clean.
- Mold and mildew remover: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to scrub away mold and mildew in bathrooms or other damp areas.
- Drain cleaner: Pour a mixture of borax and boiling water down clogged drains to help dissolve blockages.
- Air freshener: Mix borax with your favorite essential oils and place it in a bowl to naturally freshen the air in your home.
- Jewelry cleaner: Soak your jewelry in a solution of warm water and borax to remove dirt and restore shine.
- Tile grout sealer: Apply a borax and water mixture to tile grout lines to seal and protect them.
- BBQ grill cleaner: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to scrub away grease and residue on your grill grates.
- Shoe deodorizer: Sprinkle borax inside shoes to eliminate odors and keep them smelling fresh.
- Rust prevention: Apply a thin coat of borax mixed with water to metal surfaces to help prevent rust.
- Stain remover: Create a paste using borax and water and use it to remove stubborn stains from clothing or upholstery.
- Dishwashing liquid booster: Add a teaspoon of borax to your dishwashing liquid to enhance its cleaning power.
- Pool cleaning: Use borax to balance the pH levels in your pool and keep the water clean.
- Tile floor cleaner: Mix borax with warm water and use it to mop tile floors for a deep clean.
- BBQ utensil cleaner: Soak your BBQ utensils in a solution of borax and warm water to remove grease and grime.
- Concrete cleaner: Sprinkle borax on oil or grease stains on concrete surfaces, let it sit, and then scrub away the stains.
- Garden tool cleaner: Create a borax and water solution to clean and disinfect your garden tools.
- Laundry stain pre-treatment: Make a paste of borax and water and apply it to tough stains on your clothes before washing.
- Tile and grout whitener: Scrub tile and grout lines with a mixture of borax and lemon juice to whiten and brighten them.
- Showerhead cleaner: Remove mineral deposits from your showerhead by soaking it in a solution of borax and vinegar.
- Gutter cleaner: Sprinkle borax on your gutters and scrub with a brush to remove dirt and debris.
- Fireplace cleaner: Create a paste of borax and water and use it to scrub away soot and residue from your fireplace.
- Cutting board cleaner: Sprinkle borax on cutting boards, scrub, and rinse to disinfect and remove odors.
- Coffee maker cleaner: Run a solution of borax and water through your coffee maker to remove mineral deposits and keep it clean.
- Toy cleaner: Mix borax with warm water and use it to clean and sanitize children’s toys.
- Wallpaper adhesive remover: Dissolve borax in warm water and use it to remove residual wallpaper adhesive from walls.
- Metal polish: Make a paste of borax and lemon juice and use it to polish metal surfaces and remove tarnish.
- Copper cleaner: Create a mixture of borax, lemon juice, and salt to clean and restore the shine of copper items.
- Dish sponge cleaner: Soak dish sponges in a solution of borax and water to remove bacteria and odors.
- Sports gear deodorizer: Sprinkle borax inside sports equipment like shoes, helmets, and bags to eliminate odors.
- Soap scum remover: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to scrub away soap scum from showers and bathtubs.
- Air conditioner cleaner: Add borax to warm water and use it to clean the filters and coils of your air conditioner.
- Rusty tool restorer: Soak rusty tools in a solution of borax and warm water to remove rust and restore their functionality.
- Bath toy cleaner: Soak bath toys in a solution of borax and water to clean and disinfect them.
- Leather cleaner: Create a paste of borax and water and use it to clean and remove stains from leather surfaces.
- RV or camper deodorizer: Place open containers of borax in your RV or camper to absorb odors and keep it fresh.
- Wallpaper primer: Mix borax with warm water and use it as a primer before applying wallpaper to help it adhere better.
- Stainless steel cleaner: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to clean and polish stainless steel appliances.
- Bird feeder cleaner: Soak bird feeders in a solution of borax and warm water to remove mold and bacteria.
- Potty training aid: Sprinkle borax in the bottom of potty training toilets to help neutralize odors.
- Ice melt enhancer: Add borax to salt or ice melt products to make them more effective at melting ice and snow.
- Porcelain sink cleaner: Create a borax and water paste and use it to scrub and clean porcelain sinks.
- Mattress stain remover: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to remove stains from mattresses before cleaning.
- Garage floor cleaner: Sprinkle borax on oil and grease stains on your garage floor, let it sit, and then scrub away the stains.
- Shoe stain remover: Create a paste using borax and water and use it to remove stains from shoes before cleaning.
- Wicker furniture cleaner: Mix borax with warm water and use it to clean and refresh wicker furniture.
- Clogged showerhead fixer: Soak a clogged showerhead in a solution of borax and vinegar to remove mineral deposits and improve water flow.
- Vacuum cleaner deodorizer: Sprinkle borax on your carpet before vacuuming to freshen your vacuum cleaner and eliminate odors.
- Plastic container stain remover: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to remove stubborn stains from plastic food containers.
- Dryer sheet alternative: Soak a cloth in a solution of borax and water, let it dry, and use it as a reusable dryer sheet.
- Grill grate cleaner: Scrub grill grates with a mixture of borax and warm water to remove grease and grime.
- Tile adhesive remover: Dissolve borax in warm water and use it to remove tile adhesive from walls or floors.
- Wallpaper stain remover: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to remove stains from wallpaper.
- Jewelry tarnish prevention: Store your jewelry with a small sachet of borax to help prevent tarnishing.
- Silverware cleaner: Create a borax and water solution and soak your silverware in it to remove tarnish and restore shine.
- Plastic outdoor furniture cleaner: Mix borax with warm water and use it to clean and refresh plastic outdoor furniture.
- Computer keyboard cleaner: Dip a cloth in a solution of borax and warm water and use it to clean your computer keyboard.
- Trash can deodorizer: Sprinkle borax in the bottom of your trash cans to absorb odors.
- Wallpaper stain preventer: Apply a thin coat of borax and water mixture to walls before hanging wallpaper to prevent stains from bleeding through.
- Battery terminal cleaner: Mix borax with warm water and use it to clean corrosion from battery terminals.
- Porch light cleaner: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to clean porch lights and remove dirt and grime.
- Plastic toy cleaner: Soak plastic toys in a solution of borax and warm water to clean and disinfect them.
- Coffee stain remover: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to remove stubborn coffee stains from mugs and cups.
- Drain deodorizer: Pour a mixture of borax and hot water down your drains to eliminate odors.
- Fish tank cleaner: Rinse fish tanks with a solution of borax and water to remove algae and mineral deposits.
- Deck cleaner: Mix borax with warm water and use it to clean and refresh your deck or patio.
- Clothing freshener: Add a small amount of borax to your closet or dresser drawers to keep clothes smelling fresh.
- Hairbrush cleaner: Soak hairbrushes in a solution of borax and warm water to remove hair oils and residue.
- Car upholstery stain remover: Make a paste using borax and water and use it to remove stains from car upholstery.
- Bird bath cleaner: Scrub bird baths with a mixture of borax and warm water to remove algae and dirt.
- Squeaky floor fixer: Sprinkle borax on squeaky floorboards, let it settle, and then sweep it into the cracks to reduce friction and silence the squeaks.
- Grill rust preventer: Apply a thin coat of borax mixed with water to your grill grates to help prevent rust.
- Carpet deodorizer: Sprinkle borax on your carpets, let it sit for a while, and then vacuum it up to eliminate odors.
- Wallpaper mildew preventer: Apply a borax and water mixture to walls before hanging wallpaper to prevent mildew growth.
- Bathroom faucet cleaner: Make a paste of borax and water and use it to scrub and clean bathroom faucets.
- Sneaker cleaner: Create a paste using borax and water and use it to remove stains from sneakers before washing.
- Tile adhesive enhancer: Mix borax with tile adhesive to improve its bonding strength.
- Pet hair remover: Dampen a cloth with a solution of borax and water and use it to remove pet hair from furniture and upholstery.
These 101 uses for borax demonstrate its versatility and effectiveness in various household and gardening tasks. However, it’s important to note that borax should be used with caution, following safety guidelines and keeping it out of reach of children and pets. Always read and follow the instructions on the borax packaging and consult professional advice when needed.
