This post may contain affiliate links. These help support this website.

Borax is a unique, multi-use compound, so today I want to share with you all the unique ways to clean with borax you might not know about. PLUS the chemistry behind why it’s safe!

When Chemistry Hacks for Home and Outdoors was first published, I had a few customers show concern about borax. A few of our DIY recipes contain a little borax because I love the way it cleans. I was surprised to read some emails about borax because it has been used for decades, it is natural, and safe.

After doing a little investigating,  I have seen some very misleading information regarding borax. I thought I would clear that up today with a fun post, plus unique ways to clean with borax too.

Unique Ways to Clean with Borax

The Simple Chemistry Behind The Cleaning Power Of Borax

Once again, we have to turn to chemistry to clear up some information about a substance.

If you own the eBook, then you already have some knowledge about borax. Let’s dig deeper into it today.

When I learned about borax in college, we knew it as sodium tetraborate. Sodium tetraborate is a salt compound from boric acid, but it is NOT an acid. It is a salt that is found naturally in evaporation deposits of lakes. It is even mined here in the United States.

Chemistry wise, borax is alkaline and has a pH of about 9 which is the same as baking soda. Borax is a crystalline structure that dissolves well in water.

Due to the boron in borax, it is an excellent pH buffer which aides in cleaning and soap dispersion.

Unique Ways to Clean with Borax

Here are all my favorite and unique ways to use clean with borax. These are things I have personally used and tested for years, so I can honestly say they are tried and true.

Be sure to head to the bottom of our post to learn important tips and safety precautions to take with borax or any other natural cleaning agent.

Homemade Dishwasher Cleaner

If you want to clean your dishwasher quick and easy, borax is the answer! This is not necessarily a deep cleaning, but a good cleaning you can do every few months to remove odors and build up.

The higher alkalinity of borax helps it excel at breaking down grease, grime, and food particles. It also helps to remove stubborn residue from the dishwasher’s interior.

Here is what you need:

• 1/4 cup borax
• Your favorite dishwashing detergent
• Microfiber cloth

Directions:

1. First, remove the filter to your dishwasher, rinse it out, then set it back inside.
2. Next, sprinkle the borax all around the bottom of your dishwasher.
3. Add in your favorite dishwashing detergent, then run an empty cycle in your dishwasher.
4. Once the cycle has finished, open the door and wipe out any area of the dishwasher that has moisture or any gunk showing with the microfiber cloth.
5. Leave the dishwasher door open until everything inside is dry.

Here is the after picture! I keep the door open and allow everything to dry completely before shutting it. If you see anything that needs to be wiped out after running this homemade dishwashing cycle, you can do it at this time.

For a great DIY rinse aid for your dishwasher, be sure to check out this post.

Triple carpet neutralizing

Remember this carpet refresher recipe made with baking soda and tea bags? Add an equal part of borax to the solution to TRIPLE the odor neutralizing impact. Since borax is also a salt, but contains boron compounds, it will make those carpets smell even better.

Clean the garbage disposal

Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of borax in your garbage disposal. Let it sit about 30 minutes to soak up bad odors, grease, and other nasty things that are sitting around. Pour boiling water down the disposal while it runs for a few seconds. This really cleans it out plus helps kill odors!

Want it to smell even better? Use some of these tips to make it smell really fresh and lemony.

Clean vehicle upholstery

I prefer using borax for car cleaning because it is more powerful for stains that just baking soda.

Combine:

• 3 tablespoons dish soap
• 3 tablespoons borax
• 3 cups of boiling water (boiling water is best to dissolve borax)

Directions: Boil 3 cups of water, add in the soap and borax, stir well. Remove from the heat, allow to cool just slightly so you can still touch it. With a good scrubber, scrub the upholstery in your vehicle. Works great for floorboard too!

This is easy to remember (3 ingredients, 3, 3, and 3 of each substance!)

Make a powerful bathroom cleaner

One of the most popular cleaning recipes on Chemistry Cachet is this bathroom cleaner which uses borax. It works so great! If you have natural stone, just swap out the vinegar for lemon infused rubbing alcohol.

Steam Clean Carpets

Borax does an amazing job of pulling up dirt and debris with hot water in a steam cleaner.

Mix:

1/2 cup borax

1 gallon hot water

Add to your steam cleaner in place of the hot water/shampoo mix. This is great for odors too!

Soak up liquid stains

I have recently started doing this and WOW! It is amazing! If you have some pet stains or liquid that spills on the floor, sprinkle some borax on top. Then, you will want to let it soak up for awhile before wiping off. This works for carpets or hard surfaces. I have even done this with dog throw up!

Last, but not least….

Homemade Pine Sol® Cleaner

This is from the eBook and it uses borax for one of the components. It is my favorite floor cleaner!

So, Why Do People Think It’s Not Safe?

Many people believe that borax is boric acid, but it is not. Boric acid is highly acidic, so it is not the same thing at all.

Borax is a salt very similar to baking soda except it has boron compounds. There have been studies showing that borax can be a skin irritant or cause cancer, but these are not true. For the skin situation, anything alkaline can “irritate” skin if you use it all the time. But with borax, you always use a measuring spoon to mix with your cleaning supplies. Also, once it is mixed with a recipe or used for something, it combines with that substance to no longer be pure borax.

All the studies they show about cancer or fertility are based on rats who consume or ingest an incredibly large about of borax for an extended period of time…Well, you should never EAT borax anyways…none of these studies impact how borax is used to clean.

Borax is a safe cleaning agent, naturally derived from the earth, and aides in numerous cleaning techniques for around the home.

Cautions to Take with Borax

As with ANY salt (baking soda, table salt), be careful about dumping large amounts into a container and breathing in the dust. You should never do this, especially with any recipes we have on our website or book. This isn’t just with borax, always be cautious about dust from salts even flour too.

Keep in a sealed container away from children. Again, this is with ANY cleaning agent, even natural ones. Natural cleaning agents are safe to use around pets and children, but you don’t want them getting into the container.

Another important thing to remember is to not use it for skincare or topical use. It is really for cleaning only. When it comes to laundry, you only need a small amount. In our eBook, we use borax for a great stain treatment.

Remember, everyone can have a sensitivity to anything, even something basic like table salt. So, always test your skin first before touching! This is a good practice for any home product 🙂  Another good rule of thumb is to use gloves when you need to make cleaning solutions.

Oh yeah, don’t eat it! I don’t think you should eat any natural cleaning agent, they are meant for cleaning…Other than that, enjoy using it. It is cheap, has been used for decades, and can really do some neat things for your home.

I hope you enjoyed these unique ways to clean with borax, and it helps you around the home!

Follow on Facebook | Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Hometalk