We live in the country so pesky little critters are unavoidable. Seriously. Mice make me all creepy crawly and ants just drive me crazy!! Having kids and pets in the house make me and I’m sure – you – a little nervous about using chemicals that are poisonous to clean and problem solve (critters, being the problem). Borax is a natural product that most overlook. There are so many awesome uses for borax around the house and even topically! It IS safe to use on human skin.

Uses for Borax

Borax comes from California where one of the world’s largest deposits of boron was discovered in 1913.  What I like best about Borax is that it doesn’t cause cancer, accumulate in the body, or absorb through the skin.  On your box of borax you’ll see that it may be listed as “poison” on the box, however keep in mind that it’s only toxic at very, very high levels. (like baking soda for instance, and even water ) Borax is also considered “sustainable mining” so if you’re a “crunchy girl” you’ll be happy to know that it is mining from the earth in a safe and sustainable way. You can find Borax here on Amazon or at your local stores. A huge thanks to Family Frugal Fun for sharing this list with us!

Here are the top 25 uses for Borax:

1. It makes a terrific all-purpose cleaner for your home. Simply mix 2 tablespoons borax and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle.
2. Keep roaches, waterbugs, and ants away by sprinkling a combination of equal parts borax and sugar (yes, sugar…it attracts and the borax eliminates!)
3. Sprinkle borax on the floor along the wall and keep mice out of your house
4. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Get rid of them by sprinkling borax on your mattress,  let it sit for about 30 minutes then vacuum it up.
5. Kill fleas or dust mites by sprinkling borax on your carpet. Let it sit for an hour and vacuum thoroughly.
6. Clean mildew off your outdoor furniture by washing it with a spray bottle of: 1 teaspoon dish detergent, 1 teaspoon borax and 1 quart warm water.
7. For mattress stains and odors, mix 1 cup water and 1 cup borax (make a paste), apply to mattress stain and scrub. Allow to dry, vacuum (if necessary any dried paste) repeat if necessary (now you don’t have to worry about chemicals on your bed)
8. No more stinky disposal smell when you clean your garbage disposal by putting 3 tablespoons of borax down the drain. Let it sit for an hour and flush it with warm water to get rid of smelly bacteria growth.
9. Borax makes a great weed killer, too: Sprinkle a small amount of  borax where you’ve seen weeds previously appear (driveway cracks and  walkways, etc., not in the garden because it will kill your plants, too)
10. Scrub dirty pots and pans with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of borax and warm water. Because borax is non-abrasive, it will work on the laundry grime without damaging the surface material.
11. Add borax to each load of laundry and boost your cleaning power.
12. Make your Own Laundry Detergent – One 55 ounce box Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, One 76 ounce box of Borax, One Bar Castille Bar Soap (grate) Mix all of these ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket and enjoy huge savings, PLUS chemical free laundry! If you desire scent, simply add a few teaspoons of essential oil, such as lavender or peppermint oil.
13. If you use cloth diapers, Borax is great to use for soaking and washing dirty diapers.
14. Carpet stain remover or deodorizer – use 1/4 cup borax to 1 cup water. Mix and dissolve. Spray or pour directly on stain. Works well for indoor pet accidents.
15. Rust remover – Make a paste of borax and lemon juice and scrub the rust (use some elbow grease). Rinse and pat dry.
16. Clean Pet Carriers – make a solution of borax of 1 cup to 2.5 cups water. Allow to dissolve then spray and clean pet carriers chemical FREE.
17. Water spots on Dishes – 1 tablespoon of borax on in your dishwasher to help remove water spots
18. Add 1 cup borax to 2 cups water and use to clean out your trash cans
19. Toilet cleaner – Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup to your toilet bowl, scrub with your toilet brush and flush to rinse clean  – no chemicals, great when you have a septic system!
20. Candle Wicks –  Soak heavy twine in a solution of 1 tablespoon of table salt and 3 tablespoons of Borax in one cup of warm water, for at least 24 hours. Allow twine to thoroughly dry before using to make candles.
21. Want to save feathers from a special bird feather you found when on vacation or out in the woods? Collect the feathers in a bag and place 1 cup of borax in your bag with the feathers for 2 weeks to preserve the feathers.
22. Place flowers in borax to dry them, so you can save those special roses.
23. For a homemade ant bait, take one teaspoon of peanut butter and mix it with two teaspoons of borax. You can put this into a container with a lid. Like one of those containers they sell the sliced meat in at the deli. Punch several holes in the lid and place the trap close to where you’ve seen ants but where your animals and children can’t get to it.
24. Make an at-home acne remedy: 1 tsp. glycerine, 1/2 tsp. borax powder, 1 cup distilled water, 1/2 tsp. camphor lotion – make a paste, apply wherever you suffer from acne. Allow to dry like you would a face mask, then remove well with warm water. Take care to avoid areas around the eyes.
25. Got age spots? Get rid of them with this home remedy:  mix 1/4 cup borax with one half cup granulated sugar in a glass jar. Cover and let stand for 48 hours. Once a day, stir the mixture and use a Q-tip to apply mixture to age spots.

Here are some other posts that you might like. I love to find ways to use more natural and thrifty things…don’t you?!?!

20 uses for Almond Oil

20 uses for Peppermint Oil

Be sure to check out my other money saving ideas and thrifty household tips!