Again, if you are outside of the UK or EU then you can use borax to repel ants and other creatures. Simply mix borax and sugar in a 1:1 ratio, and then sprinkle to keep away ants, roaches, and waterbugs. Again, I’d avoid this if you have pets or small children. Deodorise Your Fridge With Borax Laundry detergent bought from the shops can contain a number of toxic ingredients, other than ‘fragrance’ and ‘optical brighteners’. It is advisable to wear protective gear when using this product and to keep it away from food and moisture. You should also keep borax powder away from children and pets. Since this substance has water within its crystal makeup (making it water-soluble) this means it can be mixed with cold water to form a paste.

The low down is this: borax alternative is a fantastic addition as a green cleaning ingredient at home. Homemade washing powder is always a great option and can save on chemical exposure, the environment, and money. Lemon oil is believed to be safe for aquatic life, but be careful with tea tree oil, as well as eucalyptus, which can be toxic. Fun fact: it has virtually the same cleaning properties as normal Borax as it has a very similar pH of around 9. This means it’s great for getting rid of stains, mildew and mould as well as general household cleaning in the kitchen and bathroom. Discover more cleaning benefits below: Is Borax Substitute safe? It is considered a product that is safe to use in a variety of applications – from use in cosmetics to cleaning your home and even in the food we eat. Don’t just take my word for it, let’s look at the evidence: Borax’s Historical Uses If adding essential oil, do so at the end. Pulse the processor a couple of times until it has been evenly distributed. All that’s left to do, is to pour the washing powder into a large enough container, where it will keep for up to six months.Thanks to its non-reactive nature, you can mix borax with many cleaning agents including chlorine bleach. This mixture produces an effective stain removal and disinfectant for domestic laundry purposes. It also has a base pH of 9.5, which allows for an even spread of cleaning agent molecules over the stained surface. On the industrial front, borax decahydrate is used as a preservative and in manufacturing insecticides and disinfectants. It is also used in slime making, as a fungicide and is inflammable. Its white crystalline powder has a melting point of 741℃ and dissolves in water to form hydrogen peroxide. What Is Borax Powder Used For?

This is also a great pest repellent instead of borax. A sprinkle of this natural compound near entryways, at places where ants gather, or on their nests is an excellent natural insecticide. Look for food grade DE, and keep it away from children and pets because it can be toxic if ingested. [3] Cornstarch Cut the soap bar into thin slices and place in the processor or grate, until it resembles fine crumbs (think crumbled feta). Soaking laundry items for a period of time to get rid of excess detergent, fabric softener, sweat and minerals are becoming really popular here in the UK. The softener part of this recipe is the salt and the baking soda, which are both natural softeners. There are tonnes of ways you can incorporate borax alternative into your cleaning routine to go greener at home.

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of studies looking at the toxic effects of laundry detergent. This is worrying because little is known of how these everyday chemicals may be affecting us. On the 18th of June 2010, borax was classified as a “substance of very high concern (SVHC)” by the European Chemicals Agency. This was prompted by studies that suggested the chemical may be toxic to reproductive health .