Borax is a natural cleaning ingredient found in the laundry aisle. It is an excellent laundry booster, easily removing stains from colors and yellowing from whites. But did you know that it has many uses outside of the laundry room?
Using borax is budget-friendly. A little bit goes a long way and works extremely well to clean and disinfect. Check out these 7 borax hacks for creating a cleaner and healthier home.
1. Get rid of ants Probably one of the most common uses for borax is as a natural ant killer. The boric acid in the borax efficiently kills ants in a unique way. Unlike sprays that you must spray directly on the ants, when you mix borax with a sticky sugar substance, such as honey, the ants take it back to the colony. It then eliminates the entire colony, stopping the ants from their source.
2. Disinfect your floor If you have a little one crawling around or tossing toys and binkies in the floor, you may be concerned with germs. Yet, you don't want to use harsh chemicals. Borax is a natural cleaner and disinfectant. Mixing 1/4 cup borax to 1 gallon of hot water is a wonderful way to disinfect your floor. You can also use this solution on other hard surfaces around your home.
3. Homemade dishwasher tabs (h/t The Coupon Preppers)Dishwasher tabs are a great way to quickly get your dishwasher running without measuring or spills, but they can be expensive. Making your own is a fun and inexpensive solution. This recipe uses borax, washing soda, essential oils, vinegar, and salt. The result is a highly effective homemade dishwasher tab that is all natural.
4. Freshen your garbage disposal If your garbage disposal is getting a bit funky, you may be wondering how to get rid of the lingering odors. You don't want to stick your hand down there, after all! Three tablespoons of borax can help dissolve the gunk and buildup that creates bad odors. Just add it, let it soak for an hour, and then rinse well with warm water.
5. Disinfect air humidifierUsing a humidifier is a great way to keep everyone healthy during the winter months, but only if it is clean. Mold and mildew can easily grow in a humidifier, even with constant use. You can dissolve 1/2 cup borax in water to disinfect and clean an air humidifier. Be sure to rinse the humidifier well before using.
6. Grow your own crystals Water and borax is all you need to grow your own beautiful crystals. This is a popular science experiment for children, although it requires a bit of patience. The key is to properly mix the solution so that it is saturated correctly. You can grow crystals on almost anything, from pipe cleaners to seashells.
7. Hidden bug killer You don't have to be able to get to the bugs in your home to eliminate them with this smart trick. Mixing borax and powdered sugar is an effective bug killer. The sugar attracts bugs and the borax kills them. Putting it on a piece of paper allows you to see if it's been frequented by creepy crawlies.
Borax has many amazing uses. It's a cleaner, disinfectant, and so much more. Pick up a box and find out its amazing natural uses for your own home. Share these ideas with your friends and family on Facebook!
