I’m the first to admit (and probably complain a little bit) that Borax can be hard to find sometimes. It’s supposed to be in the laundry soap aisle, near the stain removers. It must be pretty darn popular though because I can find it only about half the time.
It’s not surprising though, considering how many different uses there are for Borax, which is a simpler name for sodium borate. I remember looking for it one time in our local discount store and a man shopping in the same aisle tried to help me find it. It turns out, he works for the company that sells Borax for that store and even he was surprised at what I wanted to use the stuff for!
According to the side of the box, Borax is great for laundry stains and cleaning floors. I have two more useful purposes that aren’t on the box: flea control and static cling removal
Unwelcome guests-fleas
Fleas are one of the most unwelcome guests in a home. They get everywhere and create not only a nuisance, but a health hazard for man and beast. Did you know that if you get fleas in the house, Borax can help you get rid of them? Just sprinkle Borax over all your carpets and upholstery and let it sit for a week or two (yes, I know, it’s kind of a long time). Then vacuum it up and that should get rid of the fleas in the home. The Borax, unlike other flea killers, won’t hurt your pets at all. In fact, this remedy was a suggestion from our vet’s office!
Static cling be gone!
Besides being good at getting out stains, Borax is a great way to get rid of static cling in your clothes. I used it a lot this winter as my clothes had a lot of static that was being transferred to my hair. I have an allergic-type reaction to any kind of fabric softener so this approach was a god send!
All you have to do is put about 1/4 cup of Borax in with your wash and then dry as normal. I have to admit, though, I don’t measure!
What other “alternative uses” do you know for common household products?
Thanks for the tip. I didn’t know Borax fought static cling.
Dish soap takes oil based paints and other greasy stains out of clothes and other fabrics as long as you work on removing them right away. (Dawn takes grease out of your way takes on new meaning.)
Peroxide removes blood stains on fabrics better than bleach.
And a 50 pound bag of wood pellets (the kind for a pellet stove) only costs about $4.50-5.00 but works well for kitty litter… and has the added benefit of being biodegradable. (It sounds crazy, but if there is a place you want no vegetation-no grass or weeds or any other plants, try removing any solid waste and mix some that’s been used into your mulch instead of using herbicides, too. Safer for the environment, people, and pets. It’s odorless to humans after a minute or two. And it seems to be at least as effective and longer lasting where I’ve used it.)
Have you tried apple cider vinegar rinse on your pet? It works for my pet.