Borax
Borax is a natural mineral compound discovered years and years ago. It is found deep underground; it is made up of whitish colored crystals and alkaline. It can clean and bleach by naturally converting some water molecules to hydrogen peroxide, which is further enhanced by using hot water. So, if you want to add more cleaning power to your regular laundry detergent add about ½ a cup of borax to each wash load.
As a bleach alternative, borax is great for aiding in the removal of stains and odors, without the harmful effects and unpleasant smell of chlorine bleach. Safe for all colors, it has the power to bleach, deodorize and disinfect. Speaking of disinfecting, for those moms who use cloth diapers - it works great in the diaper pail! After you flush out soiled diapers, soak them in the diaper pail filled with warm water and a ½ cup of borax.
Pest control? Yes, I have personally used borax to kill fleas instead of using harmful chemical products. This is done by sprinkling the borax on the carpets and letting it sit for a few hours, or overnight, then vacuuming. Just remember to keep pets and children off of the floors while doing this, because although it is not poisonous, it can make them sick if ingested.
Although borax is a natural compound, you should be aware that (like many things in life) too much of a good thing can be bad. In other words, it can be toxic in quantity. So caution should be followed when using it around the home. Borax should not be used around food or areas where pets or small children may come in contact with the substance.
Granny's homemade laundry detergent is made with Borax.
