Does anyone here use borax?

al_fazer

It's also used as flux when brazing. (Using brass to join two steel parts together using heat.) The borax keeps the joint clean and helps the molten brass to flow.

You can get it in good engineering supply shops, common brand is Murex, but it's probably cheaper if bought as a laundry product.

Al

culpepper

You can buy it in boots.Its with water softeners.

Queenie

2Tbsp in boiling water helps remove the stains from the inside of aluminium teapots

Austin_Allegro

I tried buying this in Boots. The assistant had never heard of it. When she asked what it was used for, I said 'cleaning' and she tried to flog me a bottle of surgical spirit!

It's probably more common in the US because it's mined there. I visited a disused borax mine in Death Valley, California, and the stuff was everywhere.

MATH

Austin, even the larger Boots stores don't seem to stock it anymore. Your local chemist will order it in for you but it is more expensive than regular cleaning products to purchase it this way. Dirt cheap and available in every grocery store in the US. My sis picks up a 1kg box for a few cents.

Queenie

Austin, try a *proper* Chemists or even your local hardware shop.

Sometimes, you'll be fobbed off with: "Don't sell that, no demand for it" ... to which my dh always replies: "Of course there's a demand for it, *I've* just asked!"

What, specifically, did you want to use it for? Soda Crystals are equally good in some instances, but not in all cases.

lejt

I bought a 750g box in Boots yesterday for less than £2.00. That's Boots in Harrogate, which is a large-ish store, but not huge. Was with their sensitive laundry products.

HTH

Queenie

I get mine from a small Boots (It's Boots own and very plain packaging with BORAX written in big letters )

If you still can't get hold of it, "Dri-Pak"™ make it and you can download an order form from their website (also sell Soda Crystals, 350g pks of bicarbonate of soda and other cheapo but good old fashioned stuff) http://www.dri-pak.co.uk/mailorder.html

The only drawback is, they come in packs of 6 - so be prepared to bulk buy - but hey, it's an investment if you plan going that route with your cleaning products and it *is* money saving in the long run (If you're still not sure how to use it, when you are at the website, look at the left hand navigation bar and it will give you cleaning tips/ideas/uses HTH

Pink.

I buy borax in my local (smallish) boots store. Think it's £2.10 for 750g.

I use it for removing persistant stains.........soak item in your usual detergent, then remove and add borax directly onto the stain while the item is still wet. Leave for about half an hour then wash as you usually would. It nearly always removes the stain.

It's also brilliant at removing build up of of hair products.......just mix some with your shampoo and wash as usual.......hair literally feels squeaky clean.

According to the packaging of the brand I used to buy (no longer available) Borax will not harm anything that will not be damaged by water.

I love this stuff.

Pink

trace-j

I saw Kim and Aggie use borax in a toilet! Made a paste using Borax, Bicarb and lemon juice and slapped it around the pan whilst donning a pair of rubber gloves.