Brilliant Ways You Should Start Using Borax In The Bathroom

If you're like many, you might have a box of borax sitting in your laundry room. As a laundry booster, it can help ensure that the detergent you use is able to effectively clean your clothing. Borax can also help remove yellow stains. Many people assume that since borax is typically sold alongside detergents in grocery store aisles that its usefulness ends in the laundry.

However, this simply isn't the case. In addition to being a household staple that can help you clean your stovetop and laundry, its powers also extend to the bathroom. Borax is brilliant for cleaning a variety of surfaces easily and effectively. Whether you're looking for streak-free mirrors, need to get rid of mold that is growing in your tub or shower, or have a clogged drain, you may want to bring borax into the mix. Borax is deemed comparatively safe (with the right precautions) and is even septic tank friendly, provided it's not used in excessive amounts. That said, borax is a strong alkali and should never be ingested (this can be lethal). Always use it in a well ventilated area, do not inhale the dust, wear gloves when handling it, and protect your skin from contact.

If you have mold or mildew growing in your shower or bathtub, borax can be an effective way to inhibit its growth. To understand why borax ranks as one of the ways to clean mold, we need to take a step back and examine the conditions in which the spores grow best. You probably already know that mold thrives in moist environments. But, did you know that mold also grows better with slightly acidic conditions? Borax is alkaline, and can have a pH of more than 9. Applying it to moldy areas in your shower can create conditions that are unfavorable for the spores to grow. 

To use borax to kill mold, make a cleaning solution. Add 1 gallon of water to a bucket and then pour in 1 cup of borax. Mix the two ingredients together. Dip a scrub brush in the solution, and use it to scrub the shower or bathtub walls or floor. You could also add the cleaner to a spray bottle and apply it to the affected areas. If the mold does not come off on the first attempt, spray the area and let it sit for while before returning to scrub everything clean and rinse away any gunk that has been loosened by scrubbing.

As a pretty potent alkali, borax can help lift certain types of toilet bowl stains and assist in neutralizing toilet odors. Both urine and fecal matter are on the slightly acid side of the scale, and when an alkaline cleaner meets with odor-causing molecules that are acidic, a neutralizing reaction (technically termed a double displacement redox reaction) occurs whereby ions in the two substances exchange places. 

Speaking of neutralizing reactions — while some sources recommend combining borax and vinegar when cleaning toilet bowels, this doesn't seem like a sound practice from a chemistry standpoint. As we just outlined, acids and bases neutralize each other, and mixing borax with vinegar or lemon juice is likely to just create a weaker acid or base. If you have any hard water stains in your toilet, vinegar will probably be better for getting rid of these than borax, but we'd recommend using one substance and then following up with the other so you can reap the full strength of their pH-based cleaning powers.

For maximum stain lifting, you're going to want to let the borax sit undisturbed for a few hours. An easy way to do this is to apply it before heading to bed. Add anywhere from ¼ to 1 cup of borax to the toilet and use your toilet brush to spread it around the bowl. Next morning give the bowl a scrub and flush. You can also try creating a paste with borax and and applying it directly to the stained area. If the stains are below the water line, cut off the water supply to the toilet, and flush it to empty the bowl of water. To remove hard water stains, go back in with an acidic substance, such as vinegar or lemon juice. 

Bathroom countertops are another surface that require a lot of attention. If you don't keep up with cleaning them, they can get grimy and dirty pretty quickly. Fortunately, you can tackle this problem with some borax and warm water. The combination creates an all-purpose, non-abrasive cleaner. The reason this cleaner works well on countertops also relates to borax's higher pH. As a base, it an cut through oils, grease, and other organic substances that may be on your on your vanity. Before we get into the steps of making and using this cleaning spray, it's important to note that while it is versatile, you shouldn't use it on all materials. The high pH means that borax isn't safe to use granite countertops or other natural stone surfaces like marble or quartz as it can potentially dull their finish.

If you don't have a stone countertop in your bathroom, then you should be cleared to start cleaning. Mix a mild borax spray or create a paste using borax and a little bit of water. Apply the cleaning solution to your countertops — or to a microfiber towel, such as the HOMEXCEL Microfiber Cleaning Cloth — and wipe down the surface.

Rust stains in a bathroom can be a real eyesore. They can make a clean bathroom appear dirty, so finding an effective way to remove them is likely high on your priority list. Before exploring why borax can help you get rid of these stains, let's step back for just a second and discuss what is causing them in the first place. Rust stains in a tub, sink, or toilet are caused by iron, which is present in many water systems. When iron interacts with oxygen, rust is formed. So what does borax bring to the table when it comes to rust stain removal? When highly alkaline substances come into contact with the rust, a chemical reaction occurs which works to dissolve the iron oxide. 

You'll want to make a paste using borax, apply it to the stained areas, and leave it for about an hour, or until fully dry. Return to scrub the area before rinsing everything down the drain. If the rust is on a shower head or sink faucet, you can also test out using borax to help get rid of it. Simply apply the paste to the affected area and then wrap a bag around the faucet or shower head. Doing so will help prevent the paste from dropping off and allow it to interact with the rust to dissolve it. In addition to helping remove rust in the bathroom, borax can also work as a secret weapon to combat rust on metal tools. As with toilet cleaning, some recipes advise adding vinegar to the paste. While you can try this method, given that the two substances probably cancel each other other out, we'd recommend using them separately for rust stain removal.

In much the same way that borax can help you clean some types of bathroom countertops, it can also be handy when cleaning the sink or bathtub. Borax's high pH will help remove the organic substances that are making these surfaces dirty. So, any greasy or oily scum buildup that is inside of your sink or tub should be no match for a little borax.

There are a few different recipes you can try to make your own borax tub and sink cleaner. The first needs only two ingredients: borax and water. Combine ½ cup borax and 1½ cups warm water in a spray bottle, apply it to the dirty surfaces, and gently scrub the surface before rinsing. Alternatively, you can make a paste by using some borax and dish soap (about ¼ cup borax and a few squirts of soap to form a creamy paste). Apply the paste to the sink and tub, and let it sit before scrubbing and rinsing. If desired, you can also add about ½ teaspoon lemon essential oil to give your bathroom a fresh and clean scent.

Did you know that you can also use borax as a glass and window cleaner? Once again, its higher pH comes into play. As an alkaline substance, the borax will work to remove organic substances, such as grease and dirt from your windows, mirrors, glass shower doors, and more.

When you're ready to clean your windows or glass surfaces in the bathroom, you can use that same general cleaning solution with borax and water mentioned above (½ cup borax with 1 ½ cups warm water). Spray the solution onto any glass surfaces you need to clean, and wipe them dry with a lint-free towel. For best results, remember that it is better to clean windows when the sun is not out. If the sun is beating down on the windows, it can cause them to dry too quickly, leaving behind unsightly streaks.

If your bathroom trash can is a source of unpleasant smells, let the odor-eliminating powers of borax lend a hand. Molds are one source of these odors, and as mentioned above, the spores grow best in acidic conditions. Sprinkling borax can help alkalize the environment and prevent mold and other bacteria from growing. Its high pH can also neutralize acidic trash can odors.

Begin by giving your trash can a thorough cleaning — borax mixed with some warm water, as highlighted above, can help with this too. After cleaning the trash can and rinsing it out, let it dry fully before sprinkling some borax on the bottom. Return the trash bag and enjoy your fresh-smelling bathroom. There is one safety note to share for this tip. Borax is not safe to inhale or ingest. Make sure to only sprinkle the borax inside the trash can where it will remain covered by the trash bag or consider one of the other ways to deodorize a trash can and get rid of any smelly odors if you're worried that your children or pets may come into contact with the powder.

Clogged bathroom shower, tub, or sink drains are often caused by accumulated hair, soap scum, and personal care products. The next time you're dealing with this frustrating occurrence, reach for that box of borax. The reason borax can work as an effective drain cleaner once again ties back to its higher pH. Most bathroom drain clogs are the result of organic substances, which can be broken down by a base like borax.

This cleaning hack is pretty simple to execute. Bring two cups of water to a boil on the stove. As the water is coming to a boil, pour roughly ½ cup borax into the drain. Then, slowly pour the boiling water down the drain. The two should work together to release the clog you are dealing with. If the drain doesn't fully clear after the first attempt, repeat a second time to let the borax continue to break down the organic material that is causing the clog.

After frequent washes, there is sometimes a build-up of detergent, fabric softener, hard water, oil, and other substances left behind on our towels and linens. A regular wash cycle isn't always sufficient to get these off of our items. This can negatively impact the texture and absorbency of your towels. If you've noticed such a change, it might be time to consider stripping your towels. Stripping is a process that's designed to get rid of the excess build-up on towels and other laundry items. And, one of the key ingredients that you'll need is borax. When combined with washing soda, sodium citrate, and powdered laundry detergent, the ingredients work together to lift the build-up off of your laundry.

You need a large tub or basin to effectively strip your laundry, which is why many people use their bathtub. Start by adding the towels to the tub and filling it with very hot water, then add the borax, washing soda, sodium citrate, and powdered detergent. You'll need ¼ cup of the first three ingredients and one scoop of the detergent. Mix everything together well, and let them soak for about six hours, periodically returning to stir the solution.

While stripping your laundry can be effective, to avoid causing damage to your towels, it shouldn't be done too frequently. It is also best to do with lighter-colored fabrics. If you try stripping darker towels, the dyes may bleed.

If you've ever brought a cup of coffee or a glass of wine into the bathroom and spilled it on your bath mat or bathroom rug, all is not lost. This is yet another opportunity for you to experience the cleaning power of borax. The powder can help lift stains off of rugs and carpets. Remember, it will be most effective on organic stains, such as those left by food, grease, oil, or dirt.

To try this method, sop up any excess liquid from the mat or rug. Then, sprinkle a little borax over it and add just a bit of water. Use a brush to work the borax into the stain. It should quickly lift away, and then you can just rinse the area to remove any residue of the borax and vacuum it once dry.