7 Borax Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind!
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- Опубліковано 26 чер 2024
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Borax is an amazingly diverse cleaning product that has many uses all over the house. In this video, cleaning expert Melissa Maker shares 7 Borax hacks that will blow your mind!- let's go! #Cleaning #Hacks #Borax
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0:00 - Introduction
0:40 - A Few Notes About Borax
1:05 - Laundry Booster
2:14 - Clean & Deodorize Your Toilet
3:21 - Window Sill Cleaner
4:09 - The Most Amazing Sink Cleaner Ever
4:52 - Grout Cleaner
5:35 - Baking Sheet Cleaner (Part 1)
6:36 - Garbage Can Cleaner
8:06 - Baking Sheet Cleaner (Part 2)
9:11 - Baking Soda vs Borax
10:33 - Outro
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I dated a girl who one day asked me what I used when washing clothes. I told her I add a little laundry detergent and 1/4 cup of borax. She told me that my clothes feel soft and smell fresh then asked more about borax and where I came up with the idea of using in my laundry. Fast forward 22 years after marriage with that same girl and borax still goes in our every wash. Thanks mom!
Awwwwww ❤
Chicks dig guys who use Borax? Now I know what I've been doing wrong.....
@@jaypickett3552 For the soft feel, yes. Use Downy Spray as the real pheromone! 😁
Sweet story!!
My mom was sensitive to strong artificial fragrances, borax was one of her go-tos! I use it in my wash as well - love Melissa's tip on dissolving some and adding it as a liquid!
Does it leave white marks on your laundry? It does on mine. 😢
For grout, transfer the paste to a Ziploc bag, cut a small hole at the corner, then pipe it onto the grout lines.
Wow, so smart! What a great suggestion!
That’s such a great idea!
Great idea - thanks!
Love this!!!
Thank you!
Ooh good one!
Note I used to have a restoration business and was trained and bonded for mold removal. Also I am a chemist who graduated in 1982 from Virginia Tech. Mixing vinegar & Baking soda neutralizes the acid of the vinegar (Acetic Acid becomes Sodium Acetate, Sodium Bicarbonate becomes CO2 gas -- yes the complete reaction is a bit more complex). It is the acidity that kills the mold, so mixing them would be silly. Mold is killed by acids and strong bases, Also oxidizers kill mold. BLEACH, like hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizer (basic perchlorate ions for the win) and will kill mold organisms and destroy spores -- as do most oxidizers. However bleach does not soak into porous materials such as drywall well, it mainly kills the surface mold, leaving the imbedded mold, which is why it is no longer recommended for restoration work. Bleach is excellent for tiled areas though. Also, the acids (of which vinegar/acetic acid is the safest) are generally much more effective. Mixing distilled vinegar (acetic acid 5% acidity) and hydrogen peroxide is much more effective, but is damaging to skin and eyes. If you use the mix, make it up fresh and use immediately. Borax, is a basic oxidizer, but generally works best in hot water, whereas vinegar works fine in cold water.
I enjoyed reading your comment. It is fascinating. I appreciate you sharing the tip about mixing vinegar and peroxide and using it immediately, it’s very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share.
Interesting!
I'm so glad you mentioned vinegar and baking soda neutralize each other. I have known this for years, but people are fascinated with the bubbling result and think it is eating the dirt. Nobody would believe me, so I stopped even trying to tell them.
Making a paste of baking soda and bleach works the best on grout, especially on tiles in showers and around bathtubs. Mold rarely returns.
bleach will eat up the grout!!!!
I have never heard of Borax until I watched one of your videos.
Last week, I added Borax for the first time to my laundry.
OMG! The clothes came out visibly brighter, insanely softer, smelling fresher, and less wrinkled. Same washing machine, same cycle, same detergent, just added the Borax. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge with us.
A big fan from Toronto 🇨🇦
I spent $100's on chemicals to get rid of fleas in a house I moved into, which didn't work, and I was probably exposing myself something to toxic. I removed the pets for a few days, sprinkled borax on the carpet overnight, vacuumed and cleaned everything. Never had problems with fleas again. The pets didn't get sick as this was many years ago and they all lived a healthy happy life.
Diatomaceous earth food grade also works
Yes we did this in corporate apartments when we did move puts tp make sure they were bug free. Works great 👍
I have 3 dogs who love to spend time in the yard. Oklahoma got very hot, very early this year and I am bathing my guys more than usual. I'm going to use your idea for fleas on the carpet for additional protection.
I did the same thing but with salt! Lol
Borax, a foundational old fashioned product. Advertized for extra dirtyy laundry. Add ammonia to use to clean dirty oily cement. My great grandmother used it instead of bleach because is doesnt destroy the environment like bleach. Does not destroy the natural bacterial in a septic tank. Works great on grout etc. If you want to recycle washing machine water most plants tolerate borax and castille soap well.
Old school gal here, back in the day it was called 20 mule team borax and was a sponsor for Wagon Train. Yes, used it many times in laundry but never knew to dissolve it in hot water since everything is washed in cold water these days. We also used to use Dutch Blueing for brighter whiter close, I never understood how adding something dark blue to whites makes them whiter. 😊
Blue counteracts yellow as they're opposite on the color wheel. Since white clothes tend to get more yellow over time bluing lightly stains the fabric and opposes the yellows. The dark blue dissipates in the water and turns into a very light blue solution :) Think about it with lighting, regular incandescent bulbs vs Bright white LED, LED lights look whiter because they have a blue tone instead of yellow.
That's how I remember borax. Remember the 20 mule team moving the borax out of the desert? I also loved watching Wagon Train!!
Death Valley Days
That solves the mystery of why mature women had blue hair 😉 now they counteract blond brassiness with purple 🤔
It is still 20 Mule Team in my region (southeast US). I literally have never seen another brand.
I'm 74 and Borax was used by my mother for years in her laundry, and I have used Borax for at least 56 years as a laundry booster. It is an old time product, but it is as useful today as it was decades ago.
Heck a hundred years ago
This is a great and useful video, and it's very well done... No loud yelling. No crazy music. Simple and useful instructions that are easily followed by anyone. Well done!.
Borax, a few drops of dish soap, and water are my go-tos when it’s time to clean the dirt and mold from my patio cushions and outdoor rugs. That solution with a scrub brush and the jet setting on my hose do a bang-up job to freshen my outdoor space for spring and summer.
Oh how amazing!!!! Thank you so much for this idea.
How much borax?
@@ruthstagnitta274 I use the same solution for my outdoor cushions and rugs. I just follow the 20 Mule suggestion of a half cup per gallon of water. Just make sure the water is piping hot to properly dissolve the borax for best results.
I think its amazing how no one ever thinks of using hydrogen peroxide for anything. It whitens whites, brightens colors, oxygenates the body, so much better than chlorine in a swimming pool, and has lots of other things going for it that you just would not believe.
You used way, way too much water on that cookie sheet.
I use borax in my laundry when doing white clothes and towels, sheets, etc. It does a great job of stain removal and brightening.
Do you also use bleach with your white clothes?
@@cutenobi No, I never use bleach on my clothes.
Absolutely! I do the same, but I also add about 1/4c of vinegar as well! Makes those whites so much brighter than bleach does, & it also removes any mildew/body odor, in addition to making them a lot softer! For collar & armpit stains, I make a paste of borax & a little vinegar, scrub the effected area with paste, leave it for about 15min, then throw in the washer! 😊
Does it damage colored clothes? I need to get strong odor of fabric softener out of some clothing. Nothing seems to work!
@@scottpegggoldenberg9736 I’ve been doing this for 15yrs & I’ve NEVER had a problem, including spotting or fading of material! I might would not wash my best silk Dior dress with it, but if I could afford one of those, I’d take it to a dry cleaner! 🤣 If the odor is VERY strong, I’ll start washing the items for about 5 min to get the cleaning products (tide w oxi, vinegar, & borax) soaked in the material well, then I stop the wash & let it sit 30min (but I’ve forgotten it many times & left it overnight with no problems) then re-start the wash. I had 3 kids (2 boys & a girl), with lots of grease, blood, grass stains, makeup, not to mention sweaty soccer clothes left in a bag in their car for a week, & this method never failed me YET! Good Luck!😊
You give us good, sound advice, I appreciate that. Also, you are fun to listen to because you are so realistic about what life hands us. My favorite thing you said was that you could spend time scrubbing that cookie sheet but your quality of life would not be enhanced by doing that. We have all spent too much of our lives cleaning things that are not really important. If I had a "do over" with my kids being young again, the one thing I would definitely change would be to spend less time cleaning and more time sitting on the floor with them playing a game or reading a book to them! 😊 ❤
That was well written, and appreciate the candid side of your reply as well.
Feeling the same. We'll said.
I've used borax and washing soda (with a little bit of glycerin soap shaved in) as my laundry detergent for many years. I've worked construction almost all my life and I've never been disappointed about having clean clothes. It works and it's pennies on the dollar compared to those goofy, over-hyped bottles of smelly bubbles. Oh, and I've never worn gloves using it. Of course, my hands are kind of rough (like 80 grit sandpaper) despite lotion. Cement and a lot of other materials on jobs jobsites, are much more caustic than most household chemicals. I guess if I had nails like yours, gloves probably would be necessary.
Interesting video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your laundry 'recipe' I like fragrance free as well -
Always use Borax! 👍✨💫🌟⭐️♥️
I'm a nurse, and after years of spending $$ on laundry detergents, boosters and sanitisers I discovered borax and never looked back. Not only does it clean really well but it's also a water softener (therefore fabric softener). I just use those laundry wafers and borax on my uniforms (I add in bicarb soda + vinegar when doing whites)
What is "washing soda"? Would you mind giving the amounts of the ingredients for a load? Thank you!
Borax is great stuff. Just a side note if you drink coffee ☕ take a little coffee grinds and rub in your hands. Natural exfoliate. Softer hands.
Thanks for helping young people who never have learned to clean properly
Good idea for young people to learn to use more natural friendlier products, well done. 👍
I guess that makes me 63 years "YOUNG". I never learned a darn thing.
I’ve used Borax for 7 years since we got a new porcelain bathtub. I just sprinkle it on the wet surface and use a non scratching sponge. Great for soap scum and it rinses so well, doesn’t suds up much and so I use less water for rinsing away the product. Love the shiny results! Thanks Melissa.
I used borax for years in my diaper pails-yes, I am THAT old! It made my babies’ diapers fresh and soft.
I am a 79-year-old woman who has used borax all of my life. My grandmother (Who was born during the reign of Victoria) always cleaned the garbage cans with it. These were the days before the convenience of “plastic”. Those cans were really gross, but after my grandmother cleaned with borax, it was amazing. BTW I still use borax in my garbage cans every time I change The plastic lining. For cleaning tubs and sinks it can’t be beat. Of course borax is no longer advertised. So, most people don’t know about non-toxic cleaning.
Where to get the stuff borax
I find when I fill a container, I have to hold my breath bc if you breathe it in, you can irritate the nose and throat.
I start coughing and I feel like I can’t clear my nose and throat.
@@ngahuiacarroll8354Walmart has borax
@@ngahuiacarroll8354 find Borax in the laundry aisle at your supermarket
Borax definitely now popular after kids making slime
I love stuff like this. No more expensive cleaners…different bills for every place in the house…I’ll definitely try these tips!
I also remember when vinegar was inexpensive and baking soda and washing soda and especially borax. Of course the manufacturers got hip to our thrifty ways, HD sells industrial strength vinegar for some ridiculous price. I still buy it from a Dollar Tree or Aldi's. I'm not paying 25 bucks for a gal of vinegar. All this stuff works great. Still a fraction of the price of the manufactured chemicals. The only thing I buy for convenience only is Bar Keepers Friend for my copper bottom pans. I have this fetish for shiny copper and just want to grab the can and scrub like I mean it then I hang them up on the wall where the stove is. I just love old Revere Ware. My mother's set from the sixties can still pan fry a Porterhouse Steak with the dial on 10. Pan sears & cooks like a champ. I love seeing the rainbow colors on the bottom of the pan. I was 8 yrs old when mom got the set & they will be pried from my cold dead hands and passed down to my 27 year old daughter. Any other pans are just junk unless heavy, heavy cast iron.
I don't ever remember using it for cleaning, but I've dried flowers with it. Using a plastic tub, add a layer of Borax, flowers spread out in a single layer, cover with more Borax, and let it sit for about 2 weeks covered where kids and animals can't get in it. Dust the Borax back carefully with a soft brush. Reusable many times over.
Wow, thank you for that tip!
Oh wow, i remember just putting flowers in a book and closing it. Yours is a much better option for sure!
What is the advantage of that rather than simply hanging the flowers upside down?
@@TheSouthIsHot Not a whole lot, but they don't droop from gravity with the borax method. Flatter flowers will have a more realistic look. You just have to be a little careful with some because petals could fall off something like a spider mum. Broad petaled ones or leaves work best. Good question!
Love your video! I’m in need of cleaning inspiration (actually motivation too) and I’ve been a Borax fan in laundry for years. We recently replaced foyer and front hall with tile, but instead of going with a smooth finished tile went with a coarser finished porcelain like one would use for slip prevention in the shower. It’s very safe, but a magnet for all the fine sand since we live in snow country, So I filled a spray bottle with rather warm water and a half cup borax and shook it into solution. I used an orbiter first with a brush to clean all the micro-crevices, then with a soft fleece bonnet to wipe up and finished it up with a straight steam clean. I was showing off my floors for weeks. They were GORGEOUS, no odor, thoroughly clean. I now use borax spray for showers and tubs as well as bathroom floors with a few dots of Dawn dish soap. No challenge at all for sensitive airways and so freshly sanitized. Borax it is! May try a bit of lemon juice in the spray for a fresh scent, but frankly clean with no scent is awesome too.
Iam no expert but 1/2 cup of Borax seems like a bit much.
@@guacnroll6661 So use less. As I said, no expert here.
@@56sleepy just saying. Use all you want. Just seems, seems like you could cut it down a bit.
Great tip. Thanks for sharing and in such detail. Much appreciated!
Great comment, thank you. ~ Lisa
I found a floor cleaning recipe years ago that I still use. 1/4 cup borax, 1 tablespoon regular Dawn dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon ammonia in a bucket, fill with hot water. in a second bucket I put hot water plus white vinegar for rinsing
We moved due to a mold problem. We were advised to throw everything away that was fabric or paper and sanitize everything else. I read about Borax as a mold killer. So I used a cup of laundry detergent and a cup of Borax and a cup of vinegar and hot water on my clothes, and dried them as hot a safe or dried them in the sun if I couldn't use a hot dryer. You need hot water to get the vinegar and Borax to do its best on mold. I even used this method on my dry clean only formal wear, but I washed them in the bath tub and dried them inside out on a hanger on a screened porch (nothing like bird droppings on a freshly laundered formal). It has been four months and no mold has appeared.
Thx❤
8:20 awesome! Quality of my life....... Knowing when to throw in the cleaning towel/sponge ! Love it.
If your skin is sensitive I would highly recommend to make sure the Borax is completely dissolved . (I use hot water and mix it in a cup before I add it into my wash with the detergent . Doesn’t need that much of the Borax . I use to put it in the wash with Luke warm water , it didn’t dissolve and I found my skin completely irritated / burning even after rinses. After I got my skin to normal I started mixing Borax /hot water completely and no skin irritation( but I don’t use much ). Took me a while to figure this all out and misery . We had a new water heater and the water was not set that hot , so this is how I figured it all out it was the Borax . Just wasn’t dissolving . So Please Dissolve it good first . …..it does make the clothes cleaner /softer
Borax cleans a coffee pot very well. I used Borax and hot water in a stainless steel coffee pot that was about 20 years old and stained brown. I just used a sponge to clean it and it looked like new. My Mother noticed that the coffee no longer tasted bitter. It also worked well on a glass carafe for a coffee maker. That's probably what Nick needed to do on "Barney Miller" to make the coffee taste better.
I do use borax. If you left the borax overnight on the baking sheet or even cookware everything will lift off just beautifully without a scrub. That’s been my experience.
When I worked at pizza hut, they wanted the pans seasoned like that and we were told to not spend too much time scrubbing or using soap. At home I find food does not stick to the seasoned pan. I do use borax for cleaning the toilet, bathtub, and kitchen sink. It works great 👍
Wonder if it would clean burner pans from stove? How long would you leave that on?
I used a solution 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup Borax, 1 cup water to scrub a white stone ring around a tree on our patio that was continually covered in mold. That was two years ago. Hasn’t grown back yet. Finally success!
Wow, that's amazing. Am writing the recipe down now for mould.
Awesome!!
Also used on the driveway too, doesn’t kill plants or grass .
Geez that's a real help...thank you
@@zoeclearwater Zoe I'm sure glad you
I use Borax for my laundry when there is a particularly bad stain. I loved when you said your cookie sheet has "Patina", lol! Every cooky/baking pan I have ever owned, ended up looking just like yours, no matter how many brillo pads I went thru and it has never affected my food. I predominately used an enamelware baking pan now, which is the easiest one to clean. If there is baked-on cheese say and I don't want to gum up my scrub sponge, I pour hot water into the pan and let it sit while I do the rest of the dishes. By then whatever was stuck on it comes right off with no scrubbing.
Apparently it’s really good for cooking. There’s another video on yt somewhere about how to clean and why you shouldn’t clean them. The lady said cooks and bakeries would actually buy baking pans like these already burnt bc they bake more better/evenly than new or cleaner pans.
that brown patina is polymerized fats and it enhances the browning of your foods and helps prevent some sticking
I’m
@deedrole5296 Wow, that sounds sexy, lol. I honestly feel awkward about my baking sheets having those stains, but now I have a reason not to get new ones. I guess I'm just a hardcore cook sometimes 😁
I use 1/2 cup of borax when washing sheets and towels. I love how both come out smelling fresh and clean rather than having an artificial smell that comes from fabric softener or dryer sheets.
You can make a completely nontoxic ant (and other insect) killer making a syrup of borax, sugar and water. It wipes them out in days and no toxic, carcinogenic pesticides in your house. My great-grandmother taught me this and it works incredibly well.
Ha! That's what I did today. We've got the ants here in the midwest and they really are sooooo annoying! Borax works outside, until it rains. Since we're in for a stretch of HOT weather, I'll treat the north side of my house and hopefully that will be the end of the ants. I especially hate it when I see them in my bathroom around my cosmetics. Gah!!!!
Yes. I always put it 8n a small bottle out of the way of pets and kids. It creates boric acid, which os toxic.
Toxic Boric acid is better than the carcinogenic pesticide?
instead of sugar use aspartame, it's toxic to us and the ants.
I do that too, I soak a cotton round in the solution and put it on a plate and the ants disappear
Love Borax. I use it for cleaning, stain removal, and deodorizing. I also live in an area where outdoor bugs like to make a home in window seals so I use it in my window seals as a form of insect control.
I use it for cockroaches and ants. It dries their bodies out and kills them.
We have a moth infestation this year might try and sprinkle Borax in the rock by my house to see if it helps
I have not used Borax, but Im going to try it. I am with you on the baking pans. I have my Moms. They are very old. I remember my Mom using them when I was a little girl! It makes me happy to use them. I dont care how they look!! 😊
I love Borax! It makes stinky clothes smell so fresh...and I'm talking about my husband's terrible stinky sweat-laden clothes after doing one of his engine repairs or yard work. I also appreciate how it makes a toilet or a sink smell so fresh. It's a great product -- just wear gloves so you don't get it on your hands because your hands will feel like they've been scrubbed by a heavy abrasive.
Well if you don't like the idea of having that the chemical in your house now if you have pets kids yet vinegar does really well for getting rid of odors and it does help to clean a bit but it doesn't eliminates if you got to smoke her in the house spray or grapes and whatever with no it's not some dinner you can delete down a bit and it'll get rid of that second hand smoke smell
Actually, when you ARE doing heavy dirty or greasy work and you don't wear gloves, BORAX is the perfect solution to get your hands clean. I keep a sprinkle bottle by the sink for just such purposes. Some of us don't mind getting our hands dirty! 😉
@@victoriaolutayo5004 borax is not a chemical.
It is only the mineral boron
@@marnaehrech1223 Also note, that people take the mineral boron for health benefits. I sprinkle it in my vegetable garden to strengthen the root systems.
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You are the coolest cleaning lady on the internet :-) if you wanted or needed another confirmation. That’s a sweet yellow pineapple 🍍 btw! $6 Walmart Nonstick 17" x 11" Cookie Sheet Baking Pan… after using a few times and exceeding smoke-point temperatures of cooking oils, that etched good is near impossible to remove. Leaves me puzzled as well. Maybe it’s the pfoa smoke that’s in the air… hah
I use it for wellness too.
(It’s a natural source of essential mineral boron which is often deficient
in growing soil & the body).
It’s used / required by every plant.
1/8-1/4teaspoon amount mixed with glass a water/day
Take up to 5 days / week, if you are treating a health condition, or less often to maintain wellness mineral balance.
Scientifically Borax is studied/ measured to be less toxic than table salt yet it’s able to remove neurotoxic sodium fluoride, that is added to all conventional toothpaste & some countries drinking water. So it helps to reverse common fluoride damages on the brain.
It also helps the body to move hardened calcium deposits from soft tissues like arteries & joints : this is a big help & natural prevention for arthritis type conditions.
Sufficient boron also lowers the body’s yeast levels naturally.
Thank you for highlighting borax - & the other powerful natural cleaning solutions.
I Love your videos & style of giving advice !
☺️✌️👌
Where's the scientific studies and test groups for this ? Links?
Borax safe to ingest?
Really???? Never heard of this before. How long have you been using it for wellness? What are the side effects? Where can you get that type of Borax? Sounds very interesting, especially since I have arthritis.
I have done a lot of research and read similar things you mentioned. And yet there is this skepticism to try it out. I know there are many many natural remedies out there that get bad-mouthed by those who profit from people being sick, although these remedies have been used for centuries. I personally use Borax topically for athlete's foot. It works really great for that. Check out the UA-cam channel of "Old Alabama Gardener" in case you're interested! There are so many comments from people who successfully got rid of their athlete's foot with Borax!
Absolutely!!! Wake up with aches.? Try this for a week and then you’ll feel the difference!
My husband mined borax out of the ground in Boron, CA at the U.S. Borax Mine there. Now Rio Tino. It was a good place to work back in the day. It takes some mighty big equipment to get that stuff out of the ground, but it is used in almost everything we use on a daily basis. Pretty amazing.
I’m curious if your husband suffers from arthritis. Boron is a remedy
@EinVA interesting
I have been using Borax for years. I’m 73. I think it helps freshen your laundry. I was impressed how it was cleaning up your cookie sheet, but I’m with you, if my cookie sheet is cooking just fine, I’ll spend my time cleaning more important things. Thanks for sharing.❤
We use Borax in our Detox soak. 1 cup each of 20 Mule Team Borax, Pink Himalaya Salt, Epsom Salt, and Bob's Red Hill Baking Soda. (A & H is not real baking soda...great for cleaning tho.) The soak really raises our energy levels and makes us feel healthier. At 70 and 65, we also soak only in Epsom Salt after a hard day of yard work, detailing the cars, etc. We spring right back .
The Epsom salt has magnesium.
"Arm & Hammer is not real baking soda"?! Has my whole life been a lie?
I use 1 cup borax, Epsom salt, baking soda and bentonite clay powder.
A & H is REAL baking soda. However, they also sell washing soda in a similar box and I think this confuses many people. The baking soda is in the baking aisle and the washing soda is in the cleaning aisle, usually near the Borax.
@@LM-rl4nd
THANKS!!!
GOOD INFORMATION 👍🏼
GOOD TO KNOW!!
I use borax to get rid of ants and as a laundry booster. Love all of these tips!
Ants is how I discovered Borax
So w th at do you do if you have a bunch of ants. I accidentally opened an ant hill and knelt in it while cleaning my sidewalk to cut away overgrown grass on edge of lawn. We have people that walk dogs and our neighbor has a dog. Would dogs be a attracted to borax? Don't want to harm any pets. But want the little buggers gone. I think salt also works with ants as I saw a lot of ants near a crack and sprinkled salt. There is a lot less activities today. But I also have Borax at home that I bought to get rid of bugs? Wonder if it would work on moths as Billings MT seems to have a moth infestation this year of moths
@@Ke-qv3md I Think it is so great that you worry about other people who walk their dogs and your neighbors dog! If we had more people who thought that way I think it would be a much better world! 💕🐾🐾🐾
@@Ke-qv3md I mix 1:1 with water & carefully pour over ant hill but generously so soaks down into ants underground labyrinth of tunnels. Can kill surrounding grass weeds & plants.
@@Ke-qv3md No - borax doesn't work like a general insect killer, nor are dogs or pets attracted to it. only ants that go for sweet stuff will ingest borax mixed with sugar, and die. AMDRO is a good remedy for most outdoor ants - and the moth problem you'll have to find another way to solve.
Watching you five years ago changed my life and your advice is sound. Thanks!
Love the tip about dissolving in water for those machines that can only use liquid!
I’ve never discovered anything better than Borax for getting mustiness out of laundry. You do have to use a lot and Borax is no longer cheap but it can save clothing and/or towels which were left damp for too long.
Can you use it on colors?
@@scottpegggoldenberg9736
Absolutely.
Before I discovered it I used to have to throw out towels which I found that my kids had wadded up and left in a bag…
Adding straight ammonia to a load of musty laundry works well too. It may smell a little pungent when you first add it, but by the time it's all rinsed out, the towels and other musty things will smell fresh again. And the smell doesn't linger in the air.
It's not toxic in small quantities. It is mined out of the ground, just like salt. It is a wonderful source of Boron 1/8 to 1/4 tsp daily in juice even according to the FDA.
This is Truth!
The mineral boron is essential in the transportation of other minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium into the bones.
Yup, I've been doing it for years. All Americans are deficient in Boron. I do it M-F and stop on weekends, is what my health consultant told me...
Wouldn't that be in boric acid instead of borax? Idk,I wouldn't ingest that
@@marnaehrech1223 how much to how much water ? Thanks
My health care provider said it was perfectly safe to take.. Just a pinch in a tall glass of water.
I am so impressed with people like you who are cleaning experts. I love a clean space but I don't actually like to clean. I do it because I have to but since I have a ton of other things to do I'm not cleaning as often as I would like so when I do it feels overwhelming. How often to do you clean? Is it a daily thing? Do you have a schedule? How do I make it routine. The kitchen is the only space I routinely clean because I do that as I go, while making dinner & afterwards but when I'm in other rooms I'm doing other things & some rooms I'm not in all the time.
I can't claim to be an expert or speak for Melissa, but I like a clean home and, like you, would rather be doing 2973982 other things!
It does require cleaning every day, but rather than exhaustive, gross-sweaty elbow-grease cleaning, it becomes a light maintenance job.
The important thing is to find your "standard" and get every room in your home up to that point; marathon it in one day, or spread it throughout the week, whatever works best. For best results, get in deep. Organise the closet, under the bed; kitchen cabinets, pantry, fridge, etc. Then it's a matter of maintaining that standard throughout the week, sticking to a set routine.
Big Number One: make your bed, every day. If you have a partner who sleeps in later, tidying up your half is sufficient. It sets the mood for your day and gets you in the mindset of completing tasks! If I don't make my bed in the morning, I don't feel like doing *anything* other than sit on the couch.
Big Number Two: Find and maintain your "most important zone", or the thing that bothers you the most when it's dirty. You mentioned cleaning the kitchen regularly, which is good! A clean kitchen is the centrepiece of a clean home!
I like to have tea every morning, and so like Melissa I'll take the time to put dishes away, wipe down the counters, tidy up etc while the kettle boils; and since it's a modest galley-type kitchen I typically do the floor every morning as well. All that takes about 15 minutes.
Wipe down kitchen appliances after every meal (don't forget the top of the fridge / microwave / vent hood), even if they don't necessarily look dirty, just to prevent greasy build-up.
Same goes for the bathroom; rinse out the shower or bath when you're done. Clean the toilet every day or so. Wipe off the counter and put things away after getting ready / brushing teeth / shaving etc. That way it takes just 5 minutes and one quick swipe.
Try to do a load of laundry every other day or so, depending on how many people are in your family. You don't have to necessarily fold / hang + put away every single day, but if you're like me, letting any of them pile up will probably make you want to avoid them. c': (Though with that being said, I hope your family is helping out with their share!)
Make up a list of all the cleaning tasks in your home and divvy them up throughout the week either by room or by task, depending on how large or small your home is. I.e. maybe a day for the bedroom, or a day for dusting all the surfaces and furniture, or a day for mopping all the floors. Just be sure to space the tasks out evenly, or in a way that works best with your Life schedule (such as slotting fewer tasks on work days), and be sure to take at least one day off every week; i.e. every Sunday the most cleaning I'll do is the kitchen, just to keep it from getting out of hand.
To make it routine, you'll have to establish a schedule and stick with it. If you decide every Wednesday shall be window day, then clean them every Wednesday, even if they don't look dirty. It'll take less time the more often you do it, not only because of your own muscle memory but also because they don't get a chance to get super dirty; and you get to enjoy sparkling windows all the time!
TL;DR make a schedule, stick with it, do scheduled tasks every day even if they don't look like they 'need' to be done. It takes 21 days to form a habit, so in less than a month it will become like second nature to clean as you go throughout your day. Sorry for the wall of text, sometimes it's difficult for me to articulate thoughts succinctly lol. Best of luck! :D
@@vaellyth Thank for sharing! My childhood home was not well maintained in this area. Cleaning was always stressful marathons or sprints for when company would come over. I'm learning organization as an adult.
My house is super organized but I hate to dust. Rarely do. No kids or pets. Bathroom sink gets wiped after every use; learned that from my mom. Whole bathroom cleaned once a week.
Kitchen is cleaned each day; counters, stove, microwave, sink. Always looks tidy.
But I don’t dust.
Only rarely.
And hate to vacuum. Do that more often cause I hate dirty looking floors.
I wish I had the luxury of a cleaning schedule in between plumbing, masonry, building, laying block, replacing steps. I'm hoping I don't drop dead before I can get a routine in place. Yep, kitchen & bath & laundry take priority and I get to the rest between building this old house. If I hired these contractors this house would have cost me a fortune. I paid 25 grand cash for a single mid century modern house on half and acre and I wasn't going to make a contractor rich after paying pennies for this cool house. You Tube taught me so much. My female neighbor comes down and climbs the ladder for me to do my roof. I got a bad hip and don't feel like falling off another ladder it really hurts.Almost went into shock after that drop. I shook it off and climbed back up to finish the plumbing. I may have broken a rib though, lol. Happy cleaning!
Borax As a laundry additive…
As humans our sweat is acidic and fatty. We all are, and we all do it. As we sweat we emit these “fatty acids”. You see them as ring around the collar and cuffs of dress shirts. Borax is a base and neutralizes the acid we emit, so does baking soda. Mixing borax with your whites will then make them whiter by allowing the detergent to work more affective. Another good thing to remove ring around the collar is dish soap as it is a degreaser. Put it directly on collars and cuffs and anywhere clothing gets dirty from rubbing against your skin. Let it sit for a few minutes and it will lift the fatty acids from clothing. If you dry the clothing in the dryer, the heat can set in the stains around collars and cuffs. So be sure to re-wash if it is still dirty before drying in dryer. Once it has gone through the dryer it will be permanent. Spray starch, even if the clothes are no iron, will help prevent stains of all kinds from forming. Spray the front of your white shirt, as well as collar and cuffs.
Thank you for all your tips! May God continue to move you to help others🌺
Never used Borax. You've persuaded me to try it. 💛💛💛
I remember people using this in the 50 - 60's. Now that I know how to use it properly, I'm going to try it. I'm so sick of detergents that come in large, single use plastics, that I've been looking for better ways to clean without them. Thank you
Yes, you can recycle the cardboard box when it’s empty!
Borax was a life-changer for me. Cleared up my skin problems, saved me from a surgery and dramatically increased my libido.
How did you use the Borax for your skin problems?
Just used Borax first time this last Sunday. Used for cleaning flip flops. Went on a trip used flip flops in hotel
Made a mixture of Dawn antibacterial dish soap , baking soda , and the borax. Left for about an hour in a plastic tub and scrubbed with a brush rinsed clean. And feel like it did the job. 👍🏻.
Usually use baking soda for stuff but added the borax in. No bad chemical Reactions happened.
I use Borax in my laundry when needed, but I will be trying some of your other suggestions. I agree with you on the cookie sheet “patina”.
Thank you -- I just put Borax on my grocery list. I've never used it for cleaning etc. but sure will now!!
Yep, been using it for over 30 years. I clean my shower and tub the way you described cleaning your kitchen sink. Better and cheaper than any other method I've ever tried.
Thanks for this! I’ve been looking for an alternative to the bathroom bleach cleaners that are so prevalent in the stores. I can’t stand the heavy bleach smell.
I’ll definitely try these - I always have it because I use it for laundry regularly.
For the past three years I have added 1/8 teaspoon of 120 mule borax to a glass of water every morning. I had sever arthritis in my hands for years, and my feet would hurt for an hour every morning. Since starting this treatment I no longer have any pain in my joints. When I first started I did everyday for about a month. The pain was gone after the first week. Now I drink it for a week every couple of months, and I am staying pain free.
Man that sounds really scarey...interesting but if its not safe around children and animals...you know something we don't...
Me too...bath in it and drink in smoothie. Lots of vids on You Tube about it. Also use it in a recipe for shampoo. Best wishes
@@beverlyannshepard9691 very safe. It will detox your body of all the crap that settles in our joints which cause inflammation which causes our pain. I have been doing it for three years and I am pain free and still alive.
Wow, that's scary, i have to research this topic n get educated on it. So happy ya'll are pain free now. Maybe it will help my sciatica.
@@yonnaseigler585 Thanx so much...
I call those "brown" baking-cookie sheets "seasoned." And a seasoned pan makes the food taste better. At least, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it." Speaking of "sticking," seasoned pans don't stick as much, either. :) And I probably overdue the Borax-Baking Soda thing. I use about a quarter cup of each in my laundry along with my detergent.
Thanks for all your advise. I love your channel. :)
Oven cleaner is best for your baking sheets. It really works. also good for the bottoms of your pots.
Believe it or not, ketchup works on cookie sheets. Let it sit then wipe clean.
Have been using this in my laundry washes for years. Also pour 1/4 cup around the bottom in the dishwasher in addition to my unscented powder dishwasher detergent. It keeps the filter clean even after a year. .
Thanks for the tip! That filter basket is wonderful but a bear to clean!
Thank you for sharing your tips with Borax. I’ve used it to sanitize and boost my laundry. Now, I’m buying more to use for other places as told in your video and in some comments. A new pair of gloves are in my future.
Used it in the laundry but not many other applications. Thanks for the info!
One thing I didn't see mentioned was how invaluable Borax is to swimming pools. I worked at a hotel and it was used to maintain alkalinity balance so when I got my own pool I started using it
I would like to hear more about Borax in swimming pools. Chlorine is expensive beyond belief since the major chlorine factory burned down some years ago in America. Can you give measures and use it as a chlorine substitute?
Borax is alkaline with a ph of about 9.5; it is not a disinfectant and will not disinfect pool water & does not replace chlorine tablets or powder.
Borax is often added to a swimming pool to make the water feel more slick and flying insects (like wasps) generally drown in the pool water instead of landing on the water surface and then flying away. Keep using chlorine to kill the microorganisms.
😉
Have been using Borax in DIY 4 ingredient laundry detergent for yrs: 1 bx Borax, 4 lb bag Baking Soda, 3.5 lb Oxyclean, 2 bars ZOTE (or 3 bars Fels-Naptha soap, or 4 bars Irish Spring. Grate soap. Mix with everything else. Yield 2 gallons. Use 1-2 T per laundry load. For convenience, I store qt jar of this mixture top of washing machine. Attach a metal tablespoon under the top rim of jar with a rubber band through the spoon handle.
Do you add water to the mix???
@@ruthstagnitta274 No. Just use like any other powdered detergent.
Wow, this youtuber just dissed this DIY in another video. Am puzzled by such strong negative reaction. I've been using this for 10?15? years. It works great. Zero problems. Got recipe from a friend that's been using longer. Her daughter & other friends have been using it as well for a very long time. I also DIY my own 2 ingredient deoderant (50/50 cornstarch/baking soda), that am pretty sure, if reviewed by a commercial deoderant company, they'd poke holes at (why wouldn't they?), but this stuff is fantastic too.
Kim where did you get this idea...sounds great?
@@H4me7215 The deoderant? I don't remember. I DIY experiment with lot of cleaning/personal care/food. Homemade vinegars, infused oils, ferments, vanillas, medicinal herbs in salves & body butters... Keep what works. Would not mention it to anybody if it didn't work for me. There are many books on these topics & online peeps. I am fortunate to have 2 shaman friends as well. I would encourage peeps to listen & read from multiple sources & try things out yourself to see what is true for you.
9:38 I think you are explaining why it is a booster for detergent here. Soap works better if water is a little bit alkaline. It suds up better in slightly alkaline water compared to neutral or slightly acidic water.
Good to know, thanks!
@@MegDesignsCA Your welcome that came from a boiler engineer explaining one of the benefits of adding caustic to boiler water. It makes the phosphates work better. He said have your ever been out west and taken a shower but the water doesn't suds up very well? I immediately remembered being in Arizona and New Mexico and showers were not great because of slightly acidic water.
@@joeshmo5399 ....I thought it was more because of all the minerals in the water....Arizona has mostly well water with a lot of minerals in it....that is why water filters that remove most of the minerals help with cleaning.
@@joeshmo5399 Not acidic water in NM and AZ - it's hard from minerals and alkaline - but laundry water and shower water are two different things. You put soap in the laundry water, and you rinse the soap off your body with shower water - two entirely different things.
@@MrGarymolaFilters don't remove minerals. You can soften the water, or you can use reverse osmosis. Both come with their own downsides, but you can't filter out minerals.
I have used Borax for years and love it. I use it in my laundry especially when I am washing my pets blankets.
Thx great hints that I will do. At 58 yrs old I learn something new from a smart young lady !
Hi, you forgot to mention that Borax mixed with hot water to dissolve it, then add cold water, makes crystals. I didn't know that, until I saw a craft show on UA-cam about how to make your own crystals with pipe cleaners, and Borax. However, that finally explained what clogged up my drains. When my husband snaked the outside drain opening, glass like crystals came out. Once he broke through, those the drains worked again. I don't know how long it took to build up that crystal clog, but I did that, with the Borax.
Borax is a wonderful product, it does so many amazing things. But watch out for temperature changes and making crystals. Look for videos on making crystals before cleaning with it, unless you can dump the cleaning Borax water outside.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for the video, greatly appreciated.
Take care, stay safe, have a nice day.
👵🙂✌️🖖 😷 🙉🙈🙊 🌎☮️🕊️
Tracy lawrence
@@carolgeorge8920 Hi,
I don't understand your comment.
Who is Tracy Lawrence?
Does she make Borax crystals?
Take care, stay safe, have a nice day.
👵🙂✌️🖖 😷 🙉🙈🙊 🌎☮️🕊️
I use to use Borax for a while in the laundry . I had such skin irritation later on using it . Come to find out our new water heater was not set very hot and it was summertime so I really don’t take that hot of showers . But that means the water into my laundry was not hot and for months my skin was so irritated . I felt the water in my washer and it was cool so it never dissolved the Borax .. I started to dissolve it in hot water in a cup and use less of it. I mixed it so good . But after seeing your comment ( since the rinses are cool water I’m haveing snd thoughts . I usually wash my clothes in warm water cold rinses. Haven’t used it in a while. Just used a little vinegar in the rinse cycle. The Borax can really cause some bad skin irritation . But dissolving it I thought that would be enough ,
I use borax with laundry boosting baking soda and ALL free and clear detergent. I find that my clothes and towels come out softer and smell cleaner which is huge for me in a humid climate. Also, I used to be addicted to bleach and when washing whites all I have to do is add a bit of oxiclean. I do mix the powders in a bowl while my washer is filling with water ( I have a top loader ) and use hot water to dissolve them together and then add them to my laundry water and let that mix before I put the laundry in
I also found using a little on a soapy sponge and using it on my stainless steel fridge , removed rust spots .
love your sense of humor and delivery - the info was great too
I discovered Borax a while back and love how it cleans.
Love Borax for boosting laundry!
I do use borax. But now will try it on the trash and recycle bins, which I already had plans to scrub this coming weekend. Thanks for all the great cleaning ideas!
I think both of those have been around for 100 years but baking soda is my choice. Baking soda in the clothes washer and the bathtub softens greatly. Also baking soda with a little water as a face scrub is fantastic!
Yeah, there are people who use borax scrub if they have Demadex mites they say a lot of people have Demadex because it hangs around and make up I don’t know
Will definitely try. Thank you!
Yes, I have used Borax in the past and frankly I don’t remember why I stopped! Thanks for the reminder 😉
Thanks for watching Janice!
One small cautionary word for anyone wanting to try to clean their baking sheet, please put the sheet on something before pouring the water in, especially if you have stone bench tops.
Stone is a naturally cold product and applying something significantly hotter to it can risk cracking and breakage over time.
Laminate can bubble and lift when there is too much heat.
Timber will for the most part be ok, but can cause slight discolouration in natural timber over time or varnishes can start to peel.
I used to design and sell kitchens and always had to tell people to never assume that putting something hot directly onto their counter tops was going to be ok in the long term. You'll get away with it for a while, but you are still causing damage.
Yes, I was worried about the stone
@@MegDesignsCA I used to design kitchens and I always had to caution people about putting hot things directly onto stone. Most people assume it's safe because of how hard stone is, but the reality is, you put something hot onto something cold, you will always risk causing damage.
I actually have Silestone, and love it! However, I am VERY cautious of heat on the surface. I love the antimicrobial surface!
I am a Designer, but I don't do kitchens. It's a lot of work!
@Zoi M *_Thank you for very useful information !!_*
When mykids were younger we had very hard water. I used Borax with my detergent to wash our clothes. It worked. There was a time when it was very hard to find it so I stopped using it. I always have a box in my laundry room.. and I have used it with cleaning.. just not very often. Thank you for this video. It has explained more about what exactly Borax “is”.
Thank you: Very helpful, interesting, informative.
For cleanest laundry ever (tennis shoes too), I also use Borax & add about 1/4c of vinegar as well! Makes whites so much brighter than bleach does! It also removes any mildew/body odor, in addition to making them a lot softer! For collar & armpit stains, I make a paste of borax & a little vinegar, scrub the effected area with the paste, leave it for about 15min, then throw in the washer! No need to use nasty chemicals that take our breath away &/or remove color! I don’t use fabric softener in my wash. These tips have made my life a lot easier, hopefully they will help others too! 😊 THANK YOU for another GREAT video filled with tried & tested wisdom! 🥰
You're so welcome and thank you for sharing! We do what we do for you, so thank you for making it possible!
Hi !! So do you use white vinegar ? Thank you ..
You may want to try to use the Borax with the boiling water and some vinegar outside in the hot sun on a concrete surface. Let the sun do it's thing for about two hours or so. Worked for me and I am a life long Borax babe. LOL!!!
It's not generally that toxic on the skin, and can be useful, so long as you aren't sensitized to it like some children using it for Play-Doh every day. Had something that looked a bit like ringworm for around 2-3 years on my feet, wouldn't respond to anything. Got feet wet in shower, sat on the tub and applied to feet and let sit for a few minutes. It does start to feel a bit warm, maybe a slight exothermic reaction. Washed as normal, did this for maybe 3 days one week, no more weird foot stuff. it's also better than bleach for killing mold on surfaces and lasts a long time after use. Mix into hot water, spray surface, leave alone 'til dry. Just make sure you dump the water from the sprayer, you can dissolve enough that crystals start to grow as it cools and kill your sprayer. Ask me how I know...
Borax is also great for getting rid of fleas or any other little pests that take up residence in your carpet. I put it into a Shaker and sprinkle it around the carpets. (Keep pets away from the area being treated) leave it sit for 15 to 20 minutes and then vacuum it all up really well. Borax eats the insects exoskeleton. The following day I will vacuum again just to get up all the dead insects. I have also done this to my fabric couch. I have also read that you can mix Borax, sugar and hot water, once dissolved dip cotton balls in it and leave them in areas where ants are. They will take that back to the colony and it will kill them all. I have not tried the cotton balls yet what I did was took a Ziploc baggie left it open a little bit with a equal mixture of sugar and borax inside and left it under my sink and the ants will go in get what they can carry and take it back to the colony. Just make sure no pets or children are able to get into the cabinet while you have this poisonous chemical there.
I have used Borax. During a very lean time my cat brought home fleas and infested our home. I did some research as I could not afford an exterminator. I came across a suggestion to sprinkle Borax all over the carpet (this is before the hard wood floor rage), leave it for 2 weeks and then vacuum. So I did this, what did I have to lose? Although it was a long 2 weeks. Anyway, they said that the Borax takes the moisture out of the carpet so the flea eggs won't hatch. Well it worked!! It was unbelievable!! No fleas what so ever and I had multiple indoor/outdoor cats! Not only did it work, the one time of doing this worked for years!! No fleas, and I live in humid Houston, TX!! I didn't have to do it again for many years! It worked great! I love Borax!!!
How did you keep your pets off the carpet for 2 weeks? We are getting a bad flea infestation. I wonder if it would work on the yard. Fleas are coming from all of the rabbits, I think
I use it in my laundry but I've always just sprinkled it in the bottom of the machine, thanks for the tip on dissolving in hot water. I'm going to try some of the other ways you suggested.
Never used Borax, thank you for your great cleanning tips💕definitely will look in to it.
Thank you for all the great tips.
I'm saving this video as well. Thanks. I have a box of Borax that I've never really used. Now I will.
Thanks for watching Emily :)
I've used Borax in the laundry. Glad to learn more uses for it. I will, however, also wear a dust mask when sprinkling Borax.
I’ve never really used borax, only baking soda which I love but now I’m ready to venture out and use borax with my cleaning 😄 thank you!
Great information. Saw Borax many times on the shelves but never new how to use. Now i know. Thanks again.
I use Borax in my laundry when washing really soiled items like grease, mud. Also husband's clothes after working on the car or other machinery. It boosts the detergent & gets rid of the odors. Have used it similar to baking soda to make a paste and clean stains off surfaces.
Thanks for the video. Your prior videos have improved my cleaning life.
🙏 Thanks for being subbed for 7(!) years!
Thank you!!
I've been using borax for years but you did teach me a few new things. I enjoyed the video
I have been using borax in with my laundry for years now and not only does is brighten the laundry, it also helps my washing machine from having hard water deposit build up. Result ! I have not had to have my washing machine serviced for years.
This is fantastic! I started using Borax in my laundry a couple of months ago and so far so good.
Can you use it with colored laundry or only with whites?
Is safe on whites only?
@@ruthstagnitta274 I use it with colored/dark laundry and never had a problem.
@@scottpegggoldenberg9736
You can use it with colors. You will be satisfied 🙂
I never thought to use Borax for anything other than laundry booster AND I never thought to disolve it in water before adding the laundry, thanks for this tip especially. I will now use it to clean my sinks and tubs and sweeten the smells of those rooms, (sometimes the drain stinks.)
I have been using borax in my washer for a few years but you gave me some new uses as well now, also at least once a week I use a paste of dial antibacterial liquid soap and baking soda as a face cleanser. I also mix a thin paste of body wash and baking soda to exfoliate my body, it leaves my skin feeling like silk.
It's great, I drink it diluted 🤗
Yes,, I do use Borax and love it.
Will try on my bathroom floor, have a lot of grout. Thank u for sharing 💓
I’ve used Borax in my wash a lot, loved it. Most of these uses are new to me and I’m going to try them! Borax is SO much cheaper and I’m sure better for the environment than anything I can think of to buy. New subscriber here!
Welcome and thanks for sharing!
I’m totally going to give that a try. So far your DIY bathroom tile solution has been my go to. This feels like a simpler way to get to things done at the same time. Kitchen sink and the bathroom floor. Still really like the other mix though.
Thank You!
It's been used as a basic household cleaner for at least three generations. My mother used it, always with gloves on, to scrub her "sanitary sink" or washtub which was made of concrete-over-iron and located in our Baltimore County townhouse basement, next to the washing machine. The water discharge for the washer drained in there and since it gets very hot and humid in Summer, that sink was scrubbed out weekly using Borax, after weekly laundry. We cleaned mostly with baking soda, Borax, white vinegar, and bleach, but rarely used the bleach! If she used bleach it was diluted and during cold, flu season, and in bathroom, especially if someone was sick as disinfectant (5:1 water:bleach spray after cleaning, let air dry)