Borax is a mineral powder sold for laundry and general cleaning, and the flagship version is the 20 Mule Team All Natural Borax Laundry Detergent Booster & Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner, 65 oz. Its label names the ingredient as sodium tetraborate, which the label describes as a natural mineral. The maker lists uses that run from the laundry room to counters, dishes, carpets and bathrooms.
Use it as a pre-soak for stained clothes, or add a half cup to the wash as a regular booster. Keep it away from eyes, children and pets, and never take it internally. The maker also says not to use it undiluted.
What it is
Borax is a mineral powder whose main ingredient is sodium tetraborate decahydrate, written Na2B4O7.10H2O. The label calls it sodium tetraborate and describes it as a natural mineral. The flagship product is a laundry booster and multi-purpose household cleaner sold in a 65 oz container.
According to the maker
What to use it on
Laundry presoak
Use the presoak for the stains the maker lists as targets: grease, grass, dirt, blood and tomato sauce. Rinse the stained clothes in warm water, then soak them at least 2 hours in 1/2 cup of borax per gallon of warm water. After the soak, wash as normal and follow the care label for the rest of the wash.
Laundry booster
Add half a cup of borax to the wash when you do a normal load of laundry. Wash as normal and follow the care label for the rest of the cycle. The maker lists laundry booster as one of its main uses, so this is the everyday method.
Homemade laundry soap
The maker lists homemade laundry soap as one of the uses for borax, so it can be one part of a homemade recipe. The facts here do not include a recipe or amounts for that use, so follow a recipe you trust and keep the same safety rules. Do not take it internally or put it on your skin.
Household cleaning
The maker lists counters, appliances, dishes, bathrooms and carpets as surfaces for borax. The label does not give separate amounts for these surfaces in the facts provided, so follow the maker's directions on the package. Keep the mixture away from eyes and never use borax undiluted.
Carpet spots
Carpets are on the maker's list of surfaces, but these directions give no carpet method or amount. The presoak method given here is written for stained clothes. Check the package directions before you use borax on a carpet spot.
5 steps
How to use it
- 1
Rinse the stained clothes
Start by rinsing the stained clothes in warm water. This is the first step in the maker's method, before any borax goes in.
- 2
Mix the presoak solution
Mix 1/2 cup of borax into each gallon of warm water. Never put undiluted borax on clothes or any other surface.
- 3
Soak for at least two hours
Soak the stained clothes in the solution for at least 2 hours. The maker gives 2 hours as the minimum, so do not soak for less.
- 4
Wash as normal with the care label
After the soak, wash the clothes as normal. Follow the care label for the rest of the wash.
- 5
Add half a cup for regular loads
For a regular wash without a presoak, add 1/2 cup of borax to the wash as a booster. This is the maker's everyday booster amount, not a stain-soak amount.
Where not to use it
The maker says not to use borax undiluted, not to bathe in it, not to put it on skin or ingest it, and not to use it as a personal care product or dietary supplement. It also says not to use it beyond laundry-booster and multi-purpose-cleaner uses. The maker lists no specific fabric or surface exclusions, so for any use outside those, use a product made for that job.
Safety
The label says CAUTION, that borax is an eye irritant and may be harmful if swallowed. The safety data sheet from 2018 lists it as causing skin irritation and serious eye irritation, and as suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child. Keep it out of reach of children and pets, avoid contact with eyes, do not take it internally, and do not mix it with other cleaners.
Never mix chlorine bleach with vinegar or other acids, ammonia or rubbing alcohol. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222.
Versions the maker sells
Where to buy
Sponsored links: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product facts come from the maker's own instructions and labels.
Questions
Is borax a good stain remover?
The maker says borax targets grease, grass, dirt, blood and tomato sauce, plus general tough laundry stains and odors. Its directions use it as a pre-soak and as a laundry booster. The facts here say nothing about how people rate it, so the answer rests on what the maker says it is for.
Does borax bleach clothes?
The maker describes borax as a laundry booster and multi-purpose cleaner, and these facts do not describe it as a bleach. The facts give no whitening method, so don't count on borax to whiten clothes. Follow the care label for any fabric you wash.
How much borax do I use per load?
For a regular wash, add 1/2 cup of borax to the load as a booster. For a pre-soak, use 1/2 cup per gallon of warm water and soak for at least 2 hours. The maker gives these amounts, so use them as written.
Can you use borax on carpet stains?
Carpets are on the maker's list of surfaces. The directions give no carpet method or amount, and the presoak is written for stained clothes. Check the package directions before you use it on carpet.
Is borax the same as OxiClean?
No, they are different products. Borax is a mineral powder, while OxiClean is an oxygen bleach stain remover powder that the maker also sells with a Max Force enzyme pre-treat spray. OxiClean's powder targets organic stains such as wine, juice, coffee and blood, while borax's directions focus on grease, grass, dirt, blood and tomato sauce.
Is borax safe for wool?
The facts here include no fabric exclusions, but they also include no wool-specific directions. The maker says not to use borax undiluted, and you should follow the care label for the fabric. If the care label does not allow a wash, don't use borax on that item.
Is borax safe around kids and pets?
The label says to keep borax out of reach of children and pets, and not to take it internally. The safety data sheet notes skin irritation and serious eye irritation, so avoid contact with eyes.
What do reviews say about borax?
The facts here cover only what the maker says and what the label warns. The best guide is what the maker says it is for: laundry booster, pre-soak, homemade laundry soap, laundry stripping and multi-purpose cleaning.
More product guides
How we know this
Every use, amount and warning here comes from the maker's product pages, labels and safety data sheets.