DIY Borax Lotion
★★★★★
Here's the new page: https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/borax-lotion.html
(Yukon)
07/24/2025
What about adding DMSO to your lotion?????
Hi Marten,
I think the Cetaphil lotion has too many "other ingredients" that the DMSO may help transport into your system and should not be used with this remedy. Used on the hands, as my friend did, this lotion worked fairly quickly by itself, without using DMSO.
Art
(Ohio)
07/24/2025
Hi Pam,
Perhaps you can stop the oral borax while you test the lotion since you say the problem is mainly in your hands. My friend said she got very fast results within the week.
Art
(Texas)
07/24/2025
Tap Water? ..are you crazy? We don't need birth control pills and chlorine in a 'healing lotion! Come On...
Hi Austyn,
As I said in the post, it is just for the test period and given that the whole bottle only contains 1.5 ounces of tap water and you are only getting a tiny bit of that per use, it doesn't seem like that much of a problem, but if it is a problem for you, simply substitute distilled or filtered water for the tap water. Problem solved!
By the way, what water do you use when you take a shower or a bath?
Art
(UK)
07/25/2025
It's interesting that people are finding they have problems with the oral dosing of borax. I'm new to this and couldn't get my head around the difference in total borax between Ted's protocol and Newnham/Last. I have stuck to the latter and am up to 3 teaspoons a day (=9mg boron) spread over 3 doses. Obviously the single dose is as important as the total daily dose. And Ted's protocol using regular sips is less that a 3mg single dose in the Newnham protocol. Personally I found that doubling my 3mg to 6mg in a single dose was too much so I stick to the 3mg (x3 doses/day presently). I still wonder whether the 56mg/112mg of Ted's protocol is not too much, even with the 2 days off per week. I appreciate it's horses for courses.
With regard to Art's topical, could you use aloe vera gel in lieu of the other stuff?
(Okanagan)
07/29/2025
Hi Sue -
I've used Art's wonderful borax lotion using only borax and 100% aloe vera gel from the health food store.
The brand I use is "Lily of the Desert" - made in the U.S. and readily available (I live in Canada). I imagine any 100% pure aloe vera gel would work.
After I combined the borax and aloe vera gel, I let it sit for about 1 hour or 2.
The borax had dissolved completely. The lotion was nice, smooth and moisturizing - ready to be slathered on my aching joints.
I hope it works for you too!
Q&A
I made this up and it was very watery, so I made another batch and used just borax and Baby Oh Baby unscented herbal body lotion. Put both ingredients in a small glass jar with leakproof lid and shook it well.
Since I have my hands in water about 50 times a day I can only do this every evening before bed (I will wear my cotton gloves.)
Q: Is one application in evening going to be enough to help me in about a week or so?
Hi CFit,
The reason for the hot water is to dissolve the borax thoroughly before adding the lotion. If the borax does not fully dissolve, it can make for a gritty mix. If you mix the Cetaphil Lotion at 50% and the water at 50% it will not be too watery, but it will be waterier than just Cetaphil Lotion. The thinner mixture actually spreads easier than straight lotion does.
She told me she only used one application in the evening before bed and she described how it worked for her. I only reported my friends experience in less than a week of use as she said she was willing to test it. No two people are exactly alike so you will have to test it to find out if it works similarly for you.
Art
My friend texted me this morning to say that both of her hands are pain free! It has been about 1.5 weeks that she has used borax lotion on her hands.
Art
I just got the following update from my friend who is testing borax lotion (BL) for arthritis in her hands :
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
' UPDATE ON BORAX LOTION: '
' Art, I just realized that I can close both hands into a fist..... which I couldn't do before..... and I can wring out a washcloth using both hands. The right hand couldn't do that before without a lot of pain. '
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Art
Q&A
Hi rumak,
Applying the borax lotion to the knees just the same as if you were applying regular lotion to the knees for moisturizing, but make sure you apply all the way around the knee front, back and sides. The small bottle should last quite awhile if just using for your knees.
Art
Q&A
Hi Karen,
Yes, It is 20 Mule Team Borax as described here :
https://www.walmart.com/search?q=borax 20 mule team borax&typeahead=borax
Art
Hi Karen,
As far as fibromyalgia pain, I got the following feedback from an Earth Clinic member :
' Now the good news, it works!!! I have fibromyalgia and I am always getting new pains and some go after a while and some stick around and are so bad I can't sleep. My newest pains were in my neck, shoulder, arm and hand and it was bad. I applied the lotion to my shoulder, neck and arm and when I woke up the next morning after sleeping the whole night! The pain was greatly reduced I couldn't believe it!
I am continuing to use it every night and just a touch during the day if I feel the need but my shoulder is 80% better, my arm and neck are being a bit more stubborn but at least 50% better and my hand is also 80% better. I have applied it to a sore bunion and that is pain free now!
I had started to use the magnesium oil in a spray bottle a while back with minimal help with pain but I continue to use it because I know it's good for me.
I also want to mention that I have tried all the prescriptions for Fibromyalgia non of which worked or worked enough to justify the side effects.
I do also take PEA400 (Palmitoylethanolamide) which has also helped me a fair amount and I would recommend to other Fibromyalgia sufferers.
The excellent results from using the melatonin lotion make me a little emotional because being in constant pain is hard on your spirit and I have finally found some relief and I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge with everyone! Thank you Art! '
Here is a link on how to make melatonin lotion at home :
https://www.earthclinic.com/supplements/melatonin-lotion.html
Art
Q&A
★★★★★
Hi Patricia,
Both lotions can be beneficial for arthritic joints, but through different mechanisms of action, which increases the chances of them having synergy together. I can't tell you what to do, but if it were for me, because the borax lotion can reach higher local tissue levels than the oral borax, I would use the borax lotion on my knees in place of the oral borax in order to try and concentrate my efforts toward the knees if these are giving me the most problem. Here is a link discussing boron for joints in OA :
Here is a relevant quote from the link :
' Joint rigidity disappeared in one-half of the mild and medium OA patients in the first 4 weeks and decreased in the remaining one-half by 87.5% on average. By week 8, all subjects with mild- and medium-level OA were rigidity free. Mobility and flexibility were significantly improved in 71.4% of subjects at 4 weeks and in 77.8% at 8 weeks. '
I would also continue melatonin lotion on my knees at night for the potential reparative effects that melatonin has shown for joints in OA as discussed here :
Here is a relevant quote from the link :
' With regards to OA, melatonin reportedly promotes synthesis of cartilage matrix, inhibition of chondrocyte apoptosis, attenuation of inflammatory response, and suppression of matrix degradation by regulating the TGF-β, MAPK, or NF-κB signaling pathways. Notably, melatonin has been associated with amelioration of oxidative damage by restoring the OA-impaired intracellular antioxidant defense system in articular cartilage. '
Please keep us posted on your progress!
Art
(Pittsburgh)
07/25/2025
Thanks so much Art! If I could add to my original question. I also deal with a torn rotator cuff on my right shoulder. Would this combination of melatonin and borax lotions be good for something like this or do you have another recommendation. I'm falling apart :)!
Hi Patricia, I have a friend that was diagnosed with torn tendons and ligaments in his left shoulder after taking a long course of Ciprofloxacin which is noted for causing such issues in people. The doctor ordered a CT scan with contrast dye and told my friend only surgery would work, but he said it was possible that he could be worse after the surgery. So I suggested another option for my friend that worked very well for him. I describe his story here :
Https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/collagen-for-torn-ligaments.html
That was 5 years ago and I just spoke to him and he said he is still doing well! I think three topicals that may help in the repair process are melatonin gel/melatonin lotion, borax lotion and mag oil. All three are beneficial for both tendons and ligaments and the melatonin gel /lotion as well as the mag oil will offer some pain relief. Please keep us posted on your progress!
Art
