Hair and Scalp
★★★★★
(sandwich, ma)
04/13/2009
Sounds like a stupid and superficial question is it safe for color treated hair? I would love to try this remedy internaly and externaly but i am so scared. Also has anyone had experience with borox and dogs with pnemonia if so please post.
(Detroit, MI USA)
05/28/2009
I used 20 Mule Borax on my color treated hair (1/2 cup disolved in 1 liter water) and experienced some fall out the first few times. If you have thick hair, I wouldn't worry too much since I think it was more or less because the hair was already damaged. Now it doesn't affect it at all when I used it.
(Indianapolis, USA)
06/09/2009
Hi! I tried using Borax today for the first time for an itchy, flaky scalp. I mixed some of the ___ brand with my shampoo. The strange part is that when I mixed some of it with the shampoo, it smelled a bit like ammonia. The shampoo I use is from Whole Foods Market. It is a fragrance free, paraben free shampoo. Does anyone know if I should be concerned about the smell? I like the way it lathers when mixed with a shampoo more than just the Borax itself. Also, how much should I be using? I think I may have used too much because my hair felt rough and un-combable at first and I had to use a lot of conditioner (which usually isn't the case), but I did like the result once it dried. Would I be better off doing a borax/water rinse before shampooing? Thanks for everyone's comments, and this website is SO helpful!
(Mineral Bluff, Georgia)
06/10/2009
Hi Rachel From Indianapolis, I am one that uses Borax daily, as a body wash and hair shampoo. You don't need to mix with anything but water. It is a wonderful and cheap body wash and hair shampoo as is. I know it's hard to get use to because it does not foam, but just pour on and massage into the scalp, and all over the body, rinse, and your done. I still don't need to even use any underarm deodorant, even more money saved, Peace, Rena.
(Indianapolis, IN)
06/10/2009
Thanks for your feedback! I will give that a try! Do you make a water/Borax solution to use on your hair and body? If so, what are the measurements you use? Thanks again!
(Miami, Florida)
08/30/2009
Hi , I also started to use borax with the whole food market shampoo and I can also smell ammonia in my hair when I have it one. Is it normal? I tried to use it with water but my hair was not soft. In how many days my hair will get use to it and how much should I use in a quart of water. Please let me know how much ratio is used of borax:water when you shampoo your hair. Thanks! I am already benefitting with borax remedy for Candida that I suspect I have. I might not but I did have burning mouth for 10 years without ill effects to my health but last year I was diagnosed with auto immune disease of Thyroid "GRAVES" and then I realized that it might be the flouride toxins in water that I am allergic to so I started to detox with borax. I know it will help me if I have candida.
I just take 1/8 tsp of borax and put is one liter of water which is approximately 4 and1/2 glsses and I drink that all day long till it lasts, in a day for 4 days than I rotate with iodine ( Lugal's) 2% 3 to 4 drops in a glass of water for four days and then I take Hydrogen peroxide 3%, 5 drops in water for 4 days and then I take propolis extract one dropper full in water for 4 days to boost my immune system and so on. I am also on candida diet for six months or so. I am feeling better but now I have heavy legs that is not going away even though I took Vitamin E and magnesium/potassium. If any one knows any thing I am doing wrong or should do more let me know. Thanks! I love this site and the people who made this site possible. God bless you all.
(Valencia, Ca)
04/20/2015
I had alot of small bumps behind my upper arms, which a Naturopath said indicates Candida, so I took an anti-candida product and that's all I took, and it was gone well within 2 months. No special diets, etc. Love the stuff. Hope you try it & have the same experience.
(Fresno, Ca)
04/29/2016
Hi--- you say your legs are heavier-- I understand that to mean water retention or bloating water retention in your legs?
that means to me your liver is working slow or the liver is getting backed up---I will suggest a liver detox and milk thistle--super milk thistle will help detox the liver and help get the water out faster.
Google-- benefits of milk thistle.
Hope this info helps-- I use milk thistle everyday and my legs are doing well. I used to have water retention not anymore.
Borax detoxes the whole body and milk thistle helps the liver detox.
Hair and Scalp
★★★★★
(Regina, Canada)
09/16/2008
To Kayta from Grand Rapids: Do you make some kind of shampoo with the borax or do you put it straight on your head? Thanks
(Traverse City, Michigan)
10/19/2012
I bought a box of Borax this week after reading all the "Yeas" about its effectiveness with itchy scalp. I was a bit nervous about using it and so kept reading things on this site and on the web. After coming across this website, I decided not to risk it: http://www.enviroblog.org/2011/02/borax-not-the-green-alternative-its-cracked-up-to-be.html
(Illinois, US)
11/09/2014
Jean,
I looked at the article you posted and there is zero scientific study to back it up and the tone is all opinion of one individual; as in "It's also in slimy toys and some nutritional supplements.". Certainly not a statement one would find in a scientific article.
I believe this article is more the truth. http://educate-yourself.org/cn/boraxconspiracy03jul12.shtml
Hair and Scalp
★★★★★
Hair and Scalp
★★★★★
(Kansas, USA)
10/04/2008
I'd been trying to find the amount of borax to use for shampoo when I stumbled upon a website that sold borax shampoo in the form of 1/8 cup of dry borax in a bottle (appears to be a 1 quart or 1 liter bottle). You simply add water and use as shampoo so I'm going to try that.
Apparently, several people use it but can only find one (Thanks Jackie!) who uses 2 tablespoons borax in 2 quarts of water. How about the others? How much do you use and how do you apply it?
Interstitial Cystitis
★★★★★
I used 2 different kinds of litmus paper by (Hydrion, bought on Amazon) to measure the PH of my drinks and my coffee which went from being acidic to alkaline with Borax in it and also bought litmus paper from the same company and place that is used to measure the PH of saliva and urine. My urine went from 5.5 to 7.0 - 8.0 within a 2 to 3 days.
I used up to a 1/4 of a teaspoon on some days. I weigh just a little over 100 lbs.
It not only took away the left sided kidney pain, but also stopped the excruciating burning bladder pain of Interstitial Cystitis.
Hopefully, you feel confident enough now to give the regular grocery store 20 Mule Team brand a try, to see if it can help with whatever is ailing you.
Blessings, Kim.
P.S. I would greatly appreciate, if EC could add/create this information under Conditions of both "Borax Health Benefits" and under Remedies for "Interstitial Cystitis" to create a known remedy/cure for Interstitial Cystitis. Thank you.
(CA)
10/05/2025
Hi Kim, although I have not used diluted dmso orally I do use it topically. I have read that it is prescribed by doctors for interstitial cystitis. You should look into the many benefits of DMSO and how to dilute for oral use. No prescription is needed to purchase DMSO however if you can get a doctor to prescribe it, I'm sure it will have specific dosage directions for use.
(Virginia)
10/08/2025
Just read your piece and I have a question about Borax...Are you saying that you can use it from the Box??????
(UK)
10/10/2025
Yes, mule team borax can be used directly as it is from the box.
(USA)
10/22/2025
Is sodium borate the same as sodium tetraborate?
(Uk)
05/23/2026
(Kansas City, MO)
06/01/2026
Yes, Ab, they are the same exact thing.Uk is just adding on the Decahydrate term at the end and also using the word "substitute" to throw you off. All it means is that 10 molecules of water have been added to the dry solution. They are using Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate here in the US in 20 Mule Team formula as well. Dry formula without the 10 molecules of water would be called Anhydrous Sodium Tetraborate. No one is using that. US just drops the Decahydrate word and isn't listed on the box.Uk is trying to confuse folks by stating it is a Borax "Substitute" when it is not.
A quick Google AI search will confirm this information. This is the intended purpose for AI! To stop the nonsense of confusing everyone without fear mongering cautionaries and just stating facts. This is a much better resource than looking everything up in separate internet articles that have opinions and non-stop cautionaries so the AMA, FDA and every other 3 letter acronym cannot threaten to sue a poster posting on their website.
Kidney Pain
★★★★★
For my Kidney Stone on the right side in 2014, after seeing a Urologist, it was confirmed via just a regular X-ray (No CT Scan or any other tests) that I had a 3 mm stone. I went forward with having a lithotripsy and within about 3 weeks or less, it never bothered me again on the right side.
To no avail I tried to get the same Urologist to confirm the left sided kidney stone I knew I had. He said unfortunately, there was too much gas in my abdomen to see anything on the x-ray, so it was too bad, so sad for me, because he was now a very busy Cancer Urologist that didn't have time to see me again or do another x-ray. I assume this was more over not just because he was super busy, but due to the insurance game. Could've done another X-ray and tried putting air in my stomach before taking again, but didn't and wouldn't. I lived with this excruciating stabbing pain in my left kidney for 2 to 3 years.
I saw another Urologist in April 2023 without insurance and paid out-of-pocket. Got a CT scan and they said they found no kidney stone on left side. So, I began taking Borax for joint and bone pain in my coffee in the mornings and while it hasn't yet fixed my joint/bone pain, my left kidney no longer hurts and even when I stopped using the Borax the pain only returned for a couple of days. Then I used it again and once again the pain went away and since Nov. 2024 it has not returned and I am very inconsistent with the Borax.
So if you are dealing with excruciating back sided pain in the kidney area, I HIGHLY recommend trying Borax (20 Mule Team).
I am so thankful! God Bless you Earth Clinic and for everyone that shares their incredible testimonies that doctors can't seem to validate nor fix.
(Florida)
07/06/2025
Great information
(Nevada)
07/29/2025
Hi, I am really curious about this as a natural remedy. What amount do I use and how do I take it?
(Kansas City, MO)
08/05/2025
Hi Stephanie (Nevada). What I did each day was measure out a rounded 1/8th of a teaspoon and put it in a Ramekin. Then I would take a pinch and put it in each cup of coffee (about 4 cups) in the morning. I would use most of it in the morning, but would still have a little left over in the Ramekin to put in warm spring water in the evening.
I used 2 different kinds of litmus paper by (Hydrion, bought on Amazon) to measure the PH of my drinks and my coffee which went from being acidic to alkaline with Borax in it and also bought litmus paper from the same company and place that is used to measure the PH of saliva and urine. My urine went from 5.5 to 7.0 - 8.0 within a 2 to 3 days.
I used up to a 1/4 of a teaspoon on some days. I weigh just a little over 100 lbs.
It not only took away the left sided kidney pain, but also stopped the excruciating burning bladder pain of Interstitial Cystitis.
Hopefully, you feel confident enough now to give the regular grocery store 20 Mule Team brand a try, to see if it can help with whatever is ailing you.
Blessings, Kim.
P.S. I would greatly appreciate, if EC could add/create this information under Conditions of both "Borax Health Benefits" and under Remedies for "Interstitial Cystitis" to create a known remedy/cure for Interstitial Cystitis. Thank you.
(Tampa, Fl)
12/01/2025
An excellent resource for the benefits of borax is a channel in Telegram: Borax and Boron 4 Health. Hope this helps 😊
(USA)
12/05/2025
Just a thought: It would be nice when links are mentioned that they would be included directly in the conversation. Also, there are a lot of abbreviations on this sight, so it would be appreciated especially for newcomers that terms would be written in full form with abbreviation to follow in the rest of the conversation. Much appreciation! This sight is very much appreciated for the wealth of knowledge it provides, and thanks to eveyone involved!!! .
Where to Buy
Where to Buy
I placed
PURE ORIGINAL INGREDIENTS Borax Powder (2 lb) Sodium Borate, Multipurpose Cleaning Agent, Ideal Slime Ingredient
into my Amazon cart but don't know if it is the right product. Any advice? Thanks
Hi Stuart,
This is the product that is most commonly discussed on EC :
This product is usually available in the laundry aisle of most major markets and is also available at Walmart and Target.
Art

