Ray (Calgary) on 08/09/2013
"Absolutely nothing is added. No phosphates, per-oxside, chlorine, or other additive chemicals."
It also adds
"20 Mule Team? Borax is 100% natural, and 99.5% pure (there is about a half of 1% of naturally occurring trace minerals). " So any impurities are just other "minerals" and not added "scents" or chemicals etc.
Just stay away from big industry "Borax Alternatives" which are NOT borax. Also stay away from items "containing borax" you want the real borax not some big soap companies "alternatives or concoctions contains it. you want Pure" borax, like 20 mule team or other "pure" ones.
Replied By Timh (Louisville) on 08/10/2013
First, it is not likely that the people reporting a "fragrance smell" are actually having olfactory hallucinations, and the manufacturers are not lying. So, the only realistic explanation is the shipping and storage of the 20 mule team. Guess what other items are housed along side the borax, heavily chemically scented laundry products. The scent is so strong the containers need not be opened. You can go blindfolded and stumbling about the market and easily find the laundry detergent aisle by the strong scent.
20 Mule Team would need to first "bag" the contents, in addition to "boxing" so as to keep the foreign scent from entering.
Replied By Helen In Houston (Houston, Texas Usa) on 02/09/2014
Replied By Robert (Kauai) on 03/11/2024
Replied By Art (California) on 03/12/2024
Hi Robert,Borateem is a completely different product than Borax as seen here :
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dial-Professional-Borateem-Bleach-00145-00145-SPR-DIA00145/2586716744
Is this what you are talking about?
Art
Replied By Mark (Belfast) on 04/21/2024
Can you please confirm how you know that 20 Mule Team borax is Borateem? The wikipedia article for 20 Mule Team borax does not state categorically that it actually is Borateem. The reason it's it a very important distinction is that I was healed of a chronic infection in my oesophagus (believed to be h.pyloi) by taking the 20 Mule Team Borax, but I got the infection again and borax sold by other companies did not have the same beneficial effect. Borateem contains tribromsalan as you said. This is well-known as an antiparasitic medication. (It also contains sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate which is a ionic surfactant used to enhance the effects of both borax and tribromsalan.) From my experience I put down my healing to the tribromsalan in the product - which makes me suspect you are right to say that 20 Mule Team borax is in fact Borateem - but I would really like to confirm this! Thank you.
Replied By Robert (Kapaa, HI) on 05/15/2024
20 mule team borax is borateem. it is formulated and owned by a large corporation. it is marketed as 20 mule team borax. not to be confused with 100% borax. it's marketing deception. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20_Mule_Team_Borax
Replied By Art (California) on 05/15/2024
Hi Robert,Both products are made by Dial, but are not exactly the same according to the following article link :
https://sciencing.com/difference-sodium-chlorite-sodium-chloride-8146966.html
Here is a quote from the article :
Ingredients
Dial states that Borateem is a "color-safe dry bleach." According to www.pesticideinfo.org, Borateem is 98.7 percent borax but also includes tribromsalan, a microbiocide, and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, an insecticide. Borax does not contain other ingredients.
Here is an image of Borateem :
https://www.officecrave.com/borateem-00145.html
Here is an image of 20 Mule Team Borax, the one often discussed on EC :
Art