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Crista (Pekin, Illinois) on 10/03/2009
5 out of 5 stars

I have been researching the boron/borax issue because I want to use it, but have been quite afraid because of all the talk of it being toxic or poisonous. So I found a sientific article online that states this:

"Borax is necessary in small amounts for plant growth, one of the 16 essential nutrients. In larger amounts it is poisonous to plants, and the range can be small. For peaches, 1 ppm is required, but more than 5 ppm is toxic. If the signs of boron deficiency are noted in plants, a boron supplement can be applied. Borates can be used as non-toxic and non-specific herbicides. Borates are non-toxic to animals. The LD50 (dose at which there is 50% mortality) for humans is about 6 g per kg of body weight. Anything above 2 g is considered non-toxic, and borates are only 2 to 3 times as toxic as aspirin. Therefore, you are pretty safe unless you eat a pound and a half of borax for a snack. Borates are more toxic to insects than to mammals. The boranes and similar gaseous compounds are quite poisonous. As usual, it is not an element that is intrinsically poisonous, but toxicity depends on structure."

J.B. Calvert, (24 November 2002). Boron. Retrieved 03 October 2009, from http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/boron.htm

Sorry I am all about the references, plus this article has several quality references in it.

My husband was worried about me ingesting this so that is why I have done so much reasearch. I really feel it is safe, but even with this I am still a bit slow to try it. I will get up the courage soon. I just wanted to put this fact out there for all the people that argue about it. I think mainly I am afraid of the detox reaction I might have because my face has been pink for quite some time and if I put lotion on it or anything else it become very red till it is dry. I have washed my face twice with it so far though and it has at least dried up my acne. I also just used a bathroom cup to add water to some borax and then poored it on my hair. After rinsing then I shampooed. It did make it soft, although I tried to combine it with my body wash and it created a perm smell so I am going to do it by itself next time. Good luck everyone who tries Borax, but it is safe in small quantities.

REPLY   10      

Replied By 1947hoppy (Winamac, Indiana) on 02/25/2013

I found a reference to using borax for arthritis quite by accident. Having had more than one bad experience with "possible side effects" from both prescription and otc drugs, my interest is arroused by any and all 'natural' remedies.

Like most people, I want to do plenty of research prior to taking the big step into the unknow. Along the way I happened to google "20 mule team borax" to see what the company itself had to say about their product. I was quite surprised to see this actual quote from their site.

"In earlier times, borax was proclaimed to be a magical crystal that was used to aid digestion, keep milk sweet and even cure epilepsy. Common sense and modern technology have brought us better solutions to these and other problems, but 20 Mule Team Borax still has a place in your home."

I'm not a rocket scientist, but it seems to me that if it can be used to sweeten milk, aid digestion and cure (not help, but cure) epilepsy, in the words of the company that sells it, it would seemingly be safe to mix small amounts with water and consume.

I just picked up a box and will be giving it a try post haste. I also plan to give my aging dog a taste of it for his arthritis.

Glad I found this site, again an accident, and plan to do a lot of reading and perhaps a little contributing.

REPLY   16      

Replied By Carol (Dallas Texas) on 07/16/2025

Hi, did you try this and how did it work out for you?
Can you tell me how you mixed it with water?
Thank you, Carol H.

Replied By Teresa (Southport) on 10/13/2016

I have been reading all day. I use borax to clean my house and have not had to deal with insects inside our home since I sprinkled it under the sinks. Today, I mixed a 1/8 tsp per liter into a 9.6 liter container and began drinking it because the literature says it removes fluoride from the tap water and the human body. Fluoride poisoning has destroyed many lives and no one has been brought to justice to-date. I choose to live as healthy as possible and the more I learn, the more I change to help myself and those around me. Peace to all.
REPLY   22      

Replied By Kathy (Ft Laud) on 06/24/2017

Not an accident.

God led you here as well as me.

REPLY   21      

Replied By Art (California) on 07/16/2025

Hi Carol,

That post was from 2013 and you may not get a reply to your inquiry. In the alternative, here is a link to Earth Clinic's Borax page for arthritis which should answer any questions you may have regarding using Borax for arthritis :

https://www.earthclinic.com/borax-remedy-for-arthritis.html

Art

Replied By Detra (Texas) on 09/12/2026

Hello, where can I get the borax? Is there a certain brand? I was on Amazon it says detergent and some say scented. Thanks
REPLY         

Replied By Prioris (ME) on 09/12/2026

I don't think there is a need to use borax anymore

I have been using

Trace Minerals Ionic Boron Liquid Supplement, 6 mg, 2 fl oz, 48 Servings

It will have magnesium etc

I would consider using a liposomal but the one I see has boron glycinate of 10 mg

Boron glycinate raw powder typically contains between 5% and 12% elemental boron by weight, depending on the specific manufacturing concentration.

so boron glycinate has 1 mg boron. Serving I think should be 6mg.

The premade are much easier to use than borax detergent.

Replied By neco (austria) on 09/13/2026

Hello,
I don't think you'll get very far with just 6mg or 10mg of boron per serving—it's like a Mustang running on an empty gas tank. If you have systemic inflammation, you need more to put out the fire... Borax—the 99.9% pure kind—certainly isn't just a laundry detergent. I've been taking it for several years now—over 3 kg in total. I'm 71 years old and in excellent health...
Take the leap...! Do your research... Google isn't trustworthy...!

Replied By Prioris (ME) on 09/13/2026

I did not specify what dosage a person should take. Just serving size. I just said the amazon liquid ionic boron is more convenient to use. If they need 12 mg, they can double up serving. I caveated that boron glycinate 10 mg does not mean 10 mg of boron. If I take too much boron, I will get a headache People have to figure out their dosage