Borax Dosages
Hi Ted, and anyone else out there, thanks again for sharing all your wonderful experiences and knowledge!
I wanted to know if borax at the 1/8 teaspoon in 1 lt of water taken 3 to 4 days a week over three weeks is too much for an elderly person?
My mum is 87 yrs suffering from chronic arthritis and pneumonia, last year we thought we would lose her at the hands of the hospital due to the excessive amounts of drugs. I would like to try it with her before winter returns.
The reason I ask is I know it's highly alkaline and Dr Sircus mentions in his book for Bicarb therapies not to take more than 3 x 1/2 teaspoon bicarb per day if over 60. ( I assumed it was due to the alkalinity) and wondered if it's the same with Borax.
Many thanks.
(New York, Ny)
02/15/2013
Hi Maria, I personally would be careful with that amount of borax for someone your mother's age. If she starts to detox from heavy metals too rapidly, it might cause her to weaken considerably. How about considering the homeopathic dosage of borax instead of the powder?
(Sydney, Australia)
02/18/2013
Maria, I don't think I would be giving my 87 year old mother borax. I would keep to foods.
Apple Cider vinegar (1-2 tablespoons in a big glass of water) and lemon juice every morning in warm water are both good for arthritis. They both dissolve the calcium deposits around the arthritic joints. If you have ever had a kettle that calcified and cleaned it with vinegar you can see how it dissolves calcified things.
I don't know whether borax is organic or inorganic. If it is inorganic the body cannot utilise it. Apple cider vinegar and lemon juice are organic and have many health benefits apart from being good for arthritis.
(Reston, Va)
03/23/2013
http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm: The article details the arthritis dosages, it's only 30 miligrams per day. Way less than 1/4 or 1/8 teaspoon.
(Cape Town, South Africa)
05/11/2013
Sandra said "If it is inorganic the body cannot utilise it."
I'm sorry Sandra but that is incorrect. The word "organic" is oft misunderstood and misused. In this context it basically refers to mollecules containing carbon. So table salt (NaCl), for example, is inorganic. You wouldn't wish to have me believe that the body cannot utilise salt, would you? Our bodies would die without a whole host of micronutirents which are all inorganic.
The other definition of "organic" is a descriptor of farming practices (not using artificial pesticides and fertilizers). Though this too is a vastly misuderstood topic it does not apply here.
In brief then: borax is an inorganic compound of sodium, boron and oxygen. When it is ingested the body uses particularly the boron as a vital micronutient as we get enough sodium from other sources.
(Cape Town, South Africa)
05/11/2013
Maria said "I wanted to know if borax at the 1/8 teaspoon in 1 lt of water taken 3 to 4 days a week over three weeks is too much for an elderly person?"
Maria, I think that sounds fine. You'll be starting your mum on a very low dose so you can see how she goes. At such a low dosage you are extremely unlikely to get adverse symptoms (as might happen from a too fast heavy-metal chelation or a too fast die-off of candida or other pathogens). Then, as her body acclimatizes you can slowly up the dose. You can comfortably take it up to as much as 1 teaspoon per litre - just don't give her more than a teaspoon of the mixture per day. See how this goes. You can keep her at that level for years with no problems but you can also drop it back down to a lower maintenance dose later.
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Dude said "only 30 miligrams per day. Way less than 1/4 or 1/8 teaspoon."
Dude, the recommended dosage is perhaps a 1 teaspoon of borax in a litre of water of which only 1 teaspoon is taken per day. This will deliver about 7mg effective dosage per day which is good for healing most boron-deficiency diseases. Once health is regained then one can go down to about 1/4 teaspoon for a maintenance dose.
(Ca)
12/15/2016
Thanks for that comment - I was about to respond with the same but you did so very well. There is quite a bit of misunderstanding out there in regards to nutrition - not everyone takes chemistry in college. As a microbiologist I try to offer some information in regards to yeast infection and normalizing gut flora. Much is lost to people of the order generation that did not have the advantage of education our kids have today - basic biology and chemistry principles are now taught at junior high levels. Hopefully they'll have a solid grasp of these kind of things an will be capable of choosing alternative healing practices with understanding and confidence.
Borax Dosages
Hi I have nothing against borax but just so you know what levels are harmful or have adverse effects I wanted to post this abstract from a study in the area. I would be keen to hear feedback, I unfortunatly can't access the study myself without paying to see it. So the limited information I have attained from this study is that you are safe to use borax as long as you can keep the levels at 175 ppm as (boron equivalent).
What sort of dose that is I do not know and would not like to go over it.
Now I have heard it is a great chemical for chelation of metals. Does it also chelate fluorides? This is really my main interest as fluorides are recommended to be kept below a certain level and evidence suggests I would be surpassing this. Not that I would no how to test this to be true.
One last comment the zeolite clinoptilite sounds brilliant for taking the heavy metals, I have done little research into it, all thoughts and responses welcome. Thank you
Here's the abstract:
Abstract
In Sprague-Dawley rats the acute po LD50 values for borax were 4.5 g/kg and 4.98 g/kg in males and females. respectively; boric acid, 3.45 g/kg in males and 4.08 g/kg in females. In Long-Evans male rats the LD50 values for borax and boric acid were 6.08 g/kg and 3.16 g/kg, respectively. In 90 day feeding studies, rats tolerated both borax and boric acid at 525 ppm boron equivalent. Dogs displayed no adverse effect at 175 ppm of borax (as boron equivalent) and 525 ppm of boric acid (as boron equivalent). In rats, high boron levels at 1750 and 5250 ppm of both compounds caused growth suppression, decreased food utilization efficiency, degeneration of gonads and skin desquamation on the paws and tails. At the 1750 ppm level, both boron compounds produced testicular atrophy in all male dogs. Two year dietary feeding studies indicated that both borax and boric acid could be tolerated by rats and dogs at 350 ppm boron equivalent. Rats fed dietary boron compounds at 1170 ppm levels showed toxic signs which were found to be similar to those observed in subchronic studies. Testicular degeneration was also observed in rats and dogs fed 1170 ppm levels. Reproduction studies revealed that rats fed both borax and boric acid at 1170 ppm boron equivalent were sterile. Both compounds at 350 ppm boron equivalent had no adverse effect on fertility, lactation, litter size, weight and appearance.
EC: The above-referenced abstract is from ScienceDirect here.
Here is ppm conversion chart: http://www.peteducation.com/category.cfm?c=0+1305
Borax Dosages
If you compare the borax LD50 (median lethal dose) values to that of ordinary table salt, you will get some clarity as to the comparable toxicity of Borax. Here is the LD50 values for the oral toxicity of table salt in a rat study:
LD50 is 3000 mg/kg in rats.
Link to MSDS sheet for salt:
http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/SO/sodium_chloride.html
So when compared to the LD50 figures for borax (from the last post) this means that borax appears to be of a similar toxicity to rats as ordinary table salt. Anything above LD50 2000 mg/kgm is generally regarded as Low Toxicity.
Borax for Children
I use it with all my kids, down to age 2. Used sparingly, it is very safe and effective. I always treat our juice with a pinch of Borax if it is "from concentrate." Also, canned foods contain fluoride, so it is good to add a tiny amount of Borax to any dish with canned ingredients.
(Lincoln, Nebraska)
07/12/2021
Hi I am new here and have a question. I am going to start borax for many reasons but I'm most interested in whether I can give to my children in small doses and how do I calculate how much? I want so badly for them to have good health after a year of bad health for me. I just don't want to harm them in the process of doing what I thought was best! What do you generally think about children and borax?
Borax Health Benefits
I read a variety of published information and studies about potential health benefits of boron supplementation and safety of dosage. I found these to be useful summaries: ___ http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm
Excerpt from Walter Last.
The Borax Conspiracy — How the Arthritis Cure has been stopped. 2011.
“Boron is distributed throughout the body with the highest concentration in the parathyroid glands, followed by bones and dental enamel. It is essential for healthy bone and joint function, regulating the absorption and metabolism of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus through its influence on the parathyroid glands. With this boron is for the parathyroids what iodine is for the thyroid. Boron deficiency causes the parathyroids to become overactive, releasing too much parathyroid hormone which raises the blood level of calcium by releasing calcium from bones and teeth. This then leads to osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis, osteoporosis and tooth decay. With advancing age high blood levels of calcium lead to calcification of soft tissues causing muscle contractions and stiffness; calcification of endocrine glands, especially the pineal gland and the ovaries; arteriosclerosis, kidney stones, and calcification of the kidneys ultimately leading to kidney failure. Boron deficiency combined with magnesium deficiency is especially damaging to the bones and teeth. Boron affects the metabolism of steroid hormones, and especially of sex hormones. It increases low testosterone levels in men and oestrogen levels in menopausal women. It also has a role in converting vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing calcium uptake and deposition into bone and teeth rather than causing soft tissue to calcify. Also other beneficial effects have been reported such as improvement of heart problems, vision, psoriasis, balance, memory and cognition.”
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712861/
Excerpt from Lara Pizzorno, MDiv, MA, LMT. Nothing Boring About Boron. IMCJ Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal. 2015 Aug; 14(4): 35–48. “Boron has been proven to be an important trace mineral because it (1) is essential for the growth and maintenance of bone; (2) greatly improves wound healing; (3) beneficially impacts the body's use of estrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D; (4) boosts magnesium absorption; (5) reduces levels of inflammatory biomarkers, such as hs-CRP and TNF-α; (6) raises levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; (7) protects against pesticide-induced oxidative stress and heavy-metal toxicity; (8) improves brain electrical activity, cognitive performance, and short-term memory in elders; (9) influences the formation and activity of key biomolecules, such as SAM-e and NAD+; (10) has demonstrated preventive and therapeutic effects in a number of cancers, such as prostate, cervical, and lung cancers and multiple and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; and (11) may help ameliorate the adverse effects of traditional chemotherapeutic agents.”
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Borax is an compound of boron. Borax (sodium borate) is a natural mineral mined from the earth like salt (sodium chloride), both of which have a long history of being used to preserve food. I read that borax and salt are generally considered safe in small amounts and of similar toxicity (LD50) in large amounts. California is home to one of the world's largest borax deposits from which 20 Mule Team Borax has been manufactured since 1891. The product is packaged in its pure form, with no chemical additives. The only processing it receives after its removal from the ground is washing, drying and packaging. The product is 99.5 percent pure, with the remaining 1/2 of 1 percent containing naturally occurring trace minerals, with no risk of heavy metals. I read that pharmaceutical grade borax is not noticeably purer or better. I wash my hands after handling borax powder and am careful not to get it in eyes. To make a borax solution, I add one US teaspoon (leveled-off, average 4620 mg on my Weighmax CT20 milligram scale) of borax powder and 16 US fluid ounces of purified water into a cooking pot. I heat on the stove until the solution boils for one minute, and stir until the borax is fully dissolved. I pour the solution into a labeled glass jar with lid and store in a dark location at room temperature. 4620 mg borax powder * 0.113 (11.3% boron by weight) = 522.1 mg boron, divided by 64 (number of 1/2 US tablespoons in 16 US fluid ounces water) = 8 mg boron A 1/2 US tablespoon of this solution with 8 mg boron is comparable to the estimated 5–8 mg/day boron intake for people in parts of the world such as Israel and Western Australia which have high boron levels in the soil and water (and very low rates of arthritis at 1% or less). This amount is well under the Upper Tolerable Limit (UL) of 20 mg/day boron, determined unlikely to cause any adverse effects for healthy people in long term use.
Borax in Slow Release Capsule
Hello,
Can I take the 1/4 teaspoon of Borax and put it in a slow release veg capsule?
(Somewhere in Europe)
06/17/2022
Eric, Great question. Yes, exactly, how about using slow-release veg capsules?
Alternatively, Everybody, how about using regular gelatin capsules, taking one capsule every 4 hours (that is a total of 4 capsules per day) where each capsule contains only 1/16 teaspoon of Borax?
RB & Eric,
If you just follow the original method that Ted described of mixing the borax in a quart of water and sipping a bottle everyday for 4 or 5 days a week, that is essentially a slow release of the borax all day. Sometimes simple works just fine.
Art
(chicago)
06/18/2022
Art - much appreciate your knowledge. I'm having some herx at very low doses. I'll be using my quart of borax over some extended time until my body tells me I'm ready to increase. My -question is - should the solution be kept refrigerated? thanks much.
Jake,
Refrigeration between uses would be a good idea. I never have to refrigerate because I finish what I make in one dose now and I take it all at once since I have gotten to pain free.
Art
(Bulgaria)
08/17/2022
Yes, it is not problem to refrigerate it, even it is better for me.
Borax Interaction With Other Supplements
I haven't found anything online, and couldn't get into Ted's remedies yet, so couldn't check there. I am trying to find out if drinking Borax solution (for women the 1/8 tsp in a liter of water) would interfere with other supplements? I take magnesium, calcium, black seed oil, D3, and B-complex. Thank you much:)
Hello Denise, The only thing recommended not to take with borax, is lugol's iodine. I see you're supplementing calcium, modern diets should have enough calcium without need to supplement, there is concern they contribute to stones, Spurs, and more problematic, is the hardening of arteries. You may research more, always recommend, and find vitamin k2, readily available in grass fed butter, a better way of ensuring the calcium you consume goes to bones and teeth, and not elsewhere.
(Crescent City, Ca)
02/26/2019
I looked at a list of 15 foods that have calcium in the link below Teena. I only eat 4 of the 15. Now I could "learn" to eat Tofu and a couple of the other things, but it makes me think a 100 mg tablet of Calcium isn't going to hurt me. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-calcium-rich-foods#section16 I could be wrong but without milk, cheese and yogurt for example (which I can't eat, at least until I overcome my acid reflux) I don't think I get even close to a daily RDA. I do eat real butter, but not a lot, just on toast usually. So going back to the borax which is my interest in asking the question, the Lugols Iodine is not something I use at all. I think I get enough in my Seasalt, Lima beans (baby are my fave and when I finish off what I've frozen in jars, I make another pot) eggs, tuna, and cod when I can get it. So that makes me wonder about the Borax and some of my fave foods, which, contain iodine? Unless Lugols (the brand) has something to do with it.
(Faithville, Us)
02/27/2019
Just curious about the warning of using borax with lugols iodine together in same day....are there any article links on the warnings available. Appreciate the heads up. Blessings, Charity.
Hello Charity,
Where did I read but to take borax and LI together? Earth Clinic. But not from Ted, I believe it was much respected Bill (apologies if I am wrong) who replied to a post asking about how one can do different protocols at once. I didn't find that particular post, and in fact Ted posts show a few posts where he has asked about both remedies, he never posted a warning. But it makes sense to me, if borax can detox fluoride, bromine, it can likely displace another halide, iodine. So I stopped using borax and only use Iodine. I did find this link, however, with borax referenced as antidote to iodine at bottom of this page. I am interested in others thoughts also.
(OH)
03/01/2019
Hi Teena, As I remember this, it was a good number of years ago that I was taking both iodine and borax in the morning together. Then one day, Bill posted how oxidants and antioxidants just cancel each other out, and borax and iodine should NOT be taken together. I have kept them apart from that day on. I often wonder if other supplements I take fall into that same category because I don't know what is an antioxidant and what is an oxidant. I have often thought that a list could be beneficial for this reason. Maybe someone with more knowledge could post something on this. I have always appreciated that information from Bill.
(California)
03/01/2019
Rsw, I don't understand, both borax and iodine have antioxidant activity. Art
(OH)
03/06/2019
Hi Art,
I have tried to find the comment from Bill but haven't been successful. I researched what you are saying, and it seems to be correct, although I did see reference to iodine as a possible oxident in some cases(?), which I did not understand. I have also read that taking small amounts of iodine can leave the body in a state of inflammation, so I have backed off taking it for now, until I get a better understanding of how it works. My latest thyroid test had an inflated TSH value which I read on the Stop the Thyroid Madness site can be caused iodine, and is harmless. Since I take the LDN, I thought perhaps my thyroid was normalized and had not been taking any natural thyroid meds regularly, just iodine occasionally, but have stopped the iodine and now take a low dose of Armour. Currently trying the Remag/Remyte solutions to try to build bone mass, along with D/K2. Thinking about adding ashwagandha for sleep, but think I read some reason that I should NOT take it, but can't remember why. Thank you for your always insightful comments and your willingness to share all that you have researched with everyone to help us find solutions to health questions and problems. Not many people have your research skills and tenacity to find answers!
(Faithville, Us)
03/01/2019
I am curious, so I inquire. Thank you for the information. I use iodine after my morning shower but I know the Chlorine in the shower is a halide that gets into the iodine ports before the iodine I use. Then late in the day I use borax as a foot soak. Love, Charity
(Virginia USA)
04/03/2022
None of us need calcium supplements. Most of us have too much.
For those of us who are elderly, we are stiff and full of stones from excess calcium, the stones causing pain also, sharp pain when encountered by or resident in nerve cells.
Also avoid ANY soy products. Soy is a poison in and of itself. Then of course in the U.S. all of it is GMO'd. (Watch Tony Pantalleresco - Canadian herbalist, on youtube, as he rants on soy and why we should never consume it. He's the individual who turned me on to Borax and other vital lifesaving yet inexpensive products.)
Back to calcium: EMF radiation that we are surrounded with these days affects the voltage gated calcium channels of our cells dramatically, which causes calcium build up INSIDE the cells with no subsequent release. Major problems result.
For these excess or misplaced calcium problems, borax is so helpful.
Sorry all, link provided. Click here.
Rsw, thank you for your reply, as I was unable to find the post to which I read. I know vitamin c, as is clove, are powerful antioxidanst, clove more so, vitamin c + lugol's iodine = dha, superantioxidant. Hydrogen Peroxide, I believe, is an oxidant, and as such I have not used it, but have it just in case.
Borax Pentahydrate Vs Borax Decahydrate
Could anybody tell me if borax pentahydrate and borax decahydrate, both being only 5 molecules apart, are both safe to ingest using Ted's recipe?
(Nelson)
07/12/2012
Hello daniel, I am also in NZ, want to know if you found out more info on pentahydrate borax as that is what I've bought from the binn inn. I want to use it for helping me cure my arthritis as well as fungal nails. Looking forward to your reply, many thanks
(Perth, Western Australia)
12/14/2012
The chemical difference is that the Borax Pentahydrate molecule has 5 water molecules attached, and the Borax Decahydrate molecule has 10 water molecules attached.
The practical difference is that the Borax Pentahydrate is around 15% Boron, whereas the Borax Decahydrate molecule is 'bigger' because of the extra water molecules and as a result the ratio of Boron content is less, at about 10% of the total weight.
They are identical substances except for the molecular water content and the resulting different proportions of the element Boron. Since the Pentahydrate is 'stronger' at 15% Boron, you should reduce the doses by around 1/3rd to get to the equivalent Decahydrate doses. That's all.
Borax Safety
I am posting this recent double-blind randomized placebo-controlled human clinical trial of the low dose use of borax (NTB) or calcium fructoborate (CFB) in conjunction with entanercept (Enbrel) for arthritis patients, in the hope that it will answer some questions that people interested in borax might have regarding arthritis and borax.
To compare this dosing to what Ted recommended years ago, the CFB was given at a dose of 220 mg per day or about one fourth of the dose that Ted recommended for men. The borax was given at only 55 mg per day which is roughly 1/18th of the dose Ted recommended for men. The low borax dose is similar to the minimum dose that Dr. Rex Newnham found to be effective in some people.
Here is a link to the full study:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5289089/
Studies involving borax and humans or animals are often centered on testing the toxicity of borax. In most of these toxicity studies borax shows itself to be relatively safe at the doses that most people use for arthritis symptom management.
In this study CFB was shown to be more effective than NTB, but it should be noted that NTB was given at one fourth the dose of CFB and this may partially explain the difference in effectiveness. For those of you wondering where you can get calcium fructoborate, it is available on Amazon.
CFB is very significantly cheaper than Enbrel which costs between $2,444 to $2,690 per month for the dose used in this study (50 mg), according to Consumer Reports. CFB costs about fifty cents a day. Borax is significantly cheaper than CFB at less than a nickel per day.
Borax and other borates have a relatively good safety profile, but it should be noted that in this study, patients who have, ' hypersensitivity or severe adverse effects to boron containing formulas ' were not allowed in the study. This is a point I have tried to make before, that some people simply can not tolerate borax and to continue to try and take it when your body is reacting badly to it may be just asking for more health problems. On the other hand, for people who do tolerate borax, it can be life changing. By comparison, the bilogic drug used in this study can have severe adverse health effects that may include death according to this link:
http://www.druglib.com/reported-side-effects/enbrel/seriousness_death/
In any case, I hope this study answers some of the questions that people considering borax may have. I never expected to see a study like this, but I am glad to see that the science is starting to confirm what many who use borax successfully already know!
Art
(Ten Mile, Tn)
03/26/2017
ART, you hit this one out of the park. I gave you a love, but wanted to tell you personally. You probably now have a bounty on your head.
===ORH===
Borax Safety
Below is my email to intralabs and their reply stating the safety of borax, the only toxic effects apply to unborn babies whose mother ingests. The 'powers that be' have left that bit out to make us think toxicity applies to all of us, hence shops removing borax and replacing with borax substitute (which really is toxic!! ). Email intralabs yourselves for reassurance. They are very cheap too. Label warnings of dangers and toxicity are put on Borax by law.
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From: mark speed Sent: 24 October 2014 06:26 To: [email protected] Subject: Borax or Borax?
Hi, Im confused about 'Borax' mainly as my nan used to drink small amounts to rid herself from arthritus, also using it as shampoo then rinsing afterwards with citric acid, she fed her plants with it as every living organisms cells require borax! So I dont understand why yr Material Safety Data Sheet says it is toxic ingested and a skin irritant?
She is still alive & free from arthritus and swears by the stuff. When talking with a few oldies at my mums residential care home it became clear that a fair few in their generation used borax on skin and ingested with no problems, I think the borax product was called '20 mule' or similar.
Please could you tell me why yours is so toxic please?? Also...I always understood that borax and boric acid are the same substance apart from one of them has more water molecules than the other, any advice on this lol?
I want to purchase from you but not if you sell a toxic form as im removing all mainstream pollutant chemicals from my home, then just using borax, citris acid, soap flakes, soda crystals, bicarb of soda and white vinegar for everything from hardcore cleaning, laundry, personal hygiene, pet and my shampoo, insecticide etc (the oldies convinced me there is no need for the squillions of products poisoning us everyday just so some fat cat corporate ****rs can rake in the profits at our expense).
Hope you can help me aquire the borax I talk of if you dont supply the safe version, all I can find is a substitute which my gran says is not borax either!!
Thanks in advance Mark
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Sent: Friday, October 24,2014 at 4:27 PM From: "Intralabs - Dan" To: "'mark speed'" Subject: RE: Borax or Borax?
Hi
Borax was reclassified 4 years ago as Repro-toxic by the EU which means that it could damage fertilitiy or an unborn child if eaten.
Borax is not toxic to your general health (other than that just stated) and is actually less toxic than table salt.
This is the reason why your relative is quite well and not ill. 20 mule team borax is the same as the borax we sell, the only difference is that it's not classed as repro-toxic by US law but is by EU law.
20 mule team is a brand of borax, it's all the same.
Kind regards Dan
Intra-Laboratories, Unit 5, Devonshire Meadows, Broadley Park Road Plymouth, PL6 7EZ
Tel: 01752 724109, www.intralabs.co.uk
Borax Safety
Stop being afraid of borax. It is wonderful stuff. As has been said before, it is about as toxic as salt. Regarding purity, borax is mined just like table salt. You can't refine either one any further. Hey, try to wash them and they dissolve, fer pitty sake.
One of the neatest benefits of boron is it basically doubles your absorption rate of calcium. It is required for strong bones.
The easy way to take borax is to get some gelatin capsules from yout pharmacy or health food store and make your own borax pills. Remember to take them with a cup of water.
If you found scented borax you goofed and bought boric acid instead. Some boric acid brands are perfumed. Boric acid is not dangerous, other than the fact it is acidic. Diluted it has been used for sprains, pains, bug bites and rashes for ages.
Boric acid is the one you want to use for insect control. Ants, termites, cockroaches and the like have a waxy coating on their bodies. Even a speck of boric acid will kill them by burning a hole in the coating so they dehydrate. I suspect a dusting would do the same for bedbugs.
Any form of borax is deadly to fungus. I sprayed the inside hull of my antique wooden boat to stop dry rot. Drill a hole near the base of a fence post, pour in some borax, and plug it. The borax diffuses through the wood to stop rot.
Borax Safety
To All E/C readers, there was an old posting mentioned that Borax 20 Mule contains fragrance/scent. Here is what dial had to say about it.
"Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding 20 Mule Team Borax.
This product does not contain a fragrance.
Consumer Affairs "
Borax Scent
Has anyone else here had problems with 20 Mule Team Borax lately? The recent boxes I purchased seemed to have a noticeable fragrance added. Was very irritating as I'm highly chemical and scent sensitive. I called the manufacturer and they told me that nothing's been changed or added; I'm unconvinced. I've used Borax for years and never experienced this until just recently. Am hopeful my experience was a fluke but am looking at other sources for Borax.
Some previous posters here had noted a scent so was wondering if anyone else here might have noticed it as well. Many at Earth Clinic use it for medicinal reasons and they'd notice a change.
Mary: The most likely explanation is that the 20 Mule Teem is shipped in the same container as other detergent products that do contain chemical scents (and many have very high levels). The 20 Mule Teem manufacturer would need alerted that the scent is leaking into the cardboard box containers. The boxed Borax is certainly permeable.
I have noticed this same type incidence with other products that are located near scented laundry products on the store shelves.
Try pouring the Borax in a wide container and let set out in a mild sun and not too damp weather.
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
04/30/2013
Hi Mary - I just checked my container of borax and there is no smell BUT I've had the box for awhile so perhaps the new stock carries a fragrance. Also, I'm in Canada so maybe there are different formulas for export to various countries.
Does borax absorb odours like baking soda does? The smell in the detergent aisle of the supermarket is so overpowering, I'm wondering if it's absorbing odours from the other products. It's too bad so many people feel the need for toxic fragrance in just about everything.
Have you tried the health food store in the laundry section? If they don't have it in stock, they may be able to order it for you (as long as it isn't a "repackaged" 20 Mule Team product). Good luck! Bess
(La Center,wa)
07/29/2014
I just bought 20 mule borax at walmart.. no scents at all...
(Somewhere, Usa)
07/30/2014
I have seen a lot of posst on here about BORAX now being scented in many markets. I also read, where some guy that was promoting borax as an arthritis cure, said to stock up on it, as soon it would be removed from shelves.... Sorry for not having that source to list, I read so much it is impossible for me to add everything to my favorites and list.
Just my opinion, maybe the company that makes the borax is coming under fire from some outside source and is being encouraged to add fragrance to the product now. I have been able to still get 100% all natural 20 mule team at my area grocery stores, but any day that could end. I don't think they would quit making the stuff or selling it, but adding fragrance may be a way to discourage internal use.
I want to buy several boxes to put up, but not sure how or where to store it long term. We have to continue to think ahead of them, because no sick people equals no money for them. So I would strongly encourage people that have access to the 100% all natural to stock up on it as soon as possible.
(Hope Bc Canada)
07/30/2014
Hi, Rebel from somewhere, US ---- you are quite right. And this is going to happen to a number of supplements. It is already happening.
I have ordered and received a large order of ESSIAC after I was told that one company had published some testimonies about its effectiveness and cures. They were pulled into court and told they cannot provide testimonies. Like "you cannot do this". They also lost their business.
Lugol's Iodine has been removed from the Canadian market and US companies cannot sell to Canada. Best thing to go online and let Tony Pantalleresco teach to make it yourself on YT.This is blatant disservice to the people of the entire country.
It is best to take the cue from there.
Namaste, Om
(Devon, Uk)
03/02/2016
Strange that Canada should ban Lugol's. Spoke to a friend recently returned from Canada, and she was surprised by how many cannabis plants she saw growing in people's back gardens. Definitely weird country.
(Tennessee)
07/30/2014
Dear Rebel,
Borax should be stored in a cool dry place. Moisture makes it clump. But you can just crush it back up with a hammer. It should be able to be stored indefinitely. It was sitting in a borax mine for a long time before it was put in a box, though processed before boxing.
I found this website:
http://www.20muleteamlaundry.com/about/what-is-borax/
Interestingly, it mentions that borax used to be used to aid digestion, keep milk sweet, and cure epilepsy. It pooh poohs on this now, because of "modern technology and common sense." But we know that the old timers knew more than they often get credit for!
Thanks for the heads up on stocking up--and Om, for your information about natural items being banned for sale. My chiropractor says the same thing.
~Mama to Many~
(Tennessee)
07/30/2014
Another thought on storing Borax...it does seem to absorb odours, thus the common concern that it has fragrance...it is on the shelf with strongly scented laundry products and absorbs their odours.
For long term storage, I think glass jars, of light, would be ideal. Even food grade freezer weight storage bags will have an odour transfer, so I don't think they would be the best, though they may be better than the box the borax comes in.
Just a few thoughts....
~Mama to Many~
(Tennessee)
07/30/2014
Meant to say,
"For long term storage, I think glass jars *out* of light, would be ideal. (In other words, in a cool dark place.)
~Mama~
(Boston, MA)
08/30/2014
Wanted to come back to the thread I started to update: I am back with borax again :)
Had a recent skin rash that resisted all treatments, in desperation I remembered the box of Borax I'd stashed in the garage last year after opening it and finding it scented. Poured some out and found....no scent! The time spent stored in the cool garage had removed the odor, which was obviously from other scented products that had been stored/shipped with my Borax box.
The cardboard packaging is obviously very porous and Borax itself highly absorbent. And I'm guessing it wouldn't be cost-efficient (nor environmentally sound) to package it in plastic....going forward I'll be purchasing well in advance of running out, pouring it into an open container and leaving it for several weeks in my garage or shed to air out. I'd advise others who have had the same problem to do this as well.
re: my rash: two days of bathing in Borax and my swelling and itching have subsided, after two weeks of agony. Am so happy to be using this amazing product again. Hope this experience is helpful to others.
(Usa)
06/23/2017
Borax was traditionally used in place of the current meat cures sold for sausages and the like. Russians I believe still pack caviar with it and the English (UK) insisted on having it used in place of salt for food preservation...circa 1910-1920ish until it was banned for use in meats. Why was it banned? Maybe it worked too well and kept people from getting sick since they were eating it constantly.
The 20 Mule team brand is what I use and I generally buy it at Wally world or Dollar General in the laundry aisle. There is another thing I think put out by Proctor and Gamble that is a washing soda...do not use that it is not the same thing!!!
My usual dosing now since I have done the detoxes and gotten past all that is a pinch in my coffee in the morning. That is about the same dosage for maintenance as is recommended in the 1 liter concentrate but even with a good scale (I have one) it is very difficult to measure such small amounts so I either pinch it or wet the tip of my finger and dip it in to the first joint and then dip my coffee or tea.
Borax Shampoo
I've been using Borax the following way since the late 90's and love it!
1/2 cup Borax in 1 gallon hot water and shake well.
Separate part of this into a bottle applicator and add whatever small amount of Castile liquid desired for shampooing. Wash twice, rinse twice with water, then thoroughly with 1 tsp citric acid in 1 quart of water. After that do a final rinse with just water. NO TANGLES EVER...only soft manageable hair!
Borax Shampoo
There are lots of posts on using Borax as Shampoo. I had to try it but I had some problems no one seemed to mention. My final review is I LOVE IT and will never go back to regular shampoo.
I have very oily hair and shampoo daily or I look like I dumped grease on my head. I mixed up a few spoons of Mule Borax in a 4 cup bowl and poured it on my head then rinsed. I looked like I had dreadlocks!!! My hair all clumped together and looked horrible. The Borax couldn't clean my hair. I had too much buildup. So I used a bit of dish soap for my next shampoo to strip my hair and also a higher concentration of Borax.
I kept trying it and figured out that with our water (TX gets its water from lakes so its got lots of stuff in it) and my oily condition I had to do the following : at least 1/4 -1/2 cup or more of Borax in 8 cups of hot water. Stir and wait for crystals to settle to the bottom. Wet hair with water and pour, scrub, pour scrub, etc at least 4 times with no rinsing between. Then rinse hair in fairly hot water. That's it. My best guess is that it takes a very strong concentration to loosen the dirt / oil and repeating the scrubbing / washing helps loosen it all from the hair shaft. Then the hot water helps to remove it all.
The whole process is actually faster than when I would shampoo. I will admit about once a week or two I do use regular shampoo to strip any excess oil that seems to build up. I also do a heavy conditioning treatment at that time. Otherwise I don't need any conditioner on a daily bases which is amazing because my hair is long and tangles easily.
To anyone trying Borax I suggest really stripping your hair first of all the buildup. Use dish soap to wash first, then do the Borax wash. Then just use Borax every time you wash thereafter. Then you won't have the dreadlock look the first time. You need to make the Borax water as strong as needed for your hair and your water.
Benefits: less oily hair, no reaction or sensitivity, hair fallout has decreased dramatically, hair dye sticks to hair much better and stays much longer with less fading!!
Additional benefit: it runs over face and my redness has decreased along with decrease in pore size and overall face coloring has evened out. Wonderful side benefit. I wrote another post about how well this works for your face!!
(Roswell, Ga)
07/27/2013
Hi,I read somewhere that TX has the highest level of fluoride in their tap water so you might want to consider using distilled water for your shampoo... I filter my water in the shower to remove most metals and fluoride, but I will try your shampoo advice, borax does make my hair soft and silky, also I color my hair with rainbow henna, stopped using commercial dyes 2 years ago and has dramatically changed my hair texture.
(Kansas City Mo)
11/20/2013
Borax reacts with fluoride ions to form boron fluorides which protects your body (in and out) from the negative effects of Fluoride. This compound prevents your body from absorbing the fluouride. helpful resource:.www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm
(Manhattan, New York)
03/26/2010
1/4 tsp per litre and a whole glass is most likely too much. Try 1/8 and little sips throughout the day. When experimenting with this I found strong effects at this amount (1/8tsp per liter) and would only consume about half the bottle in a day. Also, why are you taking it? If to get pregnant there are most likely other safer and time proven ways.
(Chicago, Il)
03/26/2010
Hi Rob. Thanks for the reply. I will try to do it slowly. I am taking borax primarily to detox as i had done 2 yrs back and found that it created an alkalizing environment and prepped the hormones conducive for pregnancy. Ted had replied to the same effect but unfortunately that had ended in an ectopic pregnancy. After waiting for an yr, I have been trying again for almost 8 months without any result so I am trying my luck with borax as well as lot of other supplements like manganese zinc wheat germ oil etc .
Thanks
Siri
The problems I have encountered with facial breakouts, as this came from the fact that one of the person who reported this similar occurrence was taken estogen (Diane) and anti-androgen (androcur). Both the product apparently had a double dose of cyproterone. That caused a shutdown in the adrenals. To make the matter worse, the person also took a lot of whey protein to build muscles, that lead to protein coagulation in the body causing an acne.
In any event, one doesn't take borax without a reason. If a known fluoride poisoning exist, tor that a person has autoimmunity, or a person had rosacea, morgellons, will experience different effect.
If a person happens to have a Morgellon's having demodex mites, the borax DOES cause a breakout as the demodex mites to come out of the skin, killing most of the demdodex mites. Which is the mode of how borax kills the demodex mites. It flushes them out of the body. Same thing with certain types Rosacea, it flushes them out too.
Since I don't know the reason for why borax was taken, the two possibility that I have encountered are the ones I mentioned here. However, people can take it for different reasons and different reactions are encountered.
Ted
(Coloma, Michigan, USA)
04/16/2009
I am on Premarin due to having a complete hysterectomy 8 years ago. I'm only 37 but have lost the majority of my sex drive since the surgery. I was hoping the borax would help with the sex drive and to lose weight. I'm also doing the oil pulling and taking Apple Cider Vinegar supplements. Should I quit taking the borax all together?
(Littleville, Southwest USA)
06/30/2009
If, as stated, borax will move flouride out, then I suggest people who use it with flouridated water may be setting themselves up for these side effects. Flouride detox can be very painful, as I found out when I started taking iodine. When the flouride was stirred up and recirculated through my body, I had a lot of bad symptoms. And it takes a while for your body to get rid of it then.
I suggest using purified water, not city water, as it may be flouridated.
