22/01/2026
Borax is Sodium Borate.
It is a crystalline powder that dissolves in water to form a basic solution. On the scale of common household bases, it is stronger than baking soda (don’t eat it) but weaker than lye or oven cleaner (it won’t give you a chemical burn).
It’s useful for breaking down grease and soap scum.
If you’re going to use it in laundry, put it in the bleach compartment so that it gets added during the soap cycle and doesn’t interfere with the soap doing its job. But unless you’re using too much detergent, or washing everything in cold/cold, it won’t make much difference.
