Borax

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by Motomom34, Aug 9, 2017.


  1. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Borax has just made my must prep, multi-purpose product list. I always knew that one could make their own laundry soap with Borax but the more I researched, the more I found that Borax is a must prep and use item. Borax has been around for centuries and is mined here in the United States, though it was originally discovered in Tibet. Borax has been tested and most tests show that it is non-toxic, but then some tests show it is to be used with caution.

    I put Borax in the Survival Monkey search box and pulled up many threads listing all the interesting uses:
    Borax for detergent - Emergency dishwasher soap | Survival Monkey Forums post #4
    Making your own candle wicks- Homemade Candle Wicks | Survival Monkey Forums
    Gets rid of fleas- Fleas | Page 3 | Survival Monkey Forums
    And can be used in the garden- New garden guy here, couple questions | Survival Monkey Forums


    Those are some of the uses listed. Having researched, this is one product that preppers should store, learn to use and maybe have some for trade. I have in the past only used Borax in the laundry but yesterday I read that it unclogs drains. I am skeptical but next time instead of using baking soda and vinegar, I will be reaching for the Borax to see how it does.


    Here are some uses of borax powder and pure borax in water:
    Insect killer, particularly in roach killing products and as moth-preventative (10% solution on wool)
    Fungicide
    Herbicide
    Desiccant
    Laundry booster
    Household cleaner
    Water softening agent
    Food additive as a preservative (banned in some countries)
    What Borax Is and Where You Can Find It


    Also you can visit the 20Mule Team website and they have other uses listed here:
    20 Mule Team Borax

    I made this thread because it is important that people know there is another product out there like vinegar, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide that has many purposes and is a good thing to prep. How many already store Borax?
     
  2. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    save those old newspapers...


    Cellulose insulation installed on the floors of residential attics in three cities showed no sign of losing its fire retardant properties eight years after installation, according to a report published in the Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Thermal Insulation.1

    The field study by researchers Donald J. Ferm and Kelvin K. Shen, of U.S. Borax, Inc., evaluated the permanence of boric acid and borax pentahydrate in cellulose insulation. Data collected over an eight-year period showed no statistically verifiable loss of either chemical from insulation as actually installed in attics.
    (New Data on Fire Safety of Aged Cellulose Insulation)
     
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  3. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    I was looking for a way to make saw milled lumber into treated lumber, for possible ground contact material , to prevent rot , without having to buy treated lumber from the stores. I found a listing that said Borax could be used to treat lumber to resist rot. I don't remember the exact process right now. But the article did say you would have to continue to treat the wood every now and then to keep the wood from deteriating.
    Another use , mix Borax with honey and water , it will attract ants , possibly others as well , and kill them .
     
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  4. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    Fairly non toxic, generally all around non dangerous, doesn't spoil and someone probably isn't going to attack you for your borax stash, sounds like a good trade item to me.
     
  5. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    • https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J44GX2C/?tag=survivalmonke-20

    • This Do-It-Yourself Powder Laundry Detergent Kit includes 20 Mule Team Natural Laundry Booster-Borax - 76 oz box, Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - 55 oz and two bars of Dr Bronners Pure Castille Soap.
    • To make your soap shred both bars of soap with a grater and mix with the borax and washing soda. Seal in an air tight container.
    • Use 1-2 tablespoons on laundry.
    • This detergent works well in any water temperature and with HE or top loading washers.
    • Gentle enough for baby's laundry but concentrated and powerful enough for the whole family! You can even use this detergent for cloth diapers and heavily soiled laundry.
     
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  6. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    Tan hides with it
     
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  7. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    This site also has instructions relating to safety precautions, storage, preparation, application, transport and disposal of Borax / Boracic acid.....

    https://www.greenshop.co.uk/documents/borax_timber.pdf

    And for a more scientific treatment on the subject: http://www.icup.org.uk/reports\ICUP452.pdf

    and for those wondering about 20 Mule Team Borax...
    [​IMG]
    15 DIY Uses For Borax The Miracle Mineral -- Detox Fluoride From Water, Kill Mycoplasma, Insecticide, Laundry Soap

    Just don't burn wood treated with Borax on your BBQ, solid fuel stove....apparently it's not particularly healthy.:sick:
     
  8. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Borax is used in forge welding.
     
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  9. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Brazing
     
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  10. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    @arleigh and
    @HK_User are exactly right. Borax makes an excellent flux for blacksmithing and can be used for brazing as well. I haven't brazed with it but I do use it when beating on iron;)
     
  11. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    We have been using borax for so long, couldn't do half the things we do with our it in some form. Nice thing is, I know where to find it naturally, so getting it isn't a problem. For you monkeys in orygun, head over to the south east corner of the state, there are/were minning operations near borax lake, and you can pretty much help your self. Many states have borax deposits, and all one need to is check into where to go to get to it!
    Tully, I have extensive brazing experience using borax as a flux, mainly repairing iron, and it works awesome. For a pure brass repair on iron, use borax and water and mix in a pinch (4%) pine pitch and coat the brass before heating. For bronze, add 1% more pitch. For a more critical repair, add in 8 to 10 % hard silver solder!!! Will work for any welding job except gas shielded welds or brazing.
     
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  12. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I am really looking forward into trying out all the ways to use Borax for cleaning. I use vinegar quite a lot but the kids really do not like the smell of vinegar. Someone had told me to swap out hydrogen peroxide with the vinegar and clean with that. But if I can use Borax which is quite versatile, I would prefer that.

    The more I learn and research the more I believe Borax is a preppers dream.
    Borax also kills mold and inhibits mold growth. Borax also kills germs and bacteria. It is a disinfectant, biocide, insecticide, pesticide, herbicide and fungicide.
     
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  13. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Vinegar smells at first, but the smell quickly goes away.
    A little white vinegar in a spraybottle of water is a good way to keep clean on extended camping trips.
    I need to stock some borax in my preps, and start using it.
     
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  14. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    SLIME RECIPE (use to clean difficult places like vents and key boards
    Ingredients:
    • Borax (1 tsp.)
    • Elmer's glue (4-5 oz. bottle, clear or white)
    • Water (1½ cups)
    • Food color (about 8 drops)
    Supplies:
    • Bowls (2)
    • Measuring cups, teaspoon
    • Plastic bag
     
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  15. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    Fenner’s Complete Formulary - Part IV - Standard Remedies - Page 9
    The Southwest School of Botanical Medicine http://www.swsbm.com
    Hair Tonic.
    Tincture of Cantharides, 4 fl. drachms.
    Water of Ammonia, 1 fl. ounce.
    Cologne, 2 fl. ounces.
    Glycerin, 4 fl. ounces.
    Borax, 2 drachms.
    Bay Rum, 4 fl. ounces.
    Water, 4 fl. ounces.
    Mix. This is an excellent tonic, shampoo, or dressing.


    Canker Balsam.
    Marsh Rosemary Root, in coarse powder, 4 ounces av.
    Borax, in powder, 1 ounce av.
    Glycerin, 6 ounces av.

    Alcohol, 12 fl. ounces.
    Water, a sufficient quantity.
    Mix Alcohol and Water, equal measures, and percolate the Marsh
    Rosemary Root with the liquid until it ceases to drop, then add sufficient
    Water through the percolator to make 27 fl. ounces of the percolate,
    dissolve the Borax in the liquid, add the Glycerin, and filter if necessary.
    This is an astringent liquid, useful as a gargle for sore throat, a mouth
    wash, etc., and as an application for cracked nipples or other similar
    sores.

    This formulary has about 15 formulas for everyday items that uses borax

    Resource - Fenner's Complete Formulary | Survival Monkey Forums
     
  16. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Military tried using it for fuel and in rockets, don't know how successfully, USAF had a swimming pool reactor that they used for radioactive testing, kill switch was drop boron rods into the core and to flood it with a boron solution. Either way stopped the reaction.
     
  17. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Boron is a neutron absorber. Without going into great detail, it is pretty commonly used in power reactors.
     
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  18. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Are you saying Borax will absorb radiation ?
     
  19. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Not Adsorb Radiation per say, but Boron WILL Capture Free Neutrons readily.... and A Fission Chain Reaction DEPENDS on Free Neutrons, to continue to be produced in Great Quantities.... So if you insert Boron into a Fission Reactor, it will eat up MOST of the Free Neutrons, and Kill the Chain Reaction, very quickly... The problem with doing so isn't trying to stop the Chain Reaction, it is trying to dissipate the Generated HEAT from the now quenched Chain Reaction.... Which takes a HUGH amount of Water that can Flash Boil into Steam and cause most of the Damage... think Fukashima... The Backup Generators were under water, the Power Lines were down, so NO Power to run the Cooling Pumps and the Cores Melted and the Cooling Water Flash Boiled into Steam, and blew the Buildings apart... In Chernobyl, it was the Carbon PILE, BURNING, after the Flash Boiled Water blew the Roof of the Building, that spread the Radioactive Particles ALL OVER THE WORLD... and set off Radiation Detectors All over Europe in short Order... Everyone knew there was a problem, but they didn't know where, but they did know WHEN, and they used SAT Technology to trace it to USSR, and that caused the Soviets, to admit they did it....
     
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  20. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    No, that is not what boron does within the context of power reactors where it can be used to control reaction rates and as a reaction "poison" which it is.

    Nor will Borax do anything for radiation in the general sense. The boron in borax is a rather useful stuff with many uses aside cleaning products, but radiation absorbing is NOT one of them. BT has it mostly right, but I don't know that Fukushima had boron controls. They DID add borated water later. Chernobyl of course did not use boron at all, being built before the idea came to the forefront of core life extension.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2018
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