Borax and Baking Soda - Combine for Cleaning POWER!

Borax and baking soda are common household chemicals, but we rarely think of them beyond adding a bit to the washer or refrigerator. Here's some ways you can use a combination of borax and baking soda to power-clean your home!

1. Laundry Soap

You can make your own laundry soap at home using borax and baking soda, and save a ton of money! This recipe is perfect for anyone who wants to save money.

Simply mix borax and baking soda in equal parts and use 1/4 cup per load in place of the laundry soap you spend so much money for at the store! Your clothes will come out clean, odor-free, and soft! It's easiest to mix in a 1-gallon container (like an old pickle jar), just leave a little room at the top and shake it to combine.

You can enhance this recipe by adding grated soap (Ivory is good), washing soda, or oxygen cleaner into the mix. You can also add several drops of essential oil such as lavender or tea tree. None of these are necessary for the formula to work!

2. Fleas & Cockroaches

Fleas and roaches are disgusting - and even dangerous! Bites and feces can cause serious illness. Protect your family from both fleas and roaches AND from dangerous petrochemicals (what most insect sprays are made from).

To kill fleas and cockroaches in your home, mix borax with baking soda at a 3/4 borax to 1/4 baking soda ratio. Sprinkle the stuff everywhere you've got a problem.... countertops, behind the fridge, on the carpets, under your bed. Use a stiff broom to push the borax mixture into every nook and cranny, and to really work it into your carpet. If you'd like to impart a fresh scent to your home, add a couple of drops of orange or lavender essential oil.

Leave it for 24 hours. Keep pets and young children away from the area. Even though Borax is considered non-toxic (especially compared to commercial pesticides!) it is still not good for it to be in prolonged contact with skin, and it's dangerous to ingest.