I haven't seen Twenty (40?) Muleteam Borax on sale for years. I used to use it for scrubbing floors and as a laundry additive. Where do you find it?

The box of Borax (don't know how many mules though...HA) that I bought was also all lumpy! I just crumble it up before I put it in the wash. I think that Oxyclean is about the same but don't hold me to it. They have Borax for sale all over the place jannie...you probably just aren't looking for it.

Jannie, our Target stores carry it- it's usually tucked onto one of the lower shelves on the long divider aisles by the laundry area, rather than in the regular laundry aisles. There's only one row in our stores, so it's easy to miss.

livebetter: Thanks for explaining difference between Borax and bleach products. I knew the Borax didn't contain bleach.

This last box had huge lumps, and since I mostly use cold water, even small ones don't dissolve. So I spent a lot of time, breaking them up and putting the Borax into plastic containers. This box had much bigger lumps than previous ones.

I still don't understand why after so many years this problem has arisen.

It's humid where I live so I don't think I've ever seen Borax *without* lumps:-)

It's much more popular now than about 10 years ago because of the movement toward more environmentally friendly cleaners. At that time, I was more like to to find it at the really simple, old-fashioned, locally-owned grocery store (the one that doesn't carry fresh parsley, never mind cilantro or anything 'extravagant' like that!). Now most places do seem to have it (with the cleaning, usually laundry products) but as someone else said...on the bottom shelf.

Henkel no longer supports the Guide to Borax page and I can't seem to use borax without leaving clumps in the laundry tub and on my clothes. I've sifted it into the laundry tub using cold, warm, and hot water; tried dissolving the borax in a jar of water first; used a second rinse feature… Does anyone have any ideas about how to avoid clumps once it's in the laundry?.

@cynthiamika,

Try putting it in a bowl and use a potato masher to break up the clumps. Also keep all powders(Borax, washing soda, baking soda) in an airtight container, powders absorb moisture in the air and clump. The plastic tub that comes with Oxi Clean is great for homemade detergents(it even comes with a scoop), you can also use a Rubbermaid container.

How To Store Borax

Thank you, @cleangeek! Will try.

Our local Drug Mart stocks it. Lots of it, and it's on the top shelf next to the Super Washing Soda and Zote bars.

I use Borax in my laundry as we have hard water and the borax changes the PH. It makes the water a little softer so the detergent actually works better in water that's less hard. I also noticed the lumps. I also use Arm & Ham er Super Washing Soda. It comes in a yellow box. No lumps ever so it pours much better.

It's been a few weeks, but since this popped back up I will let you know that Cleangeek is right -- storing in the opened box will mean you soon have clumps. Laundry rooms inherently have moisture in the air and the borax will absorb it. I have a wide mouth glass jar I keep mine in, but plastic or glass container that seals will work. A wide top makes it easier to pour or scoop out what you need.

@livebetter - thx for description of differences between Borax and Oxyclean. Would you also pls describe Borax compared to washing soda? ThX!

Cynthiamika I probably shouldn't comment to your question since I don't know for sure but I always assumed washing soda is the same as borax. I think it's just a "brand" thing. Super Washing Soda is Arm and Hammer and the other is Borax brand. Maybe someone else will know for sure. :)

joey2008-

They are two very different compounds:

Borax -
"Borax is the common name for sodium tetraborate: a naturally occurring substance produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes.

20 Mule Team® Borax is 100% natural, and 99.5% pure (there is about a half of 1% of naturally occurring trace minerals). Once removed from the ground it is washed, dried, and boxed for consumers.

Borates, borax and boron compounds are with us throughout our lives. Families use it to soak and wash diapers and other laundry, but it’s also an ingredient in cosmetics, medicines, ceramics and building materials.

The biggest industrial user of borates is the glass industry (especially fiberglass and gorilla glass). It’s an important ingredient in agricultural chemicals and fire retardants."


Washing Soda -

"The chemical formula for washing soda is Na2CO3, and it is also known as sodium carbonate. It is a salt of carbonic acid, a chemical that produces a wide range of salts collectively known as carbonates. One common source of washing soda is the ashes of plants; for this reason, it is sometimes called soda ash. Sodium carbonate can also be created from sodium chloride, also known as table salt.

Washing soda is a highly alkaline chemical compound that can be used to remove stubborn stains from laundry. It also has numerous uses around the house, and it is used in a range of industrial applications as well. Washing soda should not be confused with washing powder, which is a powdered soap used as a detergent; it is also not the same thing as baking soda, although the two compounds are closely related."

Great explanation. Thank you. Which one is better for laundry?

@joey2008,

I use washing soda(along with baking soda and cheap liquid detergent) for whites and cottons in warm water, I use to buy Oxi Clean until I found out it's mostly(65%) sodium carbonate. A box of washing soda is about half the price of Oxi Clean. Washing soda is also great for removing stains in coffee pots and mugs, it also works on oil stains on concrete.

Borax can be used with whites or colors, so can baking soda.

Sodium bicarbonate has a pH of 8.1 and has a mild effect on hard water, it is an excellent deodorizer and it's safe on all fabrics. It dissolves easily in any water temperature but doesn't clean very well.

Borax has a pH of 9.5 and has a positive effect on hard water, it is a disinfectant and it's safe for all fabrics. You need warm/hot water to dissolve and it cleans well.

Sodium carbonate has a pH of 11 and has a strong effect on hard water, it is also a disinfectant. Since it's highly alkaline it can fade colors and weaken some fabrics(silk, wool). You need warm water to dissolve and it's excellent for removing oil and grease. Sodium carbonate has strange properties, it dissolves best at 96F or colder. If you use hot water it just stays suspended in the water, that's why it's best to mix it with a buffer such as baking soda.

Here's a couple of recipes:

80% Borax/20% soap

40% washing soda/40% baking soda/20% soap

Thank you!

It appears the chemists at Proctor & Gamble think baking soda and washing soda are a good combination:

Tide Oxi Ingredients

Borax has buffers so baking soda isn't necessary:

Borax

Interesting website - thank you.

does anyone know where I can buy the equivalent of 20 mule team borax but from a different company? The company that makes 20 mule team borax does animal testing on products and I want to avoid that.

I don't know of anyone else packaging borax. Have you written the company to let them know that you are not buying the product because of the testing?