What is a Borax Solution ? What is Borax Used for?

Today we will learn What is a Borax Solution? What is Borax used for?

Borax solutions are probably the most versatile and effective. For this reason, their uses are very broad and common. One can find borax solutions in almost any product, from beauty products to fire fighting agents. What exactly is a borax solution and how are they produced and used?

Borax Definition

A borax solution is a solution that includes sodium borate, anhydrous borax, borax pentahydrate, or borax decahydrate. These are related chemical compounds, which form a white powder that can easily dissolve in water or other liquid.

Sources

The borax, from which other solutions are formed, occurs naturally in the Mojave Desert, in Chile, Tibet, and other geographical locations. Borax deposits are formed by the evaporation of lakes or rivers that left their chemical compounds. The compounds are collected by the producers for their use. Borax can also be produced synthetically.

Toxicity

Borax, and therefore its solutions, is not considered to be extremely toxic in small amounts and should be consumed in large proportions before a lethal dose is reached. However, borax solutions are chemical compounds and can cause skin irritation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in rare cases, loss of consciousness and heart failure. Therefore, care should be taken when handling borax solutions. They should be kept out of the reach of children and you should wear gloves when you are going to use it, to avoid direct contact with the skin. These solutions should not be mixed with other manufactured chemical solutions unless you are an individual trained in how the solutions will react upon contact.

What is borax used for?

Borax solutions have many uses. The most common is a cleaning agent ( detergent powder etc..), especially in industrial detergents. They are also part of enamels, insecticides, cosmetics and fire retardants. Although its use is prohibited in the United States, other countries, despite its side effects, still use borax solutions as a substitute for salt.

Borax solutions Production

Borax solutions are produced commercially by taking a borax powder and mixing it with one or more chemicals. This same process is used non-commercially in homes to prepare borax solutions, albeit on a much smaller scale. A simple borax solution can be prepared, for example, by mixing a quarter cup of borax with five cups of water in a large bowl. This solution is usually used to disinfect containers, thus avoiding using stronger chemical cleaners.