Hobbies And Interests
Insect Repellant
If you suffer from ant, water bug or cockroach related problems it's very easy to give in and buy some form of chemical-based insect repellent. However, you can achieve the same results by mixing together equal parts all-natural borax crystals and sugar. Sprinkle this mixture around the areas where the insects enter your home and leave it to sit for 24 hours. The insects will be repelled by the combination of crystals.
Cleaning Dirty Pans
Scrubbing pans is one of the worst jobs a cook has to do. Even if you leave the pan to soak, a lot of the time it will still need extensive scrubbing which, in turn, will damage the pan's surface.
Mix 1 tsp. of borax crystals with warm water and leave it to sit for approximately an hour. Then either gently scrub the pan to remove the stain or tip the mixture out and wipe the pan round. The nonabrasive borax crystals will have lifted much of the dirt off the surface.
Weed Killer
Sprinkling borax crystals on the cracks in the concrete and walkways around your home and garden will kill any weeds that grow there. The crystals will also sink below the surface of the ground, helping prevent the weeds from regrowing. However, care should be taken not to sprinkle Borax crystals in your garden as they will kill the plants you're trying to protect as well.
Flux
Borax is a vital part of welding ferrous metals. It acts as a flux, a welding term derived from the Latin word "Fluxus," meaning flow. Fluxes are chemical cleaning agents that help soldering, brazing and welding processes by removing any oxidation from the metals that need to be welded together. The borax is ground with water to make a paste before being applied to the surfaces, something which can also be done in the home to remove oxidation from metal ornaments.