Sodium tetraborate decahydrate also known as Borax, sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate is a naturally occurring compound.
It is mostly used as a cleaning aid especially for laundry (softening the water). As a cleaning aid, borax is also used as dishwasher detergent, as floor and wall cleaner, and to clean outdoor furniture, toilet, porcelain sinks, stains from stainless steel. Borax can be used for parasite control to keep ants, water bugs, and cockroaches away and help dogs with mange and people with a variety of parasite problems including lice and mites. Due to its alkalinity and antifungal properties, Borax is used in hair care products to heal chronic and embarrassing scalp conditions. Borax is also used as a remedy for health problems (arthritis, osteoporosis, bone spurs, calcium deposits, lupus, autoimmune disease, hormone imbalances, fungus, candida, ringworm, tinea versicolor, insomnia, rough skin). Furthermore, Borax is applied as a fire retardant, as a flux in metallurgy, as a precursor for other boron compounds, as anti-fungal compound for fiberglass and cellulose insulation, to make buffer solutions in biochemistry, and to make indelible ink for dip pens by dissolving shellac into heated borax.
