The Price Chopper near me carries Borax.

Target sells 20 Mule Team in the $2.50-$3.50 range.

Just because something is more natural does not mean it is less harmful. Arsenic or mercury are the counter examples that spring to mind immediately and those are just the elements. I'm not even considering all of the poisonous (to us) substances from plants and animals.

That being said, borax is safe but the idea that natural = safe is a dangerous one.

I am often able to find it at the grocery store--Safeway or Whole Foods, in the cleaning aisle near the detergent. But the Ace Hardwares hear ALWAYS have it.

I have found it at Stop & Shop supermarkets

Publix always has it here in Florida.

I've found it at several stores including Target and Kroger. I use it as a scrub instead of Comet or other cleansers.

Wegman's carries 20 Mule Team for about $3/box

More importantly - how does everyone store their Borax? I find the cardboard box opening to be cumbersome to pour into my washer...filling area is in the upper left hand corner on top of washer. I think I need to move it to another container with a scoop. Suggestions?

I bought mine from Wal Mart.

I use it like the 5 ways mentioned above, but I also will sprinkle it directly onto chrome fixtures in the bathroom and polish it off with a damp rag. It removes all of the mineral deposits and grime and leaves the surface extra shiny.

I discovered this stuff when I was in high school. At the time, I had a job pumping gas at a gas station (which seems like a strange concept now, since I haven't seen a full serve station in years), and I'd always come home with my hands covered in oily grime. This stuff used to take it right off. Been wondering where to find it, since my local grocery store doesn't carry it.

My aunt told me that my grandmother used to use Borax to whiten her teeth. I probably wouldn't try that though.

I buy Borax at my local grocery store.

Borax is an easy/natural way to rid yourself of an ant infestation too: mix equal parts borax and (white) granulated sugar, and either sprinkle it anywhere you're seeing ants, or leave a small dish of it for the ants to find(*). They can't tell the difference between the borax and sugar crystals, and will take both back to the nest for their queen, who will consume the borax and die. Once the queen is gone, the colony will disperse.

(*)Obviously, you don't want to do this anywhere small children or pets might get into it.

Have you seen this article by the EWG (Environmental Working Group)? http://www.enviroblog.org/2011/02/borax-not-the-green-alternative-its-cracked-up-to-be.html

Turns out Borax isn't actually so wonderful as we've all been lead to believe, after all.

Their bottom line is: "Whether you buy or make your own, remember: other than plain soap and water, most cleaning supplies should be handled with caution, since many may be skin or eye irritants or produce caustic vapors."

bens, thank you so much for your insightful comments. I am tired of people automatically equating natural with safe. Borax may in fact be a wonderful house cleaner, but it's also used as a poison for ants. Therefore it may also me harmful to members of your household.

Toxicity concerns about borax are outlined here:

http://www.enviroblog.org/2011/02/borax-not-the-green-alternative-its-cracked-up-to-be.html

This is sad and laughable at the same time. There are folks out there that are making a few bucks at telling us that everything is evil, toxic, caustic,... and there are others that have made a hobby of believing this. Borax is a good stuff. It will kill an ant and clean your home at the same time! Get a grip, chemistry is not all that hard. Believing all the stuff the professional nay-sayers say may be easier. -end of rant-

Jen in Chi-town,

I store my borax in a huge plastic container with a lid (imagine very large tupperware). No more cardboard box to deal with!

If you didn't want to buy a large container specifically, I bet you could find some packaged food you like at a warehouse store then save the large container it comes in, wash it out and repurpose it as your borax box. Then the container is essentially free since most of the price is for the food. Plus, that would mean one less thing going to the recycling center (or the dump) and one less new container purchased. You would be giving a second life to something instead of tossing it.

Here's the MSDS for boric acid, if anyone is interested. I certainly wouldn't use it in my kitchen or on surfaces that are not thoroughly wet down. I use a lot of boric acid at work and it's not to be taken lightly (taxidermists use it to tan hides and hair and keep them light-coloured, along with urea)
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/b3696.htm
That said, concentrated solutions of washing soda and baking soda can be pretty irritating as well.

@Jen in Chi-town, I know what you mean ... that box is cumbersome. Perhaps you can use a plastic Rubbermaid, Tupperware or Lock & Lock cereal containers or a plastic pitcher ... they seal shut & have a small fliptop for pouring. You may find these at a Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift shop for next to nothing.

@Jen in Chi-Town, you could also store it like flour or sugar ... glass storage with a scoop dedicated to that container. I buy baking soda in the 13.5 lb bag because I use it for baking, laundry, in the fridge & scouring pots, pans, sinks, tub, etc. I bought a few of those glass parmesian cheese sprinkling containers (you know the glass ones with the silver perforated top) from the $1 store ... to store baking soda in the kitchen & each bathroom cabinets for cleaning. I use an old 2 qt glass jar in the laundry room. The bag is stored elsewhere.

I first used Borax in art school. The department provided dispensers of it. Cleans oil brushes really well.

I've read many sites recommending Borax as a natural home cleaner but saying to keep is away from food-preparation areas due to toxicity issues. I feel you can never be too safe so this is what I do. I use it for my bathrooms and toilets, but for the kitchen areas I only use a baking soda and eucalyptus oil paste (since my counters are marble and vinegar is bad for them).

Found it at Target.

Kinda late but Borax can be used to mop your kitchen floor, toss a 1/4 cup into a bucket filled with warm water and dissolve the powder. clean floors that will actually repel cockroaches. How does it kill roaches/ants? it desecates their insides. dries their little insides right up. I've used this around my pets and no issues, unlike other pesticides (roach baits) Borax isn't appealing to pets. Of course if you roll your pets KONG toy in Borax paste or pour it all over his food borax would be dangerous. Still think it's safer than raid or Hot Shot.

If you want to use green cleaning products look for Green Seal or Ecologo certified products. Borax is a good cleaner and relatively benign but some people are sensitive to it and should not use it.
Starting next year a new motorized mop will be available. The Pogo Mop does an amazing job of cleaning any kind of floor surface using only water, and no it is not a steam mop.
For really tough jobs like commercial kitchens, I use a small amount of degreaser.

The Pogo Mop uses very little water and makes up for a lack of cleaning solution by scrubbing at 42 scrubs every second. Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0wc1USKFgw

http://www.pogogreen.com/Home.html