The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-09
Borax in the Household.

Sarah E. Wilcox.
No one article can be of more adj
vantage to the housewife than borax.
LII the nursery, the kitchen, the laun-
dry, as q remedial and labor-saving
agent, a preservative and disinfectant,
1t is unsurpassed.
Ammonia, turpentine, carbolic acid,
chloride of lime. copperas, etc., are
good as detergents and disinfectants.
but often unpleasant, injurious, and
sometimes dangerous results attend
their use. BoraX is nearly, if not quite,
as effective. and it never corrodes nor
destroys. It is cleanly, inOdorous. in
nocent and safe.
1t is well to have in store the crys-
tails, powder, and saturated solution.
That for sale under the name of Pull
verified Borax'' is liable to be more Or
less adulterated. 1t is safer to buy it
in bulk.
To prepare the powder use an iron
mortar, then Sift and store in bottles.
For the saturated solution, put some
crystals in a bottle and fill the bottle
two thirds full of soft water. When
they have dissolved add more until
the water will no longer take them
up and some lie at the bottom undis-
solved.
For .hoarseness a small piece of
boraX in the mouth relieves hoarse-
ness, and often allays a cough induced
by throat irritation. Used often as
gargle it is healing for a cankered
mouth or throat.
In the nursery if an infants mouth
and gums are washed daily with
water having boraX in solution, it will
cleanse, sweeten, and lessen the liabil-
ity to soreness.
There is no better application for a
nursing infants sore mouth than
boraX; half a teaSpoonful of the pow
der mixed with four teaspoonfuls Of
honey It is much more effective for
keeping nursery bottles sweet than
soda or soap After use, rinse well in
clear water. then fill with weak borax
water.
For the toilet, if sponges are washed
in a strong solution, they will not be-
come sour and ill-smelling. 1t is equal
to ammonia for cleansing hair brushes,
and does not SO readily act upon and
discolor the varnish. To remove dand-
ruff and cleanse the scalp, an appli-
cation of boraX, a teaSpoonful of the
saturated solution or of the powder
to a pint of water is efficacious Rub
the water in we'll with the hands OF
a sponge, then rinse in clear water.
wiring and dry the hair with a towel.
Ammonia is cleansing, but fades the
hair and makes it brittle.
Borax is one of the best of cosmetics,
it opens the pores and cleanses and
softens the skin. Frequent bathing in
boraX water removes the shiny look
of the face. 1t is healing for cuts and
bruises; for abrasions of the skin to
which housewives are liable, and is
excellent for removing stains from the
hands.
Weak, watery eyes or infiamed eye
lids are greatly alleviated by frequent
Scant teaSpOonful to a pint of water.
One of the best ways to avoid sunburn
is to battle the face with boraX and
alum water just before exposure.
Rorax is a superior dentifrice, and is
said to form large proportion of COM
mercial tooth powders. Add to the
water with which the teeth are brushed
little of the saturated solution, OF
sprinkle the powder upon the brush.
The habitual use of it hardens the
gums, prevents their falling away from
the teeth, and corrects the tendency to
bleeding.
If incipient ringbones are bathed fire.
quently with strong borax water, as
hot as can be borne, they are often
nipped in the bud, and if we'll developed
this is one of the best of applications
In the kitchen housewives are not
generally aware that fresh meat will
keep much longer If busted over with
powdered boraX. Wash the meat in
cold water before cooking. Meat that
is little "off flavor" is restored or i'm
proved by parboiling 1t in weak borax
water.
Sprinkled about places infested with
cockroaches it will cause these pests
to disappear.
Nearly all brands of soap contain a
large per cent of borax. 1t softens the
hardest water, and neither fades nor
injuries the most delicate fabric.
If purchased by the quantity, it is
not so expensive that it may not be
available in every household.