Borax vs. OxiClean: What is the difference?

Whether you have decided to clean your floors or remove dirt stains from your clothes, Borax and OxiClean are top choices for you.

Yet, is there any difference between these two agents? Borax vs. OxiClean, which one is better? This article will present you with these two cleaning agents and present the main differences and common characteristics of these amazing products.

Borax vs. OxiClean: Comparison Chart

The best way to present to you the main characteristics and differences between these two products is to show you a Borax vs. OxiClean comparison chart.

	Borax	OxiClean
Ingredients	Boron, sodium, and oxygen	Sodium carbonate, sodium percarbonate, surfactants, and other polymers
How it works	An alkaline formula breaks down dirt stains	A strong formula breaks down oil stains and degrades oils
Main purpose	Household cleaning, laundry cleaning, odor removal	Laundry, carpets, linens, and hard surfaces
How to use it	Dissolve in water and use it as a multi-purpose spray. Spray it on stains before washing	Apply it on a specific spot, or just add it to the laundry before the cycle
Safety risks	May cause eyes and skin irritation, dangerous if swallowed	May cause eyes and skin irritation, dangerous if swallowed

What is OxiClean?

Before we learn more about it we should know what is OxiClean. OxiClean is a multi-purpose stain remover used in many households.

It has a reputation as a color-safe cleaning agent, equally effective against laundry stains as well as against any other household surface.

Easy to use, it will easily remove the stains and make your home shiny and refreshing.

Borax, what is it?

Borax is a powerful cleaning agent that comes in the form of a crystal that easily dissolves in water. Its alkaline formula easily removes stains on different surfaces in your household.

With the same efficiency, it will clean your laundry, rust, toilet bowl, or your carpets.

Difference between Borax and OxiClean

The main difference between Borax and OxiClean is that Borax is a sodium tetraborate, while OxiClean is made of hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate.

Both agents have the same purpose, yet, they are slightly different. Borax is known as an alkaline agent, while OxiClean isn’t.

OxiClean ingredients list

OxiClean ingredients list is a perfect cleaning formula with only 4 key ingredients. Below, you can find out which are those:

• Sodium percarbonate,
• Sodium carbonate,
• Surfactants
• Polymer

All those ingredients combined in OxiClean multi-purpose cleaner are successful in removing almost all types of hard stains.

Borax ingredients list

If you take a look at the Borax ingredients list, you’ll see that its main ingredient is Sodium Borate. In other words, its Sodium, Boron, and Oxygen combined create Sodium Tetraborate or Borax.

Those ingredients make this powdery white substance extremely efficient in many cleaning situations in our homes.

How to use Borax?

You don’t need to worry about how to use Borax, it’s pretty straightforward. Just dissolve it in hot water and make a multi-purpose spray.

Of course, if you want to you can combine Borax with other cleaning solutions depending on what you want to clean.

In case you want to use it while doing laundry just add it as a detergent booster.

How to use OxiClean?

If you’re wondering how to use OxiClean, you do not have to worry, it’s not complicated. OxiClean is the most effective when it’s dissolved in warm or hot water.

OxiClean is in a form of powder and it easily dissolves, just stir it up and your cleaning buddy is ready.

How does Borax work?

To find out how does Borax works, you need to know that, with a pH of around 9.5, Borax is extremely alkaline and that feature helps it to easily dissolve acidic organic stains.

It is also effective at killing bacteria and mold.

Borax will not do any good if the stain is already set in stone. It should be used as soon as possible after the stain is created.

When you’re using it as a detergent booster its pH will help your clothes to be whiter and fresher.

How does OxiClean work?

Sodium components of OxiClean raise the pH in water and help it to cause chemical reactions which easily degrades grease, oil, and many other types of hard stains.

The sodium hydroxide in OxiClean reacts with water to form a base solution that breaks down dirt and stains. When you use OxiClean, the sodium hydroxide reacts with the water in your clothes to create an alkaline solution that helps break down those stubborn stains.

The chemical reaction turns positively charged stains to negative, which leads to dirt going off the fabric. 

How to clean with Borax?

There’s no need to be worried about how to clean with Borax, it’s pretty straightforward. The easiest way to use it is to melt it in hot water and make a multi-purpose spray.

To make a multi-purpose spray, first melt the borax in hot water. It should dissolve completely in about 15 minutes if you’re using the recommended amount of water for your recipe (1 cup).

Next, add essential oils or other ingredients if desired. Pour into a spray bottle and shake well before using!

Later on, you can spray it wherever is needed.

How to clean with OxiClean?

Once you figure out how to clean with OxiClean, you’ll simply adore it. All you need to clean with it is a bucket of hot water.

First, grab your OxiClean and drop it into a bucket of water.

Then, wait for the mixture to dissolve completely (it’ll happen quickly). Once it’s dissolved, you can use it as normal!

You can choose it in spray or to mop the floor with it. 

Is Borax harmful to humans?

If you want to know is Borax harmful to humans, the honest answer would be: If it’s properly used, Borax isn’t harmful to humans, but if it gets in touch with eyes or if your skin is exposed to it for a while, it may cause irritation. Just like any other chemical, it’s dangerous if you swallow it.

While borax has many beneficial uses, it should be handled with care and caution. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers it to be safe for use in homes, it may cause adverse effects if ingested or inhaled in large quantities.

Is OxiClean safe?

The answer to the question Is OxiClean safe is similar to the one above about Borax. The best idea is to read the declaration before you use it. In general, don’t bring it close to your eyes or skin scratches and wounds. Of course, don’t ingest it.  

Is OxiClean safe for septic systems? 

Many people are worried about Is OxiClean safe for septic systems, but the answer is: Yes, OxiClean is safe for septic systems as long as it’s used properly. You can use it without fear that it will do harm to your septic system.

Is Borax safe for septic systems?

Borax is safe for septic systems. It’s safe for all types of washing machines and septic systems so you’re free to use it when you want.

There is no fear that something will be damaged, just pay attention to the amount you use.

Is Borax bad for the environment?

Borax is known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate. It is a boron compound and a salt of boric acid and as such is not considered as eco-friendly.

Borax is not toxic to humans or animals unless ingested in large quantities—and even then, it’s not considered dangerous. However, because it is highly water soluble, it can leach out of soil and contaminates groundwater supplies if used improperly.

Actually, when we tried to find an answer to the question: ”Is Borax bad for the environment”, we found out that it is toxic for many plants and aquatic life.

Is OxiClean bad for the environment?

OxiClean is a natural and completely environment-friendly cleaning agent. OxiClean doesn’t contain bleach or phosphates.

Those two components as components of many detergents seriously harm the environment. Luckily, OxiClean doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients.

Is Borax harmful to pets?

If you’re starting to clean with Borax and you have pets in the house you should know is Borax harmful to pets.

Generally speaking, if your pet takes Borax it can cause stomach upset and irritation. In bigger amounts, it can even injure a pet’s kidney.

Below, we’ll explain how Borax affects dogs and cats.

• Is Borax bad for dogs?

Dogs can exhibit signs of toxicity at approximately 0.02 ounces of sodium borate per pound of bodyweight.

In case your dog ingests sufficient amounts of this substance it can show signs of poisoning like vomiting and stomach pains.

So if you ask is Borax bad for dogs, my answer is yes, so try to prevent your dog’s contact with this cleaning agent.

• Is Borax safe for cats?

Per most doctors just around 0,2 ounces is enough to kill your cat. Try to keep that on your mind when cleaning with this agent and wondering if Borax is safe for cats.

Is OxiClean harmful to pets?

In case you plan to use OxiClean to clean stains caused by your pets, you’re probably wondering is OxiClean harmful to pets.

In case your pet ingests this cleaning product hydrogen peroxide in it can cause vomiting and in larger concentrations, it can damage skin tissue. 

How much OxiClean to use?

Get to know how much OxiClean to use before you start cleaning. When washing your clothes use 1 scoop of Oxiclean and when cleaning other surfaces a mix of 1 to 4 scoops of OxiClean per gallon of hot water will be more than enough.

How much Borax to use?

For top performance and great results, it’s important to know how much Borax to use. You need to use enough amount to achieve water softening. When you’re doing laundry use one-half cup of borax per load.

In case you have a large capacity machine, bump up the amount to three-quarters cup of Borax per load. If you’re cleaning other surfaces you can mix up to 4 scoops of Borax per gallon of water.

Is OxiClean color safe?

OxiClean can be used on colored fabrics. However, if you’re not sure is OxiClean color-safe It’s not a bad idea to test colored clothes since not all clothing is colorfast. You can check labels on clothes as well, sometimes you can find more information on them.  

Be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle. For example, if you’re using OxiClean to remove food stains from a white shirt, be sure to mix it with water before pouring it directly onto your shirt

Is Borax safe for colored clothes?

When you’re wondering is Borax safe for colored clothes, you should know you can use it without fear of damaging or dyeing your clothes.

Unlike bleach-based detergents, Borax is completely safe for colored fabrics since it’s naturally occurring mineral salt and won’t cause any damage.

In fact, the only way that it could affect your clothes is if you were to use too much of it, or if you use it in combination with other chemicals that can cause discoloration.

FAQ’s – Borax vs. OxiClean

Below you’ll find answers to the most common questions related to the Borax vs. Oxiclean confrontation. 

Final thoughts

I hope now you have all the needed information regarding the Borax vs. Oxiclean battle.

Both products have their advantages and their flaws, but generally speaking, you’ll not make a mistake if you chose any of these products to keep your space clean.

In case you need more info contact our team and we’ll gladly tell you more. Happy cleaning!