Borax Facts for Kids

Borax in its powder form

What borax looks like in crystal form.

Borax is a special chemical compound. It usually looks like a white powder. This powder is made of soft crystals. These crystals can easily dissolve in water. Its scientific name is "sodium borate". A lot of the world's borax is found in the deserts of California. It was first discovered in Death Valley in 1881.

The chemical formula for borax

What is Borax Used For?
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What is Borax Used For?

Borax has many cool uses! It is an ingredient in many things we use every day.

Cleaning and Household Uses

Borax is often found in detergents for washing clothes. It helps soap clean dishes or clothes much better. It can also remove smells and stains from bathroom and kitchen surfaces. Plus, it can even take bad smells out of shoes!

Other Interesting Uses

Cosmetics: Borax is used in some cosmetics, which are products like makeup or lotions.
Enamel Glazes: It helps make enamel glazes, which are shiny coatings on things like pottery.
Science: In biochemistry, borax helps make special buffer solutions. These solutions keep things from becoming too acidic or too basic.
Safety: Factories use borax as a fire retardant. This means it helps stop fires from spreading.
Pest Control: It can also kill fungi (like mold) that can harm the human body. It is also used as an insecticide to get rid of bugs.
Materials: Borax is used to make fiberglass. It's also a flux in metallurgy, which helps metals join together.
Fun: You might even know borax from making slime!

Borax and Solar Energy

Did you know borax was part of the first solar-powered home? Maria Telkes was a scientist who helped invent this home in 1948. The special walls of the house collected energy from the sun. They stored this energy in a liquid salt solution. Maria Telkes used borax to keep this energy storage system working well. The borax stopped tiny bacteria from changing the salt solution.