Where to Buy Borax in the UK

| Modified on Sep 18, 2024
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3 User Reviews


Posted by Nickster (Somerset, England) on 07/15/2024

Is this the correct type of Borax to treat health conditions?

Can Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate (Borax) be consumed for its health benefits or would that be a different type of borax? It is very difficult to buy in the UK.

Replied by Katzie
(Cancun, Mexico)
07/15/2024

Sodium Borate & Sodium Tetroborate are both indeed Borax. The last word I'm pretty sure just denotes that it's dehydrated. It's mined from dried up salt lake beds.


UK
Posted by Heather (Lancashire UK) on 02/24/2024

Hi

I live in the UK & I am now unable to buy the Borax powder. I have Osteoarthritis in my hands fingers thumbs. I can buy the Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate they call this a substitute. My question is it safe to take & will it do the same job please? I have cervical spondylosis for over 30 years. I am now getting nerve pain in my arms & hands any suggestions how I can help myself? Thankyou for any advice you can give me.

Replied by Art
(California)
02/24/2024
2325 posts

Hi Heather,

I found this box of 20 Mule Team Borax on eBay UK :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/bn_7024924053?_pgn=2

Art

Replied by Bill
(Philippines)
02/24/2024

Hi Heather,

I use Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate regularly for my own health. I've been using Ted's Borax remedy for over 17 years. I also can't obtain 20 Mule Team Borax because they don't sell it in the Philippines where I now live.

So what I did was just purchase my Borax direct from a chemical company in the Philippines using an local online retailer(Lazada). And you should be able to do the same in UK -- just go online and do a search for a bulk chemical seller in UK and buy your Sodium Tetraborate powder direct from them. Here is an example:

HD Chemicals(based in UK) -- Borax Seller

Just to also say that I'll be 74 y.o. soon and that I am still in good health with nothing wrong with me and reasonably fit as well.


UK
Posted by Arcade (London) on 07/28/2023
★★★★★

Na2B4O7 10H2O Is believed to be the correct formula for 20 Mule Team Borax.

This can be Borax decahydrate Or Sodium tetraborate Decahydrate. (Sodium2Boron4Oxygen7 then 10 H2O)

But they make it confusing on purpose. I guess cos the slime industry is pissed people are making it at home and not and putting toy shops out of business,

Replied by Art
(California)
07/29/2023
2325 posts

UK
Posted by Sharon (England) on 10/09/2022

Hi, I purchased sodium tetra-borate decahydrate in the uk, but have since found out that borax is apparently banned in the uk and only sodium sesquicarbonate can be sold. Can you let me know if the sodium tetra-borate decahydrate is the borax that I can ingest?
Many thanks
Sharon

Replied by Art
(California)
10/09/2022
2325 posts

Sharon,

Borax is known by several names.

This should answer your question :

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-borax-where-to-get-608509#:~:text=Borax also is known as, borax is sodium tetraborate decahydrate.

Here is a relevant quote from the article :

' Borax is a natural mineral with a chemical formula Na2B4O7 • 10H2O. Borax also is known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate. It is one of the most important boron compounds. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) name for borax is sodium tetraborate decahydrate. '

Art

Replied by Tony
(London, UK)
11/21/2022

Struggling to get borax in the UK.

Quick question for you if I may

Which type of Borax do you use?

Is it Borax Decahydrate @ 99.9%

Or Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate @ 99/9%

Art
(California)
11/21/2022
2325 posts

Tony,

Those are two names for the same thing, Borax.

Here is a link to availability in the UK on ebay :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=Borax&_sacat=0

20 Mule Team Borax is what we use on this side of the pond because it is available very inexpensively in the laundry aisle of most markets across the country.

Art

Mama to Many
(TN)
11/21/2022

Hi Tony,

You will see in this Earth Clinic article that Borax goes by different names. (Why? I don't know. It is certainly confusing! )

~Mama to Many~

Bill
(Philippines)
11/21/2022

Hi Tony,

I've been regularly supplementing Borax or Sodium Tetraborate or Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate on a daily basis as an anti-fungal, fluoride detox and as an arthritis preventative since about 2008 up till now. I'm 72 years old and there is nothing wrong with me.

"Which type of Borax do you use?"

I really wouldn't go there. Just keep it simple. As already stated above, I've used Borax, Sodium Tetraborate and Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate through the years. These are just synonyms for the same chemical as far as I'm concerned.

"Is it Borax Decahydrate @ 99.9%

Or Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate @ 99/9%"

Borax -- such as 10 Mule Team Borax -- is actually mined and has very few impurities. Similarly, technical grade Borax or USP grade Borax is certainly pure enough for human ingestion in my own experience.

I would simply advise just using the 10 Mule Team Borax(Unscented) if you can get it -- because it's certainly pure enough and it's also dirt cheap.

If you're having trouble locating Borax in UK then, if you have a credit card, you can perhaps try searching for Borax on ebay.com or amazon.com.

And there is nothing really stopping you from directly contacting an online chemical supplier in UK that is selling Borax from their website -- example for you here:

https://shop.hdchemicals.co.uk/products/sodium-tetraborate-decahydrate-borax-99-9

Webdes
(Coventry, UK)
11/22/2022

I have just found this site selling 'Borax':

https://shop.hdchemicals.co.uk/collections/powders/products/sodium-tetraborate-decahydrate-borax-99-9

Price is reasonable, with it being much much cheaper to buy in larger quantities. Found IPA Isopropyl Alcohol 99.9% on there too which I haven't seen many other places in the UK.


UK
Posted by John (uk) on 10/25/2021
★★★★★

You Can Buy Borax On Ebay 20 Mule Team Borax

( ingredient Sodium Tetraborate A Natural Mineral )

Replied by Cazza
(London)
03/30/2022

Hello just wondering if anyone can help, I am in the UK and have searched far and wide but cannot get 20 Mule. Can I use Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate? Thank you.

Art
(California)
03/30/2022
2325 posts
mmsg
(somewhere, europe)
03/30/2022

Cazza, in Europe, that IS Borax!


UK
Posted by Andrew (UK) on 10/22/2021

Hi,

I have some sodium tetraborate decahydrate 99.9% - is that the right compound to use as an arthritis treatment? It's off-brand with no accompanying info, except for "do no ingest" (sic) on the label, marketed as 'slime activator'. If not, I'd rather not poison myself, and I'm sure the kids will enjoy making slime...

Thanks in advance,
Andrew


UK
Posted by Triantaphyllo (England) on 08/11/2016

Hi. I have a question. I live in the UK and have just purchased Borax Sodium Tetranitrate Decahydrate ( 20 mule team Borax.). What is the difference between this and the Hexahydrate?

Is the one I have purchased safe to use internally?

Many thanks.


UK
Posted by Alitown (Uk) on 02/11/2016

I am stuggling on with demodex mange on my 2 year old dog. He is on homeopathic tablets but the going is very slow and we still have constant flare ups of the scabs. Want to make up the wash but cannot find anywhere to buy the borax here in the uk. There is natural borax substitute available. Will this produce the same result?

Many thanks.

Replied by Jacqueline
(Devon, Uk)
02/14/2016

Don't buy the substitute. You can get the Borax on Ebay. Some is called by it's chemical name - sodium-something (can't recall) - it's the pharmaceutical grade 99.99% pure, or they have the jewellers borax, but it's all the same thing. Doesn't cost much.

EC: Borax goes by several chemical names: sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, disodium tetraborate. It is all the same borax.

Replied by Sharon
(Ulysses Kansas)
08/12/2016

Have you tried making a purchasing on amazon.com?

Replied by Janet
(In)
08/12/2016

Sharon. A facebook group I belong to orders theirs. You can buy sodium tetraborate (borax) from intralabs online. Janet

Replied by Mrs A.
(London Uk)
08/13/2016

To the enquirer looking for Borax in the UK -

You can get it at Intralabs

Replied by Michael
(West Yorkshire)
01/03/2017

Borax is available from Intralabs, but it must be for commercial use or they will not sell it apparently.

Replied by Art
(California)
01/03/2017
2325 posts
Replied by Julietta
(London)
09/09/2018

Janet, could you say the name of the facebook group?

Replied by Janet
(In)
09/10/2018

Julietta

The group I spoke of has become inactive. Or disbanded.

There are a few, related to borax. I did a search, 2 English speaking groups popped up.

Janet


UK
Posted by Mike (Uk) on 02/11/2016

Hi there, you can get borax in the UK, just go onto ebay.co.uk and search on there! It will go by various names, the one I get is sodium tetraborate decahydrate, , , , It's cheap too!!


UK
Posted by Angelika (United Kingdom) on 04/02/2015

Where can I buy borax which is safe for internal use? Do you sell it?

EC: Hi, you will find some information on buying borax here: https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/borax17.html#uk

Replied by Fearg
(Midlothian)
12/17/2015
1 posts

Hello, I purchased Bill Thompson's book "Candida, killing so Sweetly" and want to undertake an anti-candida protocol.

The problem I have is I live in the EU (UK) and sales of Borax are restricted to the public. I don't know what it's like in Asia but I can imagine you could easily buy it there.

Online you can buy Borax substitute, would this be just as effective or not?

Would it be possible for you to advise me on how to obtain what I need?

Even if I have to order from the USA for example. I cannot move forward without getting past this snag so I would really appreciate if you could help.

Keep up the good work! Best, Fearghas

Replied by Janet
(Indiana)
12/20/2015

Fearg, The borax is sodium tetraborate and from everything I have found is available on the internet from Intralabs. Many in my facebook group order from there from Europe. Janet


UK
Posted by Broch (Aberdeenshire) on 10/21/2013

Where can I obtain food grade pure Borax in the UK.

I bought some from intra labs but it says on the package do not eat, technical grade powder for general reagent use, sodium tetra borate decahydrate. would this be ok to take orally?

Replied by Timh
(Ky, Usa)
10/22/2013
2048 posts

@Broch: The regent or lab grade would seem to be the most safest form in comparison to food or commercial grade. If you can't find any "borax" at your local grocer, try Ebay or Amazon as they have thousands of merchants that ship worldwide. Do be sure there are absolutely no added fragrance.

Replied by Lorenza
(Brighton)
03/03/2014

I just bought some from the same place. I actually enquired about this; due to pharmaceuticals corrupting our lives, its very hard to get borax that will say for consumption. However the little impurites in the borax you bought are just other mineral s that our bodies will get rid of. So should be fine.


UK
Posted by Avi (London, United Kingdom) on 01/21/2009

Hi, in searching to buy borax online, I found it under this name: Sodium tetraborate decahydrate at this site, top of page
http://www.jmloveridge.com/cosh/Borax.pdf

and I'm not sure that this is the right stuff. Can anyone tell me? Thankx, Avi

Replied by Casper
(Helsinki, Finland)
09/10/2011
Replied by Jane
(Liverpool, Uk)
09/29/2012

Is Borax safe for internal consumption in very small amounts say 1 ml spoon daily? there is an article in Nexus, that say because Borax was so good for arthritis and many other ailments it was banned, I cannot seem to find whether it is actually safe, some chemical sites suggest definitely not!! Any ideas or has any one used Borax internally safely?? thanks jane

Replied by Suzy
(U.k)
09/10/2016

Intralabs says you can only purchase Borax you're trade or professional.

Replied by Sandra
(Uk)
09/14/2016

You can buy it on Ebay UK


UK
Posted by Cara (Birmingham, England)
★★★★★

Re: Mandy from Dorset, Uk writes: "You cannot buy borax in England anymore - any other possiblities for horse mange?"

People say you can't buy borax in England. I bought some today in Boots, in the household cleaning aisle. Also available in tesco and ebay.

Replied by Sini
(Paris, France)
12/12/2009

Looked at a large Boots shop in London, as well as another hardware shop - and the staff there said No. The hardware store had something called "Borax Substitute"

Replied by Sheena
(Glasgow, Scotland)
12/13/2009

I thought something like this had happened, as I've not been able to find Borax anywhere and this is one item I do not want to be without.

Do any of our UK readers know of anywhere that has slipped under the EU's net and still supplies real Borax? If not - folk in the US seem to a product called 20 Mule Borax and this can be bought on EBay from users in the US. It will cost around £30 though (most of that is postage).

I have my doubts about this "substitute" being of any use to most of us. Treatment for demodex mites is definitely in the realms of pest control!

EC: Why did they stop selling borax in the EU, anyone know? Very weird.

Replied by Gaynor
(Manaton, Uk)
12/13/2009

I bought borax from lab supplier on e-bay UK company-e-mistral just recently they sell laboratory grade in different quantities. Hope this helps

Replied by Sheena
(Glasgow, Scotland)
12/13/2009

Thanks Gaynor, I'm really grateful for that. I found them on ebay and bought some. It's probably only a matter of time before these suppliers are banned from selling Borax too.

Replied by Ben
(Reading, Uk)
04/13/2010

Apparently...

"Borates as a family (including sodium borate also known as Borax), have been proposed as Reprotoxins and I think this is the reason they have been removed from the consumer market. A reprotoxin is something that can have long term systemic effects on the reproductive systems in humans (Risk phrases will be R60 may impair fertility and R61 may cause harm to the unborn child)."

I'm assuming Borax substitute (sodium sesquicarbonate) is no good for Dog Mange.

Replied by Bill
(San Fernando, Luzon, Philippines)
04/14/2010

Hi Ben...I have no doubt that boron or borax at high concentrations will cause the problems that you state. Unfortunately, you didn't quote the relevant concentrations of borax at which this reprotoxicity would occur, so we are all left hanging in the dark.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about boron or borax:

"Elemental boron and borates are non-toxic to humans and animals (approximately similar to table salt). The LD50 (dose at which there is 50% mortality) for animals is about 6 g per kg of body weight. Substances with LD50 above 2 g are considered non-toxic. The minimum lethal dose for humans has not been established, but an intake of 4 g/day was reported without incidents, and medical dosages of 20 g of boric acid for neutron capture therapy caused no problems. Fish have survived for 30 min in a saturated boric acid solution and can survive longer in strong borax solutions.[93] Borates are more toxic to insects than to mammals."

Boron in the form of borates or borax is always taken in small trace amounts, usually taking it for only a few days out of every week. I've been using trace borax for over a year now, off and on, and find it very useful and without any side-effects whatsoever.

Boron is useful as a very effective anti-fungal, as a general hormone balancer and is helpful to bone health. See this link :

https://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=2000

And your assumption concerning sodium sesquicarbonate is quite correct. This substance would be absolutely useless against mange. A topical mixture of borax and hydrogen peroxide would be far more effective.