Where To Buy Borax In The UK For Cleaning
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Are you wondering where can you buy Borax in the UK? Well, wonder no more, here is where to buy Borax for all your cleaning needs or even slime-making needs.
Borax is an all-round natural cleaning wonder. Seriously, Borax has so many uses around the home that I’m never without a box or two. I’ve also learned from my 11-year-old daughter that Borax is a key ingredient in slime-making. The things you learn!
With the rise in interest in both natural cleaning – and slime making at the complete opposite end of the spectrum – I’ve been getting an increasing number of emails from people asking where they can buy borax.
To help you out, I’ve outlined my favourite online stores, as well as places you might be able to pick Borax up in physical shops.
What Is Borax?
First off, you might be wondering what Borax is exactly.
Borax is a white crystalline powder commonly used in cleaning all around the home. It’s gentler than soda crystals, yet stronger than bicarbonate of soda, which makes it great at tackling grease and grime.
Use it as a mild abrasive for cleaning your sink. Or pop it in your laundry. Borax is great at tackling stains, softening water, and brightening your clothes. It’s also cold-water soluble, unlike soda crystals which cake in cold water. This makes it great for washing clothes at low temperatures.
You can find out more in my What Is Borax guide.
Can You Buy Borax In The UK?
Strictly speaking, you can’t actually buy Borax in the UK. This is because back in 2010, the EU decided that on the balance of evidence, Borax, and other chemicals in the same borate family, could potentially be hazardous to health.
Borax was therefore banned for sale in the EU – which at that point included the UK. Brexit coming into place in 2020 hasn’t changed anything – Borax remains banned in the UK in 2023. Borax will likely continue to be banned – I can’t see the UK changing their mind on this.
Don’t worry though, Borax Substitute – also known as Sodium Sesquicarbonate – can be bought in the UK and EU. Chemically, Borax Substitute is very similar to Borax, and performs exactly the same as Borax, without the safety concerns. The only thing that differs is that, unlike Borax, Borax Substitute cannot be used for pest control – such as deterring ants.
Where To Buy Borax Powder
I regularly get queries from Moral Fibres readers on sourcing ingredients for natural cleaning products. Specifically on where to buy Borax.
The main producer of Borax Substitute in the UK is the Derbyshire-based natural cleaning company Dri-Pak. Dri-Pak branded 500 g cardboard boxes of Borax Substitute can be picked up in many hardware shops – such as Robert Dyas, Wilko and independent hardware shops – quite cheaply. However, if you are struggling to find a box locally, here are my favourite places to source this natural cleaning staple:
Ethical Superstore
Ethical Superstore stocks Dri-Pak branded Borax substitute for less than £2 for 500 g. As the store sells many of the green cleaning supplies I need, I quite often pick up several ingredients in one go to get the most value out of the shipping cost.
What I always really appreciate is that Ethical Superstore takes environmental concerns seriously. As such, the store uses low-impact packaging materials. This includes reusing the boxes in which it receives stock from its suppliers, paper bubble wrap alternatives, and 100% recycled paper void fill.
Big Green Smile
Big Green Smile also sell the Dri-Pak branded Borax online, again for under £2. Do note that the store has a minimum order value of £29.95, so save your order for when you are stocking up on other eco-cleaning supplies.
Amazon
Whilst I personally try to avoid Amazon on the grounds of tax avoidance, human rights issues, and environmental issues, I understand that not everyone is able to.
If Amazon is the most accessible option for you, then Amazon does sell Dri-Pak branded Borax Substitute. Just to warn you, it is easy to get ripped off on Amazon. I’ve seen single boxes of Borax that should retail for under £2 listed for more than double the price. Instead, look for three-pack or six-pack boxes of Borax for a much better deal.
Beyond the Dri-Pak branded 500 g boxes of Borax Substitute, it’s not something that is really made or sold in the UK by other brands. Therefore, it’s not able to be bought in bulk bags, beyond buying multiple Dri-Pak cardboard boxes.
How To Store Borax To Stop It Forming Clumps
Now you know where to buy Borax. However, you now have a new set of problems to contend with. You’ll soon learn that Borax is a notoriously tricky substance to deal with!
Whilst it is great that Borax, by default, comes in a plastic-free cardboard box, it’s not the best for long-term storage. This is because Borax has a tendency to clump up into rock-hard lumps the moment any moisture is present. These lumps can then be an absolute devil to bash out.
My top tips for storing Borax for any length of time, to prevent these lumps, is:
- to decant the Borax from its box into a jar or tub with an airtight light. It’s important to label this container and keep it out of reach of kids and pets.
- keep the box in a cool dry place where moisture is low.
- If clumping is still a problem, you could cut the end off of an old pair of tights (or similar), and add a good-sized scoop of dried rice. Tie up the end to secure the rice, and then place this makeshift bag of rice into the tub with the Borax.
Looking for more inspiration on what to do with your Borax? Do check out my full guide to natural cleaning products, for heaps of products that you can make quickly and easily using ingredients such as Borax.
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