Boric Acid Uses

Ever thought what wonders can a naturally occurring substance called boric acid do in your daily life. Do you doubt the declaration stated above? While most of you know what exactly we are talking about, some of you would still be in a state of shock wondering about the varied marvels boric acid can do. Also known as boracic acid or orthoboric acid, boric acid is a natural mineral salt that contains the elements boron, oxygen, and hydrogen. Hence, it is chemically represented as H₃BO₃ comprising of borates as the main component which are found in soil, rocks, and sea water. Boron is an important micronutrient for plants, perhaps even humans, and is most commonly consumed in the natural form from fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts. While boron is significant for human consumption to some extent, when combined with hydrogen and oxygen, it becomes boric acid, offering a plethora of uses, in various fields such as medicine, household and industries. Go through the lines below to discover the various uses of boric acid.

 

 

Boric acid is a tried-and-true cleaner for home. Get rid of tough stains on your clothes by adding ½ cup boric acid to your regular detergent while doing laundry. If you wish to bleach your clothes, dilute ¼ cup boric acid in two cups of water and treat your clothes the same way as you would otherwise with a market-bought bleach. Get an odorless kitchen and bathroom by sprinkling some boric acid into the bottom of a clean and dry dustbin. Sprinkle ½ cup boric acid into the toilet bowl and swish around using a toilet brush. Leave it on for about 30 minutes or overnight and flush to get rid of bad smell and odor in the toilet.

 

Ever since boric acid was found in China several centuries before, it has been significantly used in industries. It finds itself an important place as one of the ingredients in the cosmetic industry for the manufacture of products, such as powders, eye washes, and external skin treatments. It is also widely used in the manufacture of vitamin supplements as a source of boron. Due to its flame retardant properties, boric acid is extensively used in the manufacture of furniture, mattresses, and insulation. To produce glass with a better chemical and high temperature resistance, boric acid is applied on glass products. Further, all microwaveable dishes, lab glass, dishes used in the oven, and halogen light bulbs contain boric acid to resist high temperatures. Jewelry industry also makes use of boric acid to prevent heated metals from undergoing any side reactions, such as surface oxidation.

 

Boric acid serves as an excellent cleaner for all kinds of mold problems and insects. By making a solution from one part boric acid and ten parts sugar in lots of water, you are ready to fight with insects, like ants, cockroaches, silverfish, fleas, and others. Simply pour this solution in a spray bottle and sprinkle across your home around their hiding places. Alternatively, you can directly sprinkle boric acid powder in areas, such as under the furniture, behind cabinets and bookcases, in upholstery, and under carpets to control fleas and dust mites. With the onset of the rainy season in Asian countries, houseflies are a common sight in most homes. As such, sprinkling boric powder all over the house will help in keeping mold and mildew away.