Research is the key to all knowledge. From what I've read from all the comments, lack of research and nothing but opinion and hearsay. Borax has been given a bad name in the public eye as poison. Australia has banned it as poison. First what is Borax really? It's sodium tetraborate and has nothing to do with the sodium flouride which is put in everything possible, including distilled water for children, it's the main ingredient to rat poison. Now borax, in real studies has been proven to regulate the mass amount of extra calcium in the body which can cause breast cancer and arthritis. Borax helps rid the body of extra calcium in the blood stream, is essential for cell membranes, Boron compounds have anti-tumour properties and are "potent anti-osteoporotic, anti-inflammatory, hypolipemic, anti-coagulant and anti-neoplastic agents," Boron is distributed throughout the body with the highest concentration in the parathyroid glands, followed by bones and dental enamel. Boron deficiency causes the parathyroids to become overactive, releasing too much parathyroid hormone which raises the blood level of calcium by releasing calcium from bones and teeth. This then leads to osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis, osteoporosis and tooth decay. With advancing age high blood levels of calcium lead to calcification of soft tissues causing muscle contractions and stiffness; calcification of endocrine glands, especially the pineal gland and the ovaries; arteriosclerosis, kidney stones, and calcification of the kidneys ultimately leading to kidney failure. Boron deficiency combined with magnesium deficiency is especially damaging to the bones and teeth. Boron affects the metabolism of steroid hormones, and especially of sex hormones. It increases low testosterone levels in men and oestrogen levels in menopausal women. It also has a role in converting vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing calcium uptake and deposition into bone and teeth rather than causing soft tissue to calcify. Also other beneficial effects have been reported such as improvement of heart problems, vision, psoriasis, balance, memory and cognition. You can take capsules from the health food store or 1/4 tsp in 1 liter water of the laundry booster. Borax is a naturally-occurring and mined mineral salt and the source of other manufactured boron compounds. The main deposits are in Turkey and California. Chemical names are sodium tetraborate decahydrate, disodium tetraborate decahydrate, or simply sodium borate. This means it contains four atoms of boron as its central feature combined with two sodium atoms and ten molecules (or sometimes less) of crystallisation water. All borax is naturally mined -- there is no synthetic borax -- the difference is only how much crystallisation water it contains. Decahydrate means 10 water molecules, pentahydratemeans means 5 and anhydrite means 0 water; chemically it is all the same. Borax is completely natural and quite safe. I will also add that detoxing the body is the only way to keep the body healthy from all the chemicals breathed, drank and eaten on a daily basis, not to mention the massive chemicals used in and around the home. It's just that easy.