However, to understand how borax improves the effectiveness of laundry detergents, we first need to know a little about how detergents work. Detergents usually contain surfactants (which remove dirt from fabrics); several different enzymes (each of which breaks down specific types of stains, such as grease or grass), oxidizing agents (such as hydrogen peroxide) that act as an alternative to bleach, since bleach deactivates enzymes and can be harsh on fabrics; polymers (to retain dirt and prevent its redistribution onto the fabric); and defoamers (to prevent foam from overflowing).
Still with me? When added to a detergent formula or as a “booster” in powder form, sodium borate (which, remember, is just borax) is especially useful in stabilizing the enzymes that break down stains and odors, meaning cleaner clothes.
I reached out to Andrea Barnes, a Wirecutter writer who covers all things fabric care, to get her opinion. She asked what detergent I used at home, and when I told her it was from Mrs. Meyer, the light bulb went off. I’ve been using Mrs. Meyer’s laundry detergent for about a year because the light scent was enough to scent our clothes without making me sneeze. But according to our tests, Mrs. Meyer’s is not a particularly strong laundry detergent, so a scoop of borax likely helped fill in the gaps by stabilizing the enzymes present in the formula. It also makes sense that I found the hot wash cycle to be more effective because Mrs. Meyer advises users to wash most clothes in hot or warm water, as opposed to Tide products, which work very well in cold water.
Andrea, like me, is sensitive to scents, so she suggested I try a cold cycle with Tide Free & Gentle on our smelly towels and compare it to a load using hot water, Mrs. Meyer’s solution, and borax. As someone who prides herself on efficient cleaning, I was both pleased and disappointed with the results.
Best choice
What this detergent lacks in fragrance, it makes up for in cleaning power.
As it turns out, Tide Free & Gentle was just as effective, if not more effective, at removing stubborn odors from our towels than my original method. However, I’m not big enough to admit I’m wrong, and it’s no surprise that the conclusions Andrea came to through extensive testing and research were quite accurate.
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