Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children?

RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post By Neko8 (Guest Post) (10/02/2008) Borax or Boric acid! Does it sound safe? I learned the hard way. I have been putting Borax down on the carpets for a year now. Recently my older cat is having problems breathing. After $1000 in vet bills and a few weeks she is only slightly better. This is what Wikepedia said. Simple exposure can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects on the vascular system and brain include headaches and lethargy, but are less frequent. "In severe poisonings, a beefy red skin rash affecting palms, soles, buttocks and scrotum has been described. With severe poisoning, erythematous and exfoliative rash, unconsciousness, respiratory depression, and renal failure." [7] My advice is Do not use on carpets. I have no idea if my cat will get better, and now my younger cat is coughing. Very serious stuff. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post By mulberry204 (Guest Post) (06/18/2008) You will have to treat your yard too as the cat will pick up fleas again. I got invested with them one year & needed an exterminator. It was expensive & I am sure the chemicals were not good for us. Here is what Wikepedia has to say about borax: [edit] Toxicity Borax, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is not acutely toxic. [5] Its LD50 score is tested at 2.66 g/kg in rats. [6] This does not mean that it is safe, merely that a significant dose of the chemical is needed to cause severe symptoms or death. Simple exposure can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Ingestion may casue gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects on the vascular system and brain include headaches and lethargy, but are less frequent. "In severe poisonings, a beefy red skin rash affecting palms, soles, buttocks and scrotum has been described. With severe poisoning, erythematous and exfoliative rash, unconsciousness, respiratory depression, and renal failure." [7] A reassessment of boric acid/borax by the United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs found potential developmental toxicity (especially effects on the testes).[8] Boric acid solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be especially toxic to infants, especially after repeated use because of its slow elimination rate.[9] Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post By Anna from Maine. (Guest Post) (06/17/2008) I do not believe Borax is harmful as they say, I have used it for several years to brush my teeth with. I have had no side effects. Very clean teeth. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post by JoanDogs (87) | (06/17/2008) Profile | Contact The best thing I've used to rid my house and dogs of fleas is Lorann Oils - Oil of American Cedar Leaf. Put 3 drops on a 3 inch square of brown paper bag in every corner of EVERY room of your house. Do this every 2 days, next week-do it every 4 days, 3rd week - and through the 'flea season' put the 3 drops on the paper. I put the paper with the oil on it on a shelf, or somewhere that my 6 dogs can't possibly reach. I bought 4 oz. of this oil 6 years ago [think it was about $25], and still have a half bottle left [house has 9 rooms] Make sure you specify Oil of American Cedar LEAF! makes your house like a cedar closet. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post by sheilamay (84) | (06/17/2008) Contact No, Borax is definitely not safe around children or animals. Which is why the warnings are listed on every box of Borax. It will can make children very ill, it may kill your animals. It's not worth taking a chance. Call your veterinarian for suggestions. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post by Tigertame4 (9) | (06/17/2008) Contact http://www.20muleteamlaundry.com/index.cfm?page_id=56 check out the website. I do not think it is dangerous. I used it to kill fleas when my childern were little. Consider its safety relative to the chemicals you could use. You would not sprinkle it then put your baby down to eat it. After you vacuum it is pretty much gone. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post by Tigertame4 (9) | (06/17/2008) Contact http://www.20muleteamlaundry.com/index.cfm?page_id=56 check out the website. I do not think it is dangerous. I used it to kill fleas when my childern were little. Consider its safety relative to the chemicals you could use. You would not sprinkle it then put your baby down to eat it. After you vacuum it is pretty much gone. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post by mom22dds (10) | (06/17/2008) Contact Someone was just telling me that they had used Borax just as you said for fleas. They sprinkled it all over their carpet let it set for xxx(?) came back and vacuumed it up. It killed the fleas and evidently the eggs, too. Because they never had another flea bite. Of course I immediately thought about the warning label, but they were very satisfied w/ the results. I can't speak as to how safe it is for your child, but maybe a call to the Borax number would be helpful. Good luck! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post By Carol in PA (Guest Post) (06/17/2008) When the box says "keep out of the reach of children," it may be because the manufacturer doesnt want children to EAT it. I would not hesitate to use chemical products to get rid of your fleas. The fleas (imho) are a far worse problem than the chemicals. You cannot have a flea infestation when you have children. Perhaps you will need to hire an exterminator to get rid of them. BTW, fleas live in grass in your yard so if you leave your pet outside, it will reinfest itself. Good luck Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post by Toolgirl (60) | (06/17/2008) Profile | Contact I was just reading a book yesterday and it said to "Keep out of reach of children, pets and pregnant women and don't use it around food". Sure it is a great cleaning agent, but it is toxic if ingested in any way. I would not suggest using this as a flea control product. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Is Borax Safe To Use Around Children? Post by keeper60 (163) | (06/16/2008) Profile | Contact Jennifer,I went and ck.my box of"Borax".On the side in bold letters is"Keep out of reach of Children".It also has an 800 #:1-800-457-8739 Hope this helps Keeper Report Spam or Abuse