Borax
Also called sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, disodium tetraborate and sodium borate decahydrate.
The laundry booster and household cleaner mined from dried lake beds. It is a salt of boric acid and one of the oldest cleaning agents still sold.
Sources and notes
- The introductionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Other namesfrom sourceWikidataIts English label and aliases on Wikidata.
- Formula and weightcomputedPubChem
- 2D drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKit
Where you encounter it
Borax on our curated lists, and on the product labels we hold.
Every product and list we hold
Sources and notes
- Our curated lists and their amountsfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach amount is an editorial figure from our food and drink lists, not a measurement of any one product.
- The product labels and their strengthsfrom sourceDailyMed (FDA label)Each label lists the molecule as an ingredient, and an active ingredient at the strength shown.
- How it gets therefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach mark is set by hand on our lists, never inferred; a label's ingredient is added by the maker. A row with no mark data says Not marked.
Explore its structure
Choose a part to light it up.
Rings joined where they share atoms, or a single ring standing alone. Atoms in a ring are held in place, so this part keeps its shape while chains around it can bend.
From: standard chemistry.
Sources and notes
- The drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKitThe page's one shipped drawing, with the chosen part lit in amber under it.
- The partscomputedFound by ruleEach part is found by a chemical pattern, never picked by hand atom by atom; its words say where they come from.
Compare a related molecule
Borax
Sodium bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate is an edible, mildly alkaline sodium salt, while borax is a more strongly alkaline boron compound that is not edible.
Borax vs Sodium bicarbonate, side by sideSources and notes
- The sentencefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKitThe two drawings side by side.
Properties and sources
Calculated by PubChem
- Molecular formula
- B4Na2O7
- Molecular weight
- 201.2 g/mol
- Polar surface areatopological
- 92.3 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 0
- H-bond acceptors
- 7
- Rotatable bonds
- 0
- Complexity
- 121
Measured LD50, HSDB via PubChem
2,660 mg/kg pure borax, rat, oral
An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person.
Reported Hazard label (GHS), ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia via PubChem
Danger Irritant pictogram (GHS07) and Health hazard pictogram (GHS08); hazard statements H319, H360
Groups it belongs to
- Category
- Everyday chemistry
- Family
- Inorganic compounds
- Product lists
- Household cleaners
- Elements
- Sodium
- Hazard classes
- Irritant, Health hazard, GHS Danger
B1(OB2OB(OB(O1)O2)[O-])[O-].[Na+].[Na+]PubChem CID 10219853 · Wikidata Q5319 · InChIKey UQGFMSUEHSUPRD-UHFFFAOYSA-N · Data refreshed
Questions
- What is Borax?
- The laundry booster and household cleaner mined from dried lake beds. It is a salt of boric acid and one of the oldest cleaning agents still sold.
- Where is Borax found?
- Borax is in these product groups: household cleaners. from source
- How toxic is Borax?
- The reported LD50 of Borax is 2,660 mg/kg (rat, oral). An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person. Its GHS hazard label carries the signal word Danger and the hazard pictograms Irritant and Health hazard. from sourcefrom source
- What kind of molecule is Borax?
- Borax has the formula B4Na2O7 and a molecular weight of 201.2 g/mol. MoleculeFinder files it under inorganic compounds, in the everyday chemistry group. from sourcefrom sourcefrom sourcefrom source
- What else is Borax called?
- Borax is also called sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, disodium tetraborate and sodium borate decahydrate. from source
Sources and notes
- Calculated valuescomputedPubChemComputed from the structure, so no laboratory conditions apply; complexity is PubChem's own structural score.
- LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChemOther values the sources report: rabbit, on the skin, 1,055 mg/kg. The page shows the one LD50 the site uses everywhere.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia via PubChemThe label combines these classifications.
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- EU CLP Regulationfrom sourceAttributionSource: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, © European Union.
- Safe Work Australiafrom sourceAttributionSource: Safe Work Australia, Hazardous Chemical Information System, © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0.
- Data refreshedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder2026-11-09
Keep exploring
Sources and notes
- Compared side by sidefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesA molecule we compare it with on its own page.
- The drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKit