1. Cleaning & Disinfectants

• Water Softener: Used in laundry detergents to soften hard water, which improves the efficacy of surfactants in cleaning.
• pH Buffer and Mild Abrasive: Works as a pH stabilizer and cleaning booster in household and industrial cleaners, including toilet, surface, and glass cleaners.
• Antimicrobial Agent: Provides fungistatic and bacteriostatic properties, helping to inhibit odor-causing microbes in cleaning applications.

2. Pulp & Paper Solutions

• Dispersant & Cross-Linking Agent: Used in starch-based adhesives, particularly for corrugated cardboard and paperboard, where it acts as a gel stabilizer and cross-linker to improve viscosity and bonding strength.

3. Metal Treatment 

• Soldering & Welding Flux: Acts as a flux in metal joining operations, including soldering, brazing, and welding, by preventing oxidation and cleaning metal surfaces for better adhesion.
• Foundry Applications: Used in non-ferrous metal casting, especially in aluminum and brass refining, where it aids in slag removal and molten metal purification.

4. Agrochemicals

• Micronutrient Fertilizer: Supplies boron, an essential micronutrient that helps with plant cell wall strength, pollination, and seed production. Used in boron-deficient soils.
• Soil Amendment: Corrects boron-deficiency in crops such as cotton, apples, sugar beets, and vegetables to improve flowering and yield.

5. Pharmaceuticals 

• Topical Antiseptic and Buffer: Used in antiseptic powders and eye washes for its mild antimicrobial and buffering properties. Now limited in pharmaceutical use due to boron-related safety concerns.
• Emulsifier in Creams & Lotions: Functions as an emulsifying agent when combined with fatty acids, helping to stabilize creams and skin ointments.

6. Construction 

• Fire Retardant: Borax is used as a flame retardant additive in wood treatments, cellulose insulation, and wall panels, offering fire and insect resistance.
• Mold Inhibitor in Insulation: Helps prevent fungal and microbial growth in insulation materials such as fiberglass and cellulose fiber.
• Clay Stabilizer and pH Control Agent: Used in drilling mud formulations to control pH and prevent swelling of clays, thus improving drilling efficiency and wellbore stability.

7. Fabric Solutions

• Dye Carrier and Fixing Agent: Borax is used in textile dyeing processes to help bind dyes to fibers and adjust pH for color development and fastness.
• Leather Tanning Agent: Acts as a cleaning and softening agent in the early stages of leather tanning, especially to remove grease and prepare hides.