Most of your larger grocery store chains will sell Borax. Walmart and Kroger sell it for sure.

Borax and borax substitutes, are not necessarily scabies exterminators. Scabies are tiny mites. As the question provides for a borax bath, it will be the hot water and anything that breaks water surface tension (borax in this case) — allowing the mites to drown or perish in hot water. There are very few germs and/or bacteria that can survive hot water, soap, and a scrubbing brush. Soap bars, hot water with temperatures higher than "hand hot" along with cleaning implements such as brushes, cloths, et al, are all that is needed to keep the home clean. Bleach and other harsh chemicals should be used very sparingly.

I don't know the name of a specific store, but some good places to start would be pharmacies and stores that sell laundry detergent; if they don't sell it themselves they may be able to point you in the right direction.

It might not make slime but a more doughy substance.

In large enough quantity, yes. However, boric acid is considered to be about as poisonous as table salt. Certainly it would kill mice if you immersed them in it, or fed it to them in large enough quantities. Mice traps or rat poison will work better though.

Boric acid can be found at Walmart. Most drugstores such as Walgreen's and CVS also have it. Hardware stores such as Home Depot or Lowe's also generally carry the stuff as well as any store that generally sells pool supplies.

Borax is perfectly safe in swimming pools. We started using it in our inground pool two years ago and would not use anything else. Not only is it less expensive (a lot less expensive) but the water feels softer when we use it. My husband had to spend some time convincing me that Borax works and works safely but I'm very glad he did. Our pool has never looked better. We had been buying every product that the pool store told us we needed (we did need it didn't we?) One summer they couldn't get our pool water cleared up so in frustration my husband turned to the internet and the use of Borax. We saved a bundle and our pool cleaned up beautifully. Hope this helps you.

Add baking soda, one or two cups at a time, until it's where it should be. Check PH between applications though because the baking soda can lower the PH. It could also be that you're not shocking your pool enough.

You want to run your pool water alkalinity level between 80-100ppm, not up to 150 as some may suggest. Most pools guys get their info. on how to balance pools from your local water company. Yes, this is correct. It's called the Langelier Index, which was originally designed for public water systems. This index was never intended for pools.

In the 1950's, when pools started to come into the mainstream, this was the only index available, so it was used to balance pools and hot tubs.

The Hamilton Index, which I use, is much more pool-friendly and is specifically designed for pools. It takes into consideration acid rain, drag-off, heat, the sun, organic and inorganic matter in the pool, etc...

While I don't completely agree with the Hamilton Index, it is much closer to how a pool should be balanced and will save you much time and money in the long run.

To raise the alkalinity in swimming pools, the most common and the safest chemical is Sodium Bicarbonate. You know, good ole' fashion

Arm and Hammer Baking Soda.

Try to not add more than 2lbs. of Sodium Bicarbonate, or another kind of alkalinity increaser, for every 10,000 gallons of water in a single application.

While your filtration system is off and the water is motionless, stand in the deep end of the pool and sprinkle (don't dump the product or go too fast), the Sodium Bicarbonate

or alkalinity up.

Allow the water to sit for 2-3 hours, then turn the pump back on and allow the pool to fully circulate, usually 4-6 hours, then re-test your pool's alkalinity balance. Doing this technique will increase your alkalinity without much happening to the pH level.

Only use 20 Mule Team Borax without detergent. This raises your PH without raisig alkalinity. Try using the same amount you would with PH plus, and wait 2 to 4 hrs. and check your PH reading. If your alkalinity is low you can use baking soda to raise your alkalinity. Baking Soda raises PH and Alkalinity. Baking Soda has the same ingredients as Alkalinity plus, but half the price. Take a look at this web site for more information on Borax. http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/borax_20mule.html TS

Maybe

no

Powdered borax is white.

Borax is used in the Schotten-Baumann reaction to identify anthraquinone glycosides because it reacts with the anthraquinone to form a precipitate. This reaction is specific for anthraquinone glycosides and does not occur with other types of glycosides.