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Borax vs Baking Soda vs Washing Soda — A 45-Year Plumber's Verdict

Mark Silverbridge Plumbing

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What if three ordinary white powders in the laundry aisle could do completely different jobs around your home?

In this video, we compare baking soda, borax, and washing soda and reveal why choosing the wrong one can make a cleaning or plumbing problem much harder than it needs to be. Although all three are sodium-based products, their different chemical strengths make them suited for very different household jobs.

Learn why baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is the mildest option, making it useful for odor control, gentle scrubbing, and cleaning porcelain—but too weak to effectively break down heavy grease in drain pipes. We'll also look at borax (sodium tetraborate), the middleweight that works well for deodorizing, mold inhibition, mild scrubbing, toilet maintenance, and routine drain care.

Then there's washing soda (sodium carbonate), the heavyweight of the three. With a much higher alkalinity, it can attack and break down grease more effectively, making it the better choice for serious kitchen drain maintenance and stubborn greasy buildup.

Discover the simple baking soda vs. borax vs. washing soda guide that tells you which powder to reach for based on the job—and why using the right chemical strength can make your cleaning routine more effective while saving money on expensive specialty products.

🧪 Watch until the end for the simple household "assignment chart" that reveals which of these three powders belongs in your kitchen, bathroom, toilet, and drains—and which one is mostly just theater for certain jobs.

Credits to: ‪@tipswithjenniferandtony‬, ‪@Todayshomeowner‬, ‪@BudgetHeatingCoolingPlumbing‬, ‪@vanessamcbridebreathebelie5468‬, ‪@natural_nan‬, ‪@AndreaJean‬, ‪@best‬, ‪@PanTheOrganizer‬, ‪@WeeklyHomeCheck‬, ‪@billshowto‬, ‪@WisdomPreserved‬ ‪@nadiakorovina9869‬

#BakingSoda #Borax #WashingSoda #CleaningTips #HomeMaintenance #DIYCleaning #PlumbingTips #DrainCleaning #DIYPlumbing #HomeImprovement #HouseholdTips #CleaningHacks #KitchenCleaning #BathroomCleaning #ToiletCleaning #GreaseRemoval #DrainMaintenance #DIYHome #Homeowners #CleaningProducts

20 Comments

@joelee2371 1 month ago

Baking soda is found on the baking supply shelf; washing soda and borax is found in the laundry section.

@UncleKenjiJapan 1 month ago

I like how this reframes baking soda, borax, and washing soda as different tools rather than competitors. The safety warnings were especially useful too, because stronger cleaners are not always better for every situation.

@joeg3763 1 month ago

This doesn't need to be 20 minutes long, it tells you early that the A&H Washing Soda is the best option when it says it's PH is 11.

@willr52 1 month ago

I had a clogged kitchen sink. I tried an extra large size of Drano. That didn't work. I tried a container of Liquid plumber. That didn't work. My sink ended up being completely clogged and I had about 6 inches of standing water in it. I got my shop vac to remove the water, thinking I would have to eventually remove the pipe to clean it out. I use the shop vac to remove the standing water and then pressed it up against the drain. It sucked all the water out of the pipes and the clog! My drain was running clearer than it had in months! Of course I had to clean the shop vac, but it was well worth the trouble. I hope this helps someone else out.

@robertoswalt319 1 month ago

I find it interesting that the narrator says he uses baking soda on things he doesn’t want to scratch while using a scotch brite scrubbing pad.

@chrissmith2114 1 month ago (edited)

Washing soda also good for keeping your washing machine free of black mould and smells... just add a cupful to the drum once a week while doing a wash - it will actually help the detergent, but it cuts away all the fats that washing detergent and those fancy 'conditioners leave behind, that fungus and mould love to eat

@NicaNica4586 1 month ago (edited)

@14:45 go straight to summary and recommendation

@dscarty 1 month ago

If you don’t follow the steps with washing soda what you’ll find in the morning is something like cement in your drain.

@JacqLean 1 month ago

I'm a huge believer in the Borax and Washing Soda-I was just not using them correctly. Thanks for this -We need this info -I'm writing in my hardbound book (for if grid is down)
Excellent!

@SpareSimian 1 month ago

Baking soda is great for heartburn. 1/2 tsp in a 1/2 cup of water will knock that right down and bring immediately relief. The downside is that when it combines with the acid in your esophagus and stomach, it generates CO2 gas, so you burp a lot. But I'm fine with that. (If you have it chronically, buy a wedge pillow. It did wonders for me.)

Baking soda is also, of course, good for baking. Don't confuse it with baking powder, which combines baking soda with a powdered acid, which forms gas bubbles in baked products when it gets wet. If you already have an acid in your mixture (like buttermilk or a citrus fruit), you don't need the baking powder combination. Baking soda works just fine.

@collinlyle209 1 month ago

To use vinegar and baking soda correctly to unclog a drain: pour baking soda in the drain, chase it with white vinegar, and block the top of you drain by holding the stopper down tightly. It’s supposed to create pressure to blow out the clog.

Warning: for the love of Jimothy, do not use baking soda in with your laundry. It will destroy some of your clothes.

@Hockey4ever1967 1 month ago

A plumber told me years to pour bleach down my drain once a year, let it sit over night, and then flush it with hot water. Bleach breaks down to junk in the pipe and is safe for the pipes. I do it to all my drains yearly and I've never had another clogged drain.

@celia-Sea 1 month ago

Mark, if you're going to have images with your audio, make sure they match. Your video of someone cleaning tries to clean a tile wall and fails doesn't help

@1stSchoolofLife 1 month ago

I tried heating the baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to make washing soda (sodium carbonate). It worked, but it spread some of the powder all over the inside of my oven. I used the opportunity to clean the oven lol. If I ever need to do it again I will put a lid on it. It is easier just to buy it for the most part.
Borax is excellent for cleaning aluminum. I use the washing soda for stainless steel. A paste of either on the appropriate surface works wonders for getting off the baked on stuff.

@peggystutz8522 1 month ago

I have both in my laundry room.

@jacinthebox2 1 month ago

BEWARE! Roger the Pipe Guy's YouTube channel has a video that tells you to dump 1/2 c. dry washing soda into your drain, add 2-3 c. hot tap water and walk away until morning. I did this to a sink that had NO draining issues. It was working perfectly. I thought it would be good maintenance which was why I did it. In the morning, I got up to find a clogged sink. The washing soda with only 2-3c. hot water must have met cold pipe and just made a hard glob of undissolved washing soda. I'm now dealing with a clogged sink from following Roger's advice. Thanks a lot, Roger! TERRIBLE ADVICE! Still trying to figure out how to get my drain cleared without having to tear the drain line apart.

@JohnandNancyTselepis 1 month ago

Thks.for not only showing us which product is the best, but also sharing the valuable ways to use them carefully, where & when....which took a few minutes to listen to & was well worth the wait for us. Did not know either that Borax is toxic to kids & pets.

@Spaceytracy-b2e 1 month ago

Thank you for this great education. Finally this all makes some sense to me. A baking soda cleaner for decades. Have just begun with the others and now an understanding of them really helps.

@MLFranklin 1 month ago

Interesting tip on the oven conversion

@mrsclaussews 1 month ago

Tripped over your video. I used borax to wash down everything that came out of my house that had black mold. I make laundry soap out of grated washing bar soap, borax and washing soda. I love your hint on toilets and smelly bathroom sinks. I've fought that for years. I will be doing those today. I'll remember the washing soda hint for drains.