Borax for Dummies

Borax crystals in the wild

We admit that there are some journalists and "communicators" who either have an innate understanding of science or work hard to get it right even if they don't understand it. They're the ones who manage to get jobs as science reporters or who publish well-researched books on scientific topics. On the other hand, there are those who know jack about science but are greedy enough to pretend they know what they're talking about. To that second group, we once again add the name Brenda Priddy, at least on the basis of her little post "How to Make Borax Powder"¹ at Sciencing.com

Priddy, proud owner of an AA in English, followed in the footsteps of another eHowian when it came to researching her post (her second blown chemistry question for the folks at Leaf). She opens by informing us that Borax is "powdered boric acid crystals," something anyone can get from Wikipedia. Then, she opens the door for some dumbassery:

"Rather than purchasing premade borax at a home supply store, you can make your own from boric acid crystals sold wherever chemistry supplies are sold."

Yup, just like her fellow eHowian, Enzo Silvestri, Brenda told us to go to a chemical supply vendor to buy you some boric acid, then grind the "cystals" into a fine powder. To do so, you must use a grinder specially "purchased" for the task. Well, here's the tale of the cash-register tape for that little enterprise:

• 500 grams of boric acid crystals, ACS grade: $34.99
• Mr Coffee electric coffee and spice grinder: $13.49
• Total for 1.1 pounds: $48.48, or more than $44.07 per pound (exclusive of tax and shipping)

If, on the other hand, you just want some borax powder, you can head over to Amazon.com and buy yourself a one-pound bag of Borax powder for $7.99 (plus tax and shipping). Our local Lowe's sells a 4-pound box of 20 Mule Team Borax for the piddling price of $4.48.

If you really wanted to make your own borax powder (which you would want to do in bulk, for economy of scale), you'd buy the stuff in raw form – the mineral borax – and crush it. Quite probably that's what the OQ wanted to know, not how to make some at home. That's not what the scientifically illiterate Priddy (and her equally illiterate CE) thought of, which is why she's the Dumbass of the Day. Again.

Didn't anyone at Demand Media ever vet this rubbish for reasonableness? And does no one there know that borax and boric acid aren't the same thing???

¹ Priddy's version has been rewritten by one of the Leaf Group cleanup team. Don't worry, though: the new version got its own DotD award...

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