Young women are risking organ damage by following a social media craze that promotes drinking a toxic cleaning product to relieve joint pain, fight infections and aid weight loss.
Experts have warned that at best the concoction can cause diarrhoea and vomiting – while at worst it could trigger lung problems and even liver cancer.
Hundreds of clips posted to social media app TikTok show advocates of the worrying trend mixing a US multi-purpose cleaner called Borax with water and drinking it daily. And on Facebook, users recommend that soaking in a bath containing it can ease joint and muscle pain. But Borax, which contains the mineral boron, is toxic, even in amounts as small as a quarter of a teaspoon.
Also known as sodium tetraborate, it is a white, powdery cleaner that can remove stains from fabric, destroy mould, brighten whites and kill pests. It was banned in Britain in 2010 due to concerns about risks to human health. Despite this, some online shops still sell similar products…