I have hardwood and tile floors. I tried everything to make them shine. One day I was in a hurry. I grabbed a bucket, put in about 1/2 cup of borax, filled it with hot water, and mopped all the floors.
If I was stranded on a desert island I would want a box of Borax (maybe a little food and water). My island would be very clean and odor free. Love Borax! I use Borateem or 20 Mule Team Borax whichever is cheaper. It is the only thing that will get rid of the scent of male cat urine. I put 1/3 cup in my frontloader and it gets rid of nearly every odor.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Borax is an effective ingredient in many cleaning recipes and also is a good laundry booster.