Washing Soda is chemically the same as pH Up! (and, yes, it does raise both pH and T/A)

Baking Soda is chemically the same as Total Alkalinity Increaser (guess what IT does!)

Borax is Borax. It just raises pH, not T/A.

Now, here's the rub: When you raise pH your MEASURED T/A rises, and when you lower pH, it falls. pH and T/A are related and connected.

The ONLY way to raise pH without raising T/A is by aeration--aerating your pool water with waterfalls, fountains, gangs of wild 12 year olds (Wait--wild and 12 year olds is redundant), etc.

But when you use Washing Soda or Baking soda, the T/A rises MORE than the variation caused by the change in pH, which is why we say they increase T/A.

Hope this helps.