Baking Soda and Pets: Is It Bad for Dogs and Cats?
From being an ingredient in treats for your dog or cat to using it as a dry or wet shampoo for your pet’s fur, baking soda has ample uses in pet-friendly homes. You can count on baking soda to help deodorize kitty’s litter or get rid of the wet dog smell on the carpet.
Plus, baking soda can be an ideal cleaning tool when your doggo slobbers all over various surfaces. But knowing how much baking soda is safe for your dog or cat and the difference between eating baking soda and using it topically is important. So here are the answers to your questions about using baking soda on and around your pets.
Is Baking Soda Safe for Pets?
As a pet parent addressing your cat’s litter or giving your frizzled dog a bath, you want to make sure the products you use are safe for pets. Don’t let your cat or dog eat straight baking soda, but it’s safe to use baking soda in your kitchen and around the home when you have pets. In fact, you’ll want to use baking soda to clean and deodorize all sorts of things if you’re a cat or dog parent.
Can Baking Soda Harm Dogs and Cats?
You can feel comfortable using baking soda to clean throughout your home. That includes deodorizing kitty’s litter box or making a scrubby shampoo for your pup after a day of digging in the mud.
How Much Baking Soda is Too Much for Dogs and Cats?
If you believe your dog or cat accidentally ingested baking soda, contact your veterinarian. Signs of toxicity might include vomiting or diarrhea, among other symptoms.
Can I Brush My Dog’s Teeth with Baking Soda?
The chompers on your dog likely need frequent attention, and baking soda can help keep Fido’s teeth happy and healthy. Brushing your dog’s teeth with a toothpaste containing baking soda can help whiten those chompers.
If your dog isn’t used to having their teeth brushed, start by helping them get comfortable with the brush before introducing a baking soda toothpaste. Use a soft-bristled brush and gentle, circular motions to protect sensitive gums. Avoid brushing too hard, as this can cause irrititation or injury. If you’re making your own doggie dental paste, add a tablespoon of baking soda to a tablespoon of water, then mix until the paste is formed.
Can You Put Baking Soda in Cat Litter?
Baking soda is safe to use as a litter box deodorizer when used as directed. It helps to absorb wetness and neutralize acrid and acidic odors from kitty’s pee and poop – without added artificial fragrance.
You can sprinkle baking soda on top of any litter, or use a cat litter made with baking soda built in.
How Much Baking Soda Should I Put in the Litter Box?
Cover the bottom of the litter box pan with ARM & Hammer™ Baking Soda, then fill as usual with litter. To freshen between changes, sprinkle on top of the litter after a thorough cleaning to help keep the litter fresh and control cat pee smell.
5 Safe and Effective Ways to Use Baking Soda with Your Pets
Baking soda doesn’t just assist with cleaning teeth and freshening the litter box. Here are 5 more ways to use baking soda safely in homes with pets.
1. Deodorize Your Carpets and Upholstery
Your pet likely spends the vast majority of their day plopping down on the couch or carpet. Although they might look snuggly at times, wet dog smell and other musty odors can be far less cute. Baking soda is an ideal tool for ridding carpets and upholstery of pet odors. You can sprinkle baking soda on your carpet before vacuuming or use an all-in-one odor neutralizer such as ARM & HAMMER™ Plus OxiClean™ Dirt Fighters Carpet Odor Eliminator, Pet Fresh.
2. Deodorize Your Bedding and Pet Bedding
Similarly, baking soda can help get rid of odors on your sheets after your dog rolls around. If your pet has their own bed, you can add baking soda to the wash to help eliminate odors there, as well.
3. Deodorize Your Car
You’ve driven your pup to the dog park for a swim, but now they’re all wet and getting that smell on the car seats. Baking soda can help you to remove those stinky odors and get behind the wheel without pinching your nose from the musty smells wafting from the back.
4. Take Care of Toileting Mishaps
If you’re a new pet owner and desperately trying to potty train your dog, it’s likely your floors and rugs have seen better days. However, you can use ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator Plus OxiClean™ to help clean up pet accidents and restore their look and feel (and smell!). Sprinkling baking soda on a urine dribble also helps absorb the odors, so keep a box or shaker at hand if you have a new pup.
5. Make Dry or Wet Shampoo
You can use baking soda to make dry shampoos to wash your dog’s or cat’s fur after a day out in the yard. To give your dog a dry bath, start when your dog’s coat is thoroughly dry. Give fur a light sprinkle of baking soda, use a brush to work it through, and then thoroughly remove.
Baking Soda Is Pet-Friendly!
Baking soda is quite safe (when used as directed) around homes where pets run wild - and offers plenty of practical benefits. So grab the baking soda and get to refreshing upholstery and carpet or giving your pet’s fur a wash – and 100s of other ways to use this versatile, septic-safe helper around the home.
ARM & HAMMER™ Products for Your Pets
- ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda Shaker has a dual-sided shaker lid that allows you to sprinkle, pour or scoop as much baking soda as you need. It’s also ideal for making pastes for cleaning. The reusable refillable shaker bottle also helps reduce waste .
- ARM & Hammer™ Double Duty Clumping Cat Litter contains baking soda to help eliminate urine and feces odors on contact and allows for easy scooping.
