Sarah the Pet Sitter works very hard to maintain as little impact on the environment as possible. One of the ways we do this is by emphasizing the use of natural or eco-friendly pet and household products. Products with a petrochemical base can be harmful to humans and animals alike, and do damage to our planet. There is one eco-friendly product in particular that SPS is very fond of because of its versatility and gentle effectiveness. Plus, it’s something you probably already have in your house! Keep reading to find out some great uses for the SPS secret weapon.
SPS loves baking soda! There, we said it. The cat is out of the bag. Baking soda is actually a naturally occurring mineral, but is more commonly produced through chemical processing that involves soda ash and carbon dioxide and is more complicated than I know how to explain here. It’s production is a relatively green process.
Last week SPS explained how a paste made of baking soda and water can be used to treat the pain of caterpillar stings. Additionally, that same paste can be used to brush your pet’s teeth to keep them healthy and clean. If you accidentally clip your pet’s nails too short, you can dip the affected nail in baking soda and apply pressure to help quickly stop the bleeding.
Beyond it’s health benefits, baking soda is a great household cleaning product. Most people know it can be used as a deodorant in refrigerators. It can also be used to deodorize litter boxes and pet bedding. Just sprinkle some baking soda in the litter box, and each time your cat uses the litter, the scratching will activate the baking soda to stop the odor. For stinky bedding you can’t wash, a healthy sprinkle of baking soda followed by a vacuuming will help suck the smell right out. This tip also works to refresh mattresses.
Those are some of the most common uses for baking soda to better care for your pet, but it can do almost anything. It’s great as a cleaner because it breaks up grease, deodorizes, and scrubs without scouring, all at the same time. It puts out electrical and grease fires. It’s a safe and healthy way to wash fruits and vegetables. It’s a great bath additive or facial scrub that eliminates oils and acids while polishing your skin silky smooth. You can even combine baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and soap to get rid of skunk spray. You can find a more comprehensive list of baking soda’s many uses here, but in the meantime SPS highly recommends adding baking soda to a well-rounded pet care routine to keep everyone healthy and happy.
