6 Ways This Simple Kitchen Ingredient Can Do Wonders for Dogs
It can clean your dog's toys in a flash, bathe your pet without getting wet, banish doggy smell in minutes, and even help clean up messes on hard-to-clean surfaces. Get the know-how on using this wondrous material to its maximum for a cleaner, fresher smelling home and pet.
Analysis by Dr. Karen Shaw Becker
Join the Bark & Whiskers™ Family
Sign up today for our FREE newsletter, packed with expert advice and insider tips to keep your beloved pet in tip-top shape.
View our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Baking soda is an old-new remedy for a myriad of problems, including pet smells from your dog and his favorite hangouts, and bathing his toys
- If your dog shows up with dirt on her fur — or worse, a bad smell — baking soda comes in handy for cleaning and deodorizing, using both the “dry bath” method and as a conventional bath solution
- Long known as a soothing therapy for pain, baking soda can even relieve soreness from a sting if your pooch has a close encounter with a bee
Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published July 28, 2016.
Sodium bicarbonate, also called baking soda, has been a staple in the kitchen and other areas of the home since your grandmother’s day. It’s recognized as a clever “hack” with all kinds of uses, from cleaning your refrigerator to easing indigestion, and as its name suggests, baking.
But there are numerous uses for this tried-and-true white powder that come in handy for your dog, or more to the point, keeping your house, which includes a dog, cleaner, fresher smelling, and more comfortable for him and you.
Here are six baking soda solutions for common problems related to your canine companion. You may just find it to be your — and your dog’s — new, old-fashioned fix.
- Dry bath — How many times has your dog come in from outside after rolling in stinky mud or even garbage? If you find you don't have time for a proper bath at the moment, a dry baking soda bath is a great back-up plan.
Making sure your dog's fur is completely dry, sprinkle baking soda lightly over his coat, rub it in a little, then brush it through. It takes care of the worst of the problem until you can get him in the tub, plus, it helps relieve itching. - Cleaning dog toys — Dog toys need regular cleanings from your dog being a dog and dragging them through who-knows-what (dirt, drool, etc.) day after day. It's enough to make you go "Ew!"
Dissolve 4 tablespoons of baking soda per 1 quart of water and scrub the toys with an old toothbrush. For stuffed toys that shouldn't get wet, sprinkle the surface with baking soda, allow it to sit for 15 minutes, then brush it off. - Sweetening dog rugs and carpets — Where dogs lie down or hang out, a fragrance sometimes becomes evident that warrants action. Sprinkle baking soda over the surface and allow it to sit for 15 to 30 minutes, then vacuum. The same method can be used on your dog's bed.
You may want to keep Benji out of the room during the preparation process, however, because dogs see baking soda as another fun substance to roll around in! - Cleaning up an accident — Dog owners at some time or other will most likely encounter an accident their dog has had, and it's not always on an easily cleaned surface. It also happens when dogs get sick, and the result is the same — a mess that needs treatment as soon as possible.
To quell the smell and rein in the stain, apply a small amount of club soda to the scene of the accident and leave it long enough for it to dry. Then follow it up with a sprinkling of baking soda. Allow that to sit for about 15 to 30 minutes, then vacuum it up. - Skunked again: A smelly reception — Anyone whose dog has been the unhappy recipient of a skunk's smelly calling card will likely never forget it! Get your dog in a bath that contains one-quarter cup baking soda, 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap.1 Lather it in, rinse it off, and the odor will be greatly diminished.
You may want to keep Fido outside while you're getting the bath together, however; the shorter time he spends inside, the less time the perfume has to permeate throughout your house. - Bee sting pain — When your pup's paws, nose or any other part of her body comes into contact with a bee that stings, it's as painful to her as it would be to you. Baking soda can help take the sting away by creating a paste with a little water.
Locate the stinger and remove it with tweezers, if possible, before applying the paste. Reapply the baking soda paste as often as necessary for the next few hours.
Baking Soda: A Good Thing to Have on Your Shelf
Who knew that baking soda could have so many handy uses in relation to your dog? Sure, you could buy all kinds of cleaners, shampoos and even room sprays, but this handy, old-fashioned remedy has stuck around for so many years for one simple reason: It works. I recommend you look for aluminum-free baking soda whenever possible.
Sources and References
- DogChannel December 30, 2014
- 1 Humane Society 2016
