Baking Soda

[cassra]

Not sure if this belongs in this section or health so sorry if this is in the wrong spot.
I know that baking soda is used to clean around cats a lot but is it safe to leave around them? Could I put it on the carpet and let it sit a few hours with the cat still in the room? I'm fostering and live in a very small apartment so I can't put her in my other room because I have my own cat in there. I would lock her in the bathroom for the 2 hours but she cries when she's in there and I don't want to stress her out that way.
Also, is it safe around kittens? I could put my cat in my bedroom and her in the living room while I use the baking soda if not.
I've only ever used it to clean the carpet one room at a time so my cat could choose where they wanted to be but I have a lot of cleaning to do and it would save so much time if I could put it on all the carpet at once and vacuum it up at the same time as well.

 

[Primula]

I would not put baking soda on the carpet & leave a cat in the same room. No clue if it is harmful or not, but I would not do it.

 

[tiptopper]

Agree with Primula  not worth taking a chance, I would not do it.

 

[neely]

Your post made me curious so I looked up some links that I found interesting and might be helpful to you:

1.  http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/carpet-chemicals-harm-your-cat/

2.  http://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/9-baking-soda-uses-pet-owners

3.  http://homeguides.sfgate.com/petsafe-carpet-cleaning-42849.html

 

[Brian007]

Bicarbonate of Soda is safe for cats, but I wouldn't let them eat it.  I wouldn't let a human eat it either.  But it is safe for cleaning, and does a good job.  However, you must put your cat in your bedroom for the time the bicarbonate of soda is on your carpet, and vacuum up thoroughly, otherwise she will get it on her paws and lick it off.  

You must use pure bicarbonate of soda not NOT baking soda, which contains other raising agents and E numbers.  

 

[amethyst]

Baking soda is commonly used as a cheap deodorizer people add in cat litter, there is even a whole line of cat litter made by Arm and Hammer that contains baking soda. I would be very surprised if it was harmful on a carpet, unless the cat is licking it up off the carpet.

 

[Brian007]

I agree.  However, if the cat gets a weird fetish for it and eats it by the bucket load it won't do her any good, as she'd start to fizz inside when it mixed with her stomach acid.  It wouldn't harm her in particular but she'd probably froth at the mouth, which might freak her out.  It would freak me out!  Better to keep her in the bedroom to be on the safe side.

Saying that, I sometimes use it in cat litter but I mix it in.  And, I've used it on rugs before but I've brushed it in with a stiff brush before leaving it.  My cat stayed on the sideline, supervising, then came upstairs with me the whole time anyhow, as he followed me everywhere.  And hated the vacuum cleaner!

 

[cassra]

Thanks everyone who replied. I didn't get any reply soon enough so I just went for it and kept an eye on the kitty. I sprinkled it over the floor she didn't seem to like the way it felt on her paws so she sat on the bed with me while it was on the carpet and is acting completely fine after I vacuumed it up 3 times. Room smells nothing like cat now either which is awesome.