Is baking soda safe?

[karynne]

We use our carpeted living room for floor time. It's all been pig proofed, and we have it sectioned off from the rest of the apartment with a grid wall that folds up accordion style when not in use. When it's time to let them out we just fold out the wall, attach the ramp, and open their door. The whole set up/take down process takes less than a minute, and everything can be quickly and easily stored away when we have company or aren't able to supervise them, so it isn't a constant tripping hazard. We have brown patterned berber carpet, so pee stains aren't an issue, but odor control and hygiene is. Would putting down baking soda before vacuuming be safe for piggies? If not, what would be a safe alternative? We would like to get a steam cleaner, but haven't had any luck with finding one that is in our budget.

 

[Silverbeat]

We use our carpeted living room for floor time. It's all been pig proofed, and we have it sectioned off from the rest of the apartment with a grid wall that folds up accordion style when not in use. When it's time to let them out we just fold out the wall, attach the ramp, and open their door. The whole set up/take down process takes less than a minute, and everything can be quickly and easily stored away when we have company or aren't able to supervise them, so it isn't a constant tripping hazard. We have brown patterned berber carpet, so pee stains aren't an issue, but odor control and hygiene is. Would putting down baking soda before vacuuming be safe for piggies? If not, what would be a safe alternative? We would like to get a steam cleaner, but haven't had any luck with finding one that is in our budget.

That's perfectly safe. A steam cleaner would be more hygienic, but baking soda will do just fine to eliminate odors. Let it sit as long as possible on the carpet before vacuuming.

 

[Cogni]

You're very brave, to let them pee on your carpet during floor time! I hope it is your own carpet, and not that of an apt. complex or something. I guess if your piggies are potty trained or nearly so it would be ok, since you would only have 'accidents' rather than lots of peeing around. But if I had carpet, I'd put down a covering over it before letting them on it. I have some disposable painter's plastic I use over our floor, and I toss some towels over it for floor time. I wash the towels and dump the plastic after floortime. When they get floor time, they get a long time, so it's worth it to do the extra prep.

 

[karynne]

Thanks Silverbeat! Yeah we were just looking for a cleaning solution that would get us by until we can save up for a steam cleaner. Sounds like we found it!

@Cogni: Yes it is a rental, but they are about 90% potty trained to go in their cage, which they have access to the whole time they are out. The other 10% is pretty much contained to their favorite napping spot under the loveseat, so we just put down towels there.
P.S. And as clarification, our loveseat is not a typical one. I wouldn't let them under there if it were. It's actually a two seater bench from a utility van, that is raised and has bunny/piggie chew proof metal legs. Just wanted to make sure no one thought I was letting them crawl around inside our couch : )