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Make Your Own Cat Box Odor Neutralizer


Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 213 Posts
Editor's Note: As has been pointed out by other readers, borax is toxic to cats and should not be exposed to their skin, ingested or inhaled. Neutralizers on the market today do not include this ingredient. Try using straight baking soda instead.
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After reading the backs of several brands of cat box odor neutralizer, I've found they have basically the same 2 active ingredients BORAX and BAKING SODA. Here's an easy recipe that works to decrease cat box odor: Mix equal amounts of (20 mule team) BORAX and BAKING SODA together. Next time you clean out your cat box, sprinkle 1 - 2 cups in the bottom of the litter box then add your favorite brand of litter on top. These safe and simple ingredients will greatly decrease the odor from your cat box.

By CDR

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By Jane (Guest Post)
May 6, 20080 found this helpful

But I have a question. Is the borax harmful to the kitties? I've used baking soda in the past and it works short term, but with a lot of cats I need something that lasts a bit longer.

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Thanks

 
September 30, 20190 found this helpful

Yes. If you feed cats your laundry detergent, then I suppose you could feed them Borax. borax is used mostly as a laundry additive these days, and I assume-correctly I hope-that you do not feed detergent to them. Borax is safe when USED AS DIRECTED! So read the directions on the box. I have yet to read a recipe for cat litter deodorant on the box, so just use baking soda, or buy a commercial brand.

 
February 27, 20221 found this helpful

Borax kills. This is insanely dangerous stupid idiocy to suggest using borax. I don't even buy it.

 
April 3, 20220 found this helpful

Are you mixing up borax with boric acid....

 
May 18, 20220 found this helpful

Thank you Geraldine! When I saw that post I just about had a heart attack!

 
September 30, 20230 found this helpful

I would not recommend using Borax - nonetheless it is slightly LESS TOXIC than table salt according to the science.
All about quantity ingested. I would keep it away from cats.

 
By jayhawkfanatic (Guest Post)
May 8, 20080 found this helpful

I used baking soda a few years ago to neutralize the odor of my litterbox. I kept noticing that my cat looked like she was foaming at the mouth. I finally read an article about baking soda in litterboxes causes this.

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The cats lick themselves clean and naturally the baking soda is in their paws. I quit using it, and her foamy little mouth cleared right up.

 
By Sydney (Guest Post)
November 28, 20082 found this helpful

You should note that Borax is a poison. It is listed in the MSDS. The MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet) is a book all places that handles hazardous materials must keep on hand. The MSDS book reads "Harmful if swallowed or inhaled." It can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, and central nervous system. It can affect the GI tract, liver, and kidneys. Borac Acid is considered a hazardous material and contains traces of arsenic.

I found this out because I had heard that using Borax on the carpet would get rid of fleas. My two cats became lethargic and stopped eating. When I found out what I was doing I took my cats to a friend's house, and I wore a mask to try and get up as much of that Borax as I could. I don't know how much damage I caused my little kitties but one died prematurely. I was surprised to see this advice. Please think twice before using Borax around children or pets.

 
September 25, 20170 found this helpful

Borax is related to boric acid but is not the same thing and is much less toxic. Of course, that doesn't mean it's good for cats to ingest (or humans either). Borax is pretty harmless if used properly, though there is a lot of fear-mongering on the Internet.

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If it's spread on the carpet and not vacuumed up thoroughly enough, it could certainly mean cats are ingesting more than they should.

 
September 25, 20170 found this helpful

Chemical manufacturers are required to supply an MSDS with each product sold that's specific to that product. There is not a single MSDS book.

 
Anonymous
September 30, 20191 found this helpful

if you read the instructions on the box you will see that Borax is used diluted. It can be used as a paste, but frankly I would not do it. Borax is generally a laundry detergent/cleaner enhancer. To clean the carpet either go to the 20 Mule Team Borax web page or follow directions on box. They suggest using it in a cleaning machine, as a solution. About 1/2 cup of Borax to 1 Gallon of water.

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someone suggested that it could be used in a litter box o deodorize it then went on to say it was toxic. So don't do that. And keep the cats off the cleaned carpet is you are using it for that. Just follow directions on the box. If you do not find the directions for what you want to use it for, don't use it for that! Just use it for laundry-after all that is it's primary use.

 
May 18, 20220 found this helpful

Do you realize that Borax is TOXIC to cats? It can be absorbed through the skin and by inhaling! LESS THAN 5 GRAMS CAN KILL A PET OR A CHILD!!! Even the MSDS safety sheet for Borax indicates it is a throat and a lung irritant if inhaled by humans or pets!!!

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DVMs even say it is harmful to pets!!!

 

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