Can I Give My Kittens a Bath?

They are 7 weeks old now and are getting into everything! Today, they discovered the 'fireplace'! And my formerly white/black kittens are now pretty much just.....black!
Can I give them a bath?
Also, can I now 'cover' mom with a sock because she hardly nurses them and I want her milk to dry up so that she can be spayed. They are eating and drinking just fine....

She can be spayed right now. It shouldn't be a problem. I would let the kittens have the ability to nurse until they are a little older. They should be with her until 12 weeks and may still occationally snack. Which can be done if she is spayed. Eventually her milk will dry up on it's own. I think if it is drying up too soon there can be problems or infection.

I wouldn't give the kittens a bath but you can. They are a little older at least. But I think a wet wipe will do just fine. They also make ones specifically for cats.

I asked about her milk drying up because she hardly nurses anymore and the spay clinic will not do her until her milk is gone. She is in heat now, I think, she is rolling all over the floor and offering up her rear end...she even went over to the dog and offered it up!

I will look for the cat wipes. I tried a damp washcloth and they are still pretty dirty. Funny thing is that I had just been commenting on how the white stays so white (clean) on the cats and next thing I know all 3 of them are running in/out of the fireplace!!

I'd try the warm washcloth again or maybe even light sponging but since they're still so small, a full-blown bath might get them too wet and cold since they aren't quite big enough to have the body fat to keep them warm.

YES you can wash them in a complete bath - I've done it to kittens at 5-6 weeks old and older. No one has gotten sick, etc. from bathing.

But you have to keep them out of any drafts and dry them as quick as you can - you can even put them all in a carrier after the bath and put a hair dryer on them (be sure its not too close) till their fur is dry.

I washed my kittens and put them in the bathroom with the heat on till they dry.

Also at that age, I'd confine them to a few rooms to explore - one of them NOT the room with the fireplace

I have to say though that they love having the house--well, most of it--to run around in! They chase each other up and down the hall, play under the dining room table, etc and just wear themselves out! It's kind of funny to hear what sounds like a herd of tiny elephants running through the house!
I found something that blocks off the fireplace now, so they are a little perturbed, but hey, life goes on!
They have gotten used to the dogs and the dogs pretty much ignore them. They also like to come into the living room and lay in the sun and they do the little 'halloween cat' dance when they see their own reflections in the glass!

I will give it a few days for the soot to come off and then will clean them, if thay are not already clean.

Thanks!