Awesome life hacks by ANGRY ORANGE
What cleaning products are harmful for pets?
by Tracy Davis
We all want to have a clean house where we can breathe fresh air. That's why we are always looking for cleaning solutions to get rid of dust, dirt or persistent stains.
OK... I have a secret that I would like to share with you guys. It’ll probably make me a weird person, but here I go: I am obsessed with cleaning the home. And this is not all. Every time I go shopping, I stand and stare for many (lots of!) minutes in front of the detergents and household cleaner’s section.
I analyze them and in my head is a continuous battle between two thoughts: I need all of them and I don’t need any of them.
You may wonder why the second thought torments me. The answer is this - I am a proud and loving mom of three dogs and one cat and I care about their health, their soft paws, their bright fur, their ears, skin and shining eyes.
As you probably already know or heard, some household cleaners are toxic for dogs and cats. While they may make cleaning easy and give you that fresh, clean scent, they could be giving you and your pet long term exposure to some pretty hazardous chemicals.
Source: Unsplash
Here is a list of products and harmful ingredients that can affect your furry friend's health:
Laundry detergents. Harmful chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate, 1,4-dioxane, NPE are harmful to pets, and are one of the most common causes of skin allergies in cats and dogs. The resulting skin irritation these chemicals create can manifest in hot spots, dry, itchy and flaky skin, and constant biting and scratching, which can be frustrating for pet and owner alike.
Window cleaners. Butoxyethanol is the basic ingredient in many window cleaners and gives them the characteristic slightly sweet aroma. It belongs to the category of "glycol ethers", some very strong solvents. Besides, they can also contain ammonia, an alkaline product which is highly toxic to your pet, causing possible severe damage to eyes, skin, stomach, and even causing death with enough exposure. Ammonia can also be found in oven cleaners, floor waxes or fertilizers.
Toilet bowls cleaners. Some pets that like to drink water from their own bowl and there are pets that for some reasons (known only to them) like to quench their thirst from toilets. Pay attention when you choose a toilet bowl cleaner. For example, those that stay in your toilet and clean continuously can be toxic to pets.What is more important, don’t forget to close your toilet lid to further prevent your fluffy ball playing or drinking in the toilet.
Bleach. As you can easily imagine, bleach is a toxic substance for both animals and humans and it can be found in concentrated form or in a variety of household cleaners and detergents Keep all bleaching products away from your doggo or kitty.
Soap or other detergents. They contain phthalates, chemical compounds known for the hormonal disorders they cause. Phthalates have been linked to indirect symptoms such as weight gain, or developmental delays.
It’s important to keep our home clean and fresh. At the same time, we must take care of our furry friend's health and happiness. All you have to do is to choose enzyme and bacterial-based pet cleaners for cleaning organic pet messes, such as vomit, diarrhea and urine out of fabric surfaces.
What kind of cleaning products are you currently using around your pets?
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