If you're lucky enough to share your home with any four-legged friends like me, you'll know how tricky it can be to keep your home clean.
Not only do they shed and leave muddy pawprints around the house, but there are actually a number of cleaning products it's crucial to avoid if you have pets, professional cleaners urge, for the safety of your beloved companions.
Here, they share their cleaning tips on which to steer clear of, why, and what to use instead.
5 common cleaning products to avoid if you have pets
1. Bleach
While it's arguably the most widely used of all the home cleaning heroes, using bleach is definitely not recommended if you have pets, warn professional cleaners.
As Karina Toner, cleaning expert and operations manager at Spekless, explains, 'Put simply, bleach is strong, and that’s usually the problem. The fumes alone can irritate your pet’s eyes, nose, and throat, especially if you’re using it in a poorly ventilated area.
'If they walk across a freshly bleached floor or surface and lick their paws afterward, it can burn their mouth or even cause stomach upset. Over time, frequent exposure to bleach fumes can lead to breathing problems, especially in cats, birds, and smaller dogs whose bodies are more sensitive to harsh chemicals.'
For all of these reasons, you should never clean with bleach when you have pets, no exceptions.
Additionally, the dangers are multiplied when mixed with ammonia, another hazardous substance often found in glass and oven cleaners, advises Derek Christian, chief cleaning officer at All Star Cleaning, as it creates toxic chloramine gas, which can be deadly for both humans and pets.
'Instead, use diluted dish soap or pet-safe enzymatic cleaner like Biokleen Bac-Out Natural Bathroom Cleaner available at Amazon if you need to disinfect surfaces,' he suggests. 'You should still try to stay away from any ones that have a super strong scent.'
Alternatively, continues Karina, 'For cleaning floors or wiping down counters, try cleaning with vinegar by mixing equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle,' such as the Great Value All Purpose Plastic Spray Bottle available at Walmart. 'It’s a solid disinfectant and safe once dried.
'For tackling mold or mildew stains, try cleaning with baking soda by making a paste of baking soda and water, scrubbing it into the area, letting it sit for 10–15 minutes, then rinsing with vinegar and wiping dry.
'For deeper disinfection in bathrooms or sinks, you can clean with hydrogen peroxide, adding a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide to your routine. Just don’t mix it with vinegar in the same container,' as these are two cleaning products you should never mix for the safety of your pets, health, and home.
2. Phenol-based disinfectants
'You’ll usually spot these under popular household names that smell piney or slightly medicinal,' says Karina. 'The problem is phenol, an ingredient that can be toxic, especially to cats. It can cause drooling, vomiting, and even liver trouble if they absorb it through their skin or paws. Many of these products leave behind a slightly sticky or filmy residue that pets can easily track through or lick off.'
Derek agrees with Karina, adding, 'These are highly toxic to cats and dogs. They're often used on floors, but remember your dogs and cats walk on the floors all day long with bare paws, then lick those paws.'
So, instead, to keep a clean home with cats or any other furry friends, Derek recommends using hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners, such as the Lysol Bleach Free Hydrogen Peroxide Multi-Purpose Cleaner available at Walmart, which are safe for your pets and break down quickly.
You can also, as Karina suggests, clean with Castille soap, such as the Mild By Nature Castile Soap available at Walmart.
'Just be sure your pets don’t have access to the area until it’s completely dry,' she adds.
3. Essential oils, especially in concentrated form
While they're not a 'cleaning product' per se, many DIY solutions include ways to clean with essential oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, citrus, or peppermint, most of which are toxic to cats and dogs, advises Karina.
'Cats and dogs process chemicals differently than we do, and something that smells pleasant to us can actually poison them,' she explains. 'Even just breathing in strong diffused oils can make some pets nauseous or lethargic. If applied directly or licked, these oils can lead to drooling, tremors, or even more dangerous health complications.'
If you are after that fresh-clean scent, Karina suggests utilizing a spring simmer pot or simmer pot recipes for fall and winter instead.
'For mopping, skip the oils and use a splash of apple cider vinegar in your water bucket,' she adds. 'It cuts through grime and leaves things smelling clean without lingering chemical risks.'
4. Toilet bowl cleaners
As Derek warns, 'These products are among the most toxic cleaning agents found in homes. Many contain hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, or sulfuric acid, which can cause severe burns if they come into contact with your pet’s skin, mouth, or paws.
'Pets that drink from the toilet can be at risk if a harsh cleaner has been recently used.
'Never use those tablets you put into the tank as they provide an ongoing supply of cleaning chemicals to the water.'
To keep your pets safe when cleaning your bathroom, use a pet-friendly toilet cleaner, such as the Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner available at Amazon, and keep the lid closed at all times, recommends Derek. You can also, adds Karina, sprinkle baking soda directly into the bowl, before scrubbing with a toilet brush and letting it sit before flushing.
'For an extra cleaning boost, follow with vinegar,' she says.
5. Carpet and upholstery cleaners
Finally, many carpet shampoos and fabric sprays contain harmful chemicals, says Derek, 'like perchloroethylene and butoxyethanol, which can cause dizziness, nausea, and liver damage in pets.'
For this reason, when using any carpet cleaning tips to make carpet fluffy again, opt for non-toxic, plant-based cleaning solutions or steam-clean carpets using only hot water and a mild detergent.
'There is some newer technology that cleans carpets only with water, which has been given an electrical charge to make it attract dirt,' adds Derek.
And, for particularly stubborn stains, Jared Sarbit, CEO of Picture Perfect Cleaning, recommends the number one bestselling Rocco & Roxie Extreme Stain & Odor Eliminator available at Amazon.
'It is much safer for pets and highly effective on urine and organic stains,' he explains. 'I like it because it eliminates odors at the source without harsh chemicals.'
Pet-safe cleaning essentials
This all-natural cleaning spray harnesses the power of plants to cut through grease and grime. As it does have citrus, make sure not to use it anywhere that it could be ingested by pets.
This certified organic Castile soap is non-GMO, cruelty-free and 100% biodegradable, with a versatile formula that's suitable for use all around the house.
This plant-based formula is suitable for anything you want to clean with dish soap when you have pets, as it's unscented and biodegradable, housed in a 100% recycled bottle.
As muddy pawprints are a common sight in any pet-loving home, it's important to have an effective mop on hand. This one features a conveniently machine-washable and reusable microfiber mop head.
This naturally derived toilet cleaner uses powergreen technology to kill 99.9% of household germs.
These super-soft, absorbent and lint-free microfiber cloths can be used for all your cleaning and dusting needs around the home.
FAQs
Is Lysol safe for cats and dogs?
No, unfortunately, Lysol should not be used around the home if you have cats, dogs, or any other pets, as it is toxic to them. Instead, why not try some DIY cleaning solutions.
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