# Pet Safe Cleaning products?



## Themis (Dec 18, 2009)

Since my Cats allergy flare up I've been wondering how safe for pets most cleaning products are?

I was using Ecover for the floors and Dettol for surfaces, but now I'm paranoid that maybe these arent good for kittys.

Does anybody know any brands that are certified as safe for pets?


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

I have a niggling feeling that Dettol is toxic for cats - or at least there used to be a scare a wee while ago. Perhaps do a quick google to corroborate or throw out of the window as an urban myth.

Bio D do a natural antiseptic and I phoned them once to find out whether that was ok for cats and according to the person on the phone it is.

Ecover should be ok I should think. Well, I hope so anyhow as I have used that stuff myself on floors for a few years. I am now using some other biodegradable green products but have not worried or investigated whether they are pet friendly.


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## Philski (May 28, 2010)

I am not an expert on this, but one thing I do recall from an article I once read is that products with phenols in them should not be used anywhere near cats. A good way to test whether the product has phenols is if, when diluted, it goes cloudy.

I don't know any more than that, I'm afraid.


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## peecee (Jun 28, 2010)

Philski said:


> I am not an expert on this, but one thing I do recall from an article I once read is that products with phenols in them should not be used anywhere near cats. A good way to test whether the product has phenols is if, when diluted, it goes cloudy.
> 
> I don't know any more than that, I'm afraid.


If I recall what I have read correctly, Dettol is often cited as an example of a product that contains phenols due to the fact that it goes cloudy with added water.


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2010)

I have a stream cleaner that I use on the kitchen floor and worktops and I use the dettol wipes.

Themis do you wash their bowls in a dishwasher as dishwasher tablets/liquid can be very harsh and leave residues that could be causing a reaction.


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## Dragonlady (Jul 5, 2010)

Hi,

I use water + Fairy fluid and later wipe off with water + white vinegar.
The floor doesn't look dirty and vinegar is really good for cleaning.


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## carolmanycats (May 18, 2009)

For floors (we have laminate) I use a home made mixture of warm water, fresh lemon juice, bi carb, white vinegar and a pet safe disinfectant.


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## elby (Aug 12, 2010)

I use much the same as Carolmanycats, although I use thin bleach as the disinfectant (Although I never mix bleach and white vinegar as this produces chlorine gas which isn't the best thing to be inhaling)

I just make sure that the bleached surfaces are dry before allowing my cat anywhere near them.


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## Themis (Dec 18, 2009)

I wash their dishes with regular washing up liquid under a hot running tap.
Pretty much our entire flat is laminate flooring so its impossible to keep them off the floors until they dry. Usually Poppy ends up pouncing on the mop!


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## morgmonster (Jun 8, 2010)

I have read that bleach is one of the few cat safe cleaning products, so I use this to clean their litter tray when I do a full change of the litter (rinsing with hot water after). I also use bleach only now to clean the toilet rather than another product as Mia likes to drink from the toilet bowl!! (EW!)

I use flash liquid to wash the floors (just kitchen and bathroom) but always make sure the cats don't get on it until its dry. I think I have some mr muscle at the moment for the counter surfaces in the kitchen; but TBH we don't clean them as often as we should! We get the orange oil mr muscle; the cats hate the smell so it's an added bonus in that they stay away from the kitchen when its newly cleaned, until its all dried. I use normal fairy and very hot water to clean their food bowls every day but they also go in the dishwasher if they happen to be empty when we put it on.

I also have a cleaning spray I bought from pets at home which is marketed as cat safe and particularly for use to clean litter trays, I also use it if I need to spot clean something off the kitchen floor quickly and the furries are about. It's this stuff http://www.petsathome.com/shop/john...sinfectant-for-cats-trigger-spray-500ml-15458

I feel that if I rinse everything well after washing and let things dry before the cats go near them, that is enough. But I guess if a cat is licking the floor or surfaces more care might be required! I had read the stuff about phenols being particularly bad though so I am going to go read up the ingredients of the Flash and Mr Muscle when I get home and make sure we are avoiding that.


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## The Twins (Oct 11, 2009)

Dettol is definitely toxic to cats - most antibac products (sprays and wipes) are also toxic to cats... i only discovered this when reading the back of the antibac spray and packet of wipes i'd been using from the supermarket!! uh oh!!

Might try the home made mixture someone mentioned above as sounds v good! 

I was also advised not to use washing up liquid when cleaning their food and water bowls as it can leave residues that are bad for kitties. I use v hot/boiling water on mine now and they seem fine.


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## The Twins (Oct 11, 2009)

carolmanycats said:


> For floors (we have laminate) I use a home made mixture of warm water, fresh lemon juice, bi carb, white vinegar and a pet safe disinfectant.


Woudl you be willing to share your recipe?! How much water/lemon/bicarb/vinegar etc do you use in one mixture??

I'd also be interested to know which pet safe disinfectant you use also...? Thanks!


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

This is what I have started using: eMC Citrus Probiotic Cleaner £7.50 inc delivery - Natural. Great product and pet friendly.

And some of their products: http://www.homescents.co.uk/.

But then again, you could just make them yourself a la Carolmanycats!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Ive been using this stuff for all the pet cleaning, it was reccomended when the rats were ill and apparently its what vets use so I clean everything out with water then spray this on. F10 SCXD Veterinary Disinfectant & Cleanser Conc. 200ml on eBay (end time 07-Sep-10 13:05:27 BST)


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## sarahdisco (Jan 4, 2010)

Yes - Dettol is extremely toxic for cats. I bought a bottle and when mopping the floor, decided to read the label (anything to get out of mopping!) and it says toxic for cats. 

I've since asked the vets and he's said it can be lethal for cats. Cleaning products can be really harmful for pets, and he advised we go all "Kim and Aggie" and use homemade stuff like lemon juice and white vinegar. 

Not bad for a vet who thinks Whiskas was an ok food!


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## Themis (Dec 18, 2009)

My Dettol spray is in the bin!! I only got it because Poppy is forever getting up on my worktops.

I think I'll stick with Ecover or diluted bleach from now on. Vinegar is great and really gives things a shine but God does my flat stink after I've used it. 

TheTwins - yeah I thought the washing up liquid might have been one of the causes of Dixie's allergies hence why I wash them up under a running tap now. They get a much better rinse that way and it only takes 10 seconds so I'm not wasteing too much water.


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

> I have read that bleach is one of the few cat safe cleaning products, so I use this to clean their litter tray when I do a full change of the litter (rinsing with hot water after).


Bleach is extremely effective as a disinfectant but not if you rinse it off straight after use. Use it very diluted (1 part bleach to 32 parts water) and leave it to dry. The longer it stays wet the more nasties it will kill as it's contact time that's important so leave litter trays to air dry. This concentration of bleach/water will kill just about every virus, bacterium and fungal spore if left to dry naturally.


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