March is Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month. This means it’s an ideal time to think about the common household items that can accidentally endanger our beloved pets.
We all love our pets and want to provide a happy and comfortable environment for them. But have you ever considered if the cleaning products you use around your home are safe for them? Cleaning chemicals are created to kill all living microorganisms. Their use is even proven to kill humans. So what are they doing to your pets?
This article explains how a few small, protective changes can keep your pet safer, happier and healthier at home.
The Top Ten Household Poisons for Pets
In 2022, ASPCA Pet Poison Control Centre listed the top ten animal toxins that make your pet sick:
1. Over the counter medications.
2. Human food – xylitol, onions, grapes…
3. Human prescription medications.
4. Chocolate.
5. Bouquets and plants.
6. Household toxins – cleaning products, beauty products, paint…
7. Veterinary products especially chewable medications.
8. Rodenticides.
9. Insecticides.
10. Recreational drugs especially marijuana.
Although toxic cleaning products are in sixth position, it’s worth pausing to ask the question – do my cleaning chemicals make my pet sick?
How Chemical Cleaners Can Poison Pets
Exposure to chemical cleaning products such as ammonia, bleach, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, phthalates, and glycol ethers are known to be as toxic for people as car exhaust fumes!
Everyday household cleaning products – disinfectants, air fresheners, soaps and laundry detergents fill the air with toxins. These include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), lung irritants, allergens, carcinogens, hormone disrupters, mood-altering chemicals and more… This is partly why indoor air quality is now 2 – 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.
Read the Environmental Protection Agency’s, Care for Your Air guide to find out more.
Chemical ingredients are designed to kill any living microorganism – ‘good’ and ‘bad’ – that they come into contact with. Short term and long term exposure even kills humans! So just so imagine what they could do to your much smaller pet…
Studies show that some phthalates are “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals.”
In other words, the poor animals being tested on developed liver, testicular and pancreatic tumours.
Pet Poison Issues in Cleaning
Pet exposure is much higher than humans because they are smaller and spend most of their time on or near the floor… This means that if you swap muddy paw prints for layers of toxic chemicals, your pet will breathe in the toxins and absorb them through their paws and/or skin.
Vets report that cleaning products that turn milky when added to water can be toxic whilst the surface is still wet. So, if your pet subsequently walks across a wet toxic surface, the likelihood is that they will lick their paws, subsequently ingesting the poisonous substances. Long term, these toxins can cause illness including neurological problems, hormonal issues, and cancer. These products are often safer when surfaces dry.
In addition, a dog’s sense of smell is up to 10,000 times stronger than ours – and cats’ noses are more sensitive too. If you have just cleaned your floors with a strongly scented chemical, imagine how strong the smell is for your pet (especially as they’re much closer, probably lying on it!)
Additionally, pets are naturally inquisitive; they might try to access cupboards or chew on product containers with toxic chemicals. The PDSA report dogs have received chemical burns by drinking bleach from a toilet.
Signs Cleaning Chemicals Might be Making Your Pet Sick
Read our news post about the epidemic of ‘polluted pets’ for more on this subject: How Pet Safe Cleaning Products with Probiotics Protect Your Pets.
Possible signs and symptoms of pet poisoning are:
- Persistent sneezing and coughing.
- Itchy ears and eyes.
- Itchy skin and tails.
- Vomiting.
- Anxiety.
- Behavioural reactions such as running out of the room when you spray.
Prevent Pet Poisoning with Pet-Safe Probiotic Cleaning
Cleaning products are essential – we all need them to keep our homes hygienic, grime-free and healthy.
But you don’t need harsh chemicals to achieve this.
EVAA+ home cleaning products – and all our Provilan cleaning products – provide powerful cleaning that is pet friendly. They are free from harmful chemicals, allergens, aluminium, parabens and irritants.
They are safe to use around your pets – whether floor, surface and bathroom cleaners, laundry detergent, washing up liquid, hand soap or natural odour remover. You can use them to replace some or all of your chemical cleaners immediately.
All ingredients are vegan, naturally-sourced, sustainable – and not tested on animals. The powerful cleaning action in these healthy bio-detergents comes from plant-sourced surfactants and ‘good’ bacteria (probiotics). They are also hypoallergenic, which helps if your pet (or you) suffer from environmental allergies.
The Key to Pet Safe Cleaning
Is all about the microbiome…
The word ‘Provilan’ means ‘for – life – balance’. Provilan cleaning products create balance at a microbial level by introducing healthy ‘good’ bacteria (probiotics) into sustainable bio-detergents. This balances the microbiome – the collection of microorganisms that live on different surfaces around the home. A balanced microbiome protects from illness, allergies and infection and promotes better health and immunity.
In contrast, chemical products aim to kill all microorganisms in the microbiome – ‘good’ and ‘bad’. They obliterate microbial balance. An imbalanced microbiome – whether in the environment or on skin increases the risk of infection, illness and allergies. It also creates antimicrobial resistance, which makes antibiotics less effective.
For example, you can use EVAA+ Floor Cleaner to replace your chemical or synthetic floor cleaner and EVAA+ Odour Remover to replace your air fresheners.
These products safely clean floors at a microbial level and remove odours rather than masking with scent. Switching just these two products could make a big difference for your pet.
Read our Probiotic vs Chemical Infographic to find out more.
Powerful Cleaning that’s Pet-Friendly
- Naturally sourced ingredients without harsh chemicals.
- Free from toxins and carcinogens.
- Non-irritating and safe for sensitive skin.
- Safer for you and your pets.
- PETA certified as vegan and cruelty-free.
- Safe for aquatic life.
- Recyclable containers made using ocean recycled plastic.
You can explore the full range of EVAA+ products, or email enquiries@pure-ingenious.com or call us on 01268 544530 if you have any questions. Commercial bulk and wholesale options are available.
NOTE: If your pet is accidentally poisoned, remove the toxin from their reach and contact your vet immediately. The RSPCA provides more information and advice here: How to Keep Your Pets Safe from Poisoning.
