Pets are part of our family. We give them the best food we can and ensure they always get the best vet treatment…
…yet do you ever think about whether the cleaning products we use at home are safe for them?
Pets are curious by nature and are likely to explore everything. However, they lack awareness about toxic hazards, making them more likely to encounter substances harmful to their health. Dogs love to explore things with their mouths and use chewing as a way to relax, putting them at risk of any bottles or cleaning tablets they might find. A cat’s power to detect scents is nothing to be sniffed at either. With almost 40 times more odour-sensitive cells than our human noses possess, a cat’s sense of smell can be irritated by many floral scents.
As we know, animals also have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs than we do. Their bodies have to work harder to try and eliminate toxins. Not only are they processing these chemicals at a faster rate,
they are also breathing them in more rapidly, making them extra venerable.
What’s are the ingredients that you should be aware of?
1. Ammonia
Ammonia is a very alkaline natural product and many people choose it because it’s a highly effective cleaning agent. However, it’s simply not worth it when you consider that ammonia is also highly toxic to your pet, causing possible severe damage to eyes, skin, stomach, and even causing death with enough exposure. And your pet can be exposed a few ways: through inhalation of fumes or ingestion
of product or residues. Ammonia is found commonly in oven cleaners, window cleaners, floor waxes, and fertilisers – often as ammonium hydroxide.
With the rise of cheap, DIY cleaners, some pure and “natural” ingredients such as ammonia are finding their way into homes again. If you have pets, keep these toxic cleaners well out of reach, or better yet, don’t use them at all.
2. Chlorine(or Bleach)
Chlorine is a toxic respiratory irritant that can damage pets’ skin, eyes or other membranes.
This highly alkaline product is especially concerning to pets as it is denser than air, which means those poisonous fumes are pet level. Regular household bleach has a pH level around 11, while ultra-concentrated is generally closer to 12 or 12.5. Non-chlorine bleach (also known as color-safe bleach) may also be dangerous because it contains hydrogen peroxide. This may cause vomiting in addition to tissue irritation.
Besides, the strong smell from bleach reacts with your pet’s respirator, damaging them and can result in ‘nose blindness’. Damage to these receptors leaves them unable to process the world around them.
Chlorine is found commonly in multi-purpose cleaners, dish wash detergents, tile scrubs, disinfecting wipes, toilet-bowl cleaners and laundry detergents. Avoid bleach whenever possible, using natural or instead in your laundry and for stain removal. Chlorine can be found in anything from laundry
detergents to all-purpose cleaners.
3.Glycol Ethers
Glycol Ethers commonly listed as 2-Methoxyethanol, 2-Ethoxyethanol, and 2-Butoxyethanol. These are effective cleaners because they help cut grease where just soap and water fail. However, these powerful chemicals are known to cause various cancers in lab rats, as well as birth defects, delayed development, and other effects, such as anemia, eye and nose irritation, and weight loss. If consumed by your pets can cause anemia or lung and kidney damage. You can also find them in paints, inks,
perfumes, and cosmetics, among other things.
4.Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde commonly known as a preservative and embalming fluid, is also found in many cleaning products for its antibacterial effects is often associated with funeral homes because it’s most commonly used in the embalming process. But it’s also found in household items like soaps, all-purpose cleaners, shampoos (including some pet shampoos) and fragrances. Exposure usually comes from inhalation, though you can absorb small amounts through the skin as well. The biggest concern for your pet would be inhaling formaldehyde through vapours in the air from cleaning products. Formaldehyde can cause skin and eye irritation in dogs and also has negative effects on their respiratory and nervous systems. In addition, formaldehyde is recognised as a carcinogen by the EPA, meaning it can cause cancer.
What do you do to avoid all these to your pets?
There are so many natural and safe alternatives out there that you don’t have to rely on heavy-duty, toxic chemicals. Try our Oommi Probiotics Pet Series – The future of Pet Hygiene. Everything you need
for a safer and cleaner home, for you and your pets.
Why Use Oommi Probiotics Pet Care?
- Kills bad bacteria
- Bad odour removal
- Removes germs and biofilm
- Gentle on skin
- Improves Skin Health and Softness of Fur or Coat (Pet Shampoo & Pet Spray)
- Hypoallergenic
- Biodegradable
- Free from SLS/SLES
- Free from Parabens
- Free from Alcohol
- Free from Sulfates
- Free from Phthalates
