Veterinarians Warn: Never Use These 5 Cleaning Ingredients if You Have Pets

If you share a home with furry or feathered friends, deciding what cleaning products to use can be difficult. Many everyday products, including disinfectants, fresheners, and scrubs, contain ingredients that can be dangerous for pets. Before you clean your hardwood floors or wipe down your countertops, it's important to know the ingredients that could put your pets at risk. To protect your animals, we spoke to veterinarians who revealed the common cleaning ingredients pet owners should never use around their home.

Cleaners to Avoid Around Pets

Common household cleaning products may contain ingredients toxic to pets, such as ammonia, phenols, and bleach. Ingestion and even airborne exposure can cause adverse reactions, such as respiratory issues, liver failure, and oral irritation.

Bleach

Bleach is often used to clean areas around the home, but it can be dangerous to pets. "Bleach is highly corrosive and both ingestion and inhalation can cause harm," says Jamie Whittenburg, veterinarian director at Senior Tail Waggers. "Ingestion of bleach may cause chemical burns to the mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal tract. Inhalation of the fumes may cause respiratory issues. Some pets, such as cats and birds, are highly sensitive to the inhalation and even fumes from diluted bleach."

Ammonia

Ammonia is a common ingredient in glass and floor cleaners and should never be used in homes with pets. "The fumes from these cleaners can be dangerous to pets, especially cats and birds," says Whittenburg. "More concerningly, if these cleaners are combined with bleach, chloramine gas is produced, which can be fatal to both people and pets."

Essential Oils

Many pet owners think essential oils, such as tea tree, eucalyptus, and pine oils, are all-natural and safe alternatives to store-bought cleaners, but many essential oils are actually toxic to pets. "Cats are especially sensitive, but I had a canine patient nearly die after their owner used topical tea tree oil on them," Whittenburg says. "Owners should be aware that reed diffusers with these products are dangerous as well."

Phenols

Phenols are used in disinfectants to stop the spread of germs and bacteria. While effective at cleaning, Whittenburg notes that phenols are toxic to cats. "Ingestion of these products may lead to liver failure and death," she warns.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds

Like phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds are typically found in disinfectant products and should never be used on pets. "These can cause corrosive burns to skin and mucous membranes as well as severe oral irritation if ingested," Whittenburg warns. "Cats are particularly vulnerable due to grooming behavior."

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What to Do If Your Pet Ingests a Toxic Cleaner

If your pet ingests or has contact with a toxic cleaner, there are several essential steps to take. "Remove the toxic cleaner from the pet’s access immediately. In cases of ingestion, owners should never induce vomiting as this can actually cause more harm," says Whittenburg. "Emergency veterinary care should be sought right away. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center can be reached at (888) 426-4435."

Symptoms to look out for include watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, blue gums, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, lethargy, disorientation, and pawing at the mouth, says Dr. Angela Silva, chief veterinarian at Petco.

Safe Cleaning Product Alternatives

Luckily, there are a few natural cleaning products that are safe to use in homes with pets. "Safe alternatives for home cleaning include diluted white vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap," says Whittenburg. "I tell my clients that they should always check the ingredients of any cleaner they are planning to use in their home, to keep pets away from the areas to be cleaned until they are totally dry, and to always choose non-toxic products. If they have cats or birds, I impress upon them to be extra careful with the potential inhalation of cleaning supplies and air fresheners."