Buy Earth Rated Grooming Wipes if you wipe paws after most walks. The wipes are thick, plant-based and unscented. The catch is the resealable pouch: leave it loose and the last wipes dry out. And "compostable" means an industrial facility, not your backyard pile. For a skin problem, ask your vet about a medicated wipe instead.
In this guide
Watch out
Don't flush them, and don't leave the pouch open: the weak spot is the pouch, not the wipe, and the last wipes dry out.
The short version: big, thick, unscented and plant-based. It is an everyday wipe for mud and dust, not a medicated wipe for a skin problem.
What's in them: plant-based, no added fragrance
Thick, plant-based wipes. What the pack says:
Plant-derived ingredients, labeled USDA Certified Biobased by the maker
Made for dogs
Fragrance-free
Compostable in industrial facilities only
Earth Rated Grooming Wipes for Dogs
Use them for paws, faces and quick coat cleanups
They're made for the small daily jobs: paws after a walk, a face after dinner, a dusty coat after the dog park. Made for dogs, so keep the pack on the dog. Got a cat? See our cat quick-clean picks.
Keep a pack by the door so the wipe happens before the paws hit the couch.
On the face, wipe the muzzle, chin and beard, and keep the wipe away from the eyes. For tear stains and eye gunk, use a wipe made for that job, such as Earth Rated's eye wipes.
Muddy paws: wipe in this order so the dirt stays outside
Wipe the top of each foot first, then the pads, then between the toes, where the mud hides.
Switch to a fresh wipe as soon as one turns brown. A dirty wipe just moves the mud around.
Pat between the toes with a towel before your dog walks off. Damp fur picks up grit again on the way to the rug.
Press the pouch seal shut every time, even if you'll be back in an hour.
Caked mud or a smelly coat: when a wipe isn't enough
A wipe handles surface dirt. Mud packed hard between the pads, anything sticky, or a coat that smells after a roll needs water. Rinse the paws in a bowl of lukewarm water, or give a bath.
Between baths: A no-rinse shampoo is the next step up from a wipe for a whole-coat cleanup. Earth Rated's waterless shampoo is the same brand's take on it.
Red skin: If the skin between the toes looks red, or your dog keeps licking its paws after you wipe, stop using wipes there and ask your vet.
Earth Rated vs Pet MD wipes: everyday wipe or medicated wipe
These two get compared a lot, but they do different jobs. Earth Rated is a gentle, unscented wipe for daily mud and dust. Pet MD's chlorhexidine wipes are medicated: chlorhexidine is an antiseptic, and those wipes are aimed at skin trouble, not muddy paws.
Paws after walks, a dusty coat, a messy chin: Earth Rated.
Itchy, red or smelly skin, or skin folds your vet wants kept clean: a medicated wipe, used the way your vet says.
This pack is labeled for dogs, so it stays on the dog. For a cat's coat, Mighty Meow Waterless Foam Shampoo is made for cats and fragrance-free: foam it on, towel it off.
A cat licks off whatever stays on its coat, so fragrance-free matters. Go slow and stop if your cat pulls away.
Pros and cons
Pros
Labeled USDA Certified Biobased by the maker
Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free since 2022, across Earth Rated's grooming line
Fragrance-free
Big, thick wipes, so one covers more than one paw
Cons
The pouch: Leave the seal loose and the last wipes dry out
Compostable only in an industrial facility, not a backyard pile
Not flushable: They go in the trash
Not medicated, so they won't help a skin problem
Buy them if, skip them if
Buy them if: You wipe paws after most walks, you want no perfume left on the coat, or you want plant-based wipes over plastic ones.
Skip them if: You only wipe your dog once a month; any wipe will do. Skip them for a skin problem too, and ask your vet about a medicated wipe.
The bottom line
In short
The everyday paw wipe to buy if you clean up after most walks. Keep a pack by the door and move the wipes into a hard container.
Can I use Earth Rated grooming wipes around my dog's eyes?
Keep these to the muzzle, chin, paws and coat, and wipe away from the eyes. For tear stains and eye gunk, use a wipe made for the eye area, such as Earth Rated's eye wipes.
Can you flush Earth Rated wipes?
No. Put used wipes in the trash. "Compostable" on the pack means an industrial compost facility, not a toilet and not a backyard pile.
Can you use grooming wipes on a dog every day?
A quick paw and coat wipe after walks is the daily job these are made for. If the skin between the toes turns red, or your dog starts licking its paws more, stop and ask your vet.
Can I use Earth Rated grooming wipes on my cat?
No. The pack is labeled for dogs. For a cat's coat, use Mighty Meow Waterless Foam Shampoo: made for cats, fragrance-free, foam it on and towel it off.
