Pet-safe cleaning: which household cleaners are safe for dogs and cats

You just mopped, and the dog is already licking the floor. Find your cleaner below: one line each, details after.

Pet licked or swallowed a cleaner? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661. Both answer 24/7, and a fee may apply.

Is vinegar safe for dogs and cats?

Yes, mixed with water. Straight vinegar is acidic: swallowed undiluted, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and a sore mouth. Mix it, wipe, let it dry. Vinegar is great on tile and glass, but it won't break down cat pee. Here is where vinegar works and where it fails.

Is baking soda safe for dogs?

On the carpet, yes. In the belly, only a little. Used as directed, carpet powders shouldn't cause real harm: keep pets out of the room until you vacuum. Eating a lot is another story: large amounts are harmful, and vomiting comes first. Dose matters: a lick is a tiny amount, but a dog who got into the open box is worth a call to your vet.

Is Febreze safe for cats and dogs?

Yes, used as directed. ASPCA Animal Poison Control considers Febreze fabric fresheners safe in homes with cats and dogs, and calls the rumors of serious illness false. A pet that touches or licks a wet spot may get mild skin irritation or a mild upset stomach. Spray the couch, then let it dry before anyone curls up on it. Never spray a pet.

Is Swiffer WetJet safe for pets?

Yes. The ASPCA has debunked the antifreeze rumor: the solution is mostly water, with small amounts of propylene glycol ethers. Those are not ethylene glycol, the antifreeze ingredient that damages a dog's kidneys. A pet that walks across a wet floor or licks it may get mild skin irritation or a mild stomach upset. Mop, let it dry, then open the door.

Is hydrogen peroxide safe around pets?

As a surface cleaner, with care. Hydrogen peroxide can irritate or damage skin and eyes, and causes vomiting if swallowed. Wipe it on, rinse, and keep pets away until it dries. Never use it to make a pet throw up unless a vet tells you to and gives you the dose. For cats, never: Pet Poison Helpline warns it can be fatal.

Is bleach safe for pets?

Diluted bleach is fine for cages and toys if you rinse well and air the room out. Concentrated or "ultra" bleach can cause chemical burns. The rule that matters most: never mix bleach with ammonia. Together they make chloramine gas, which burns the lungs.

Is Lysol safe for dogs and cats?

Use it with care, and with extra care around cats. Many disinfecting wipes and sprays use quaternary ammonium compounds ("quats"): check the label for a name ending in "ammonium chloride" or "ammonium saccharinate". Quats can burn any tissue they touch, and cats are especially sensitive, even at very low concentrations.

With care means four things. Keep the cat (and the dog) out of the room while you spray. Let the surface dry before paws touch it. Rinse bowls and any spot your pet licks with plain water. Toss used wipes in a covered trash can, not an open one.

Is Pine-Sol safe for cats?

Check the label. If it lists pine oil, keep it out of a cat home. Pine oil is highly toxic when swallowed, and cats are especially sensitive to it. For dogs, use any pine cleaner as directed, keep the bucket out of reach, and let the floor dry. Want a floor cleaner without the worry? How to clean pet messes on hardwood.

Are essential oils safe for cats?

Not around cats. The ASPCA says cats are especially sensitive to essential oils and does not recommend using any in areas pets can reach. Cats have fewer of the liver enzymes needed to break these oils down. The oils listed as poisonous to cats include cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree, wintergreen and ylang ylang. Dose and exposure matter: concentrated oil on fur, or a lick from the bottle, is a call to your vet. Diffusers and oil warmers stay out of the cat's rooms.

Are scented candles safe for cats and dogs?

With care. The big risk is the flame: the ASPCA warns never to leave a lit candle alone with pets, since one wag of a tail can knock it over. Candles scented with essential oils fall under the oil rule above, so keep them out of the cat's space. Want the room to smell clean? Remove the smell's source instead of covering it. Odor eliminators that do that.

Toxic ingredients in pet cleaners: the short list

Read the back of the bottle for these. Most mean "pets out of the room, surfaces dry, bottle locked away". Never mix bleach with ammonia, and in a cat home, skip the last two.

• Quats (on the label: benzalkonium chloride, or a name ending in "ammonium chloride" or "ammonium saccharinate"): corrosive to skin, mouth and eyes. Cats are especially sensitive.
• Phenols: Found in toilet bowl cleaners and all-purpose sprays. Corrosive on skin, in eyes and if swallowed.
• Chlorine bleach plus ammonia: chloramine gas. Never mix them.
• Strong acids and alkalis: drain cleaner, oven cleaner, concentrated bleach. They cause chemical burns.
• Pine oil: Highly toxic if swallowed, worst for cats.
• Essential oils: Tea tree, peppermint, citrus, wintergreen and friends. Keep them away from cats.

One name that sounds scary and isn't: the propylene glycol ethers in Swiffer WetJet. They're not antifreeze, and the ASPCA says it's safe around pets used as directed.

What to use instead, by mess

For pee, poop and vomit, our pick is Biokleen Bac-Out. It is Green Seal certified, it uses live enzyme cultures that break the mess down instead of covering it, and every ingredient is listed. No chlorine, no ammonia. Shopping other bottles? Look for a third-party seal like Green Seal or EPA Safer Choice.

Cat home tip: the lavender-lime scent has citrus and lavender oil, so keep the cat out of the room until it's dry.

More fixes, by mess:

• Want other enzyme options? Best enzyme cleaners, by mess.
• Not sure enzyme beats your all-purpose spray? Enzyme vs regular cleaner, side by side.
• Hardwood and tile: A gentle floor cleaner and a damp mop. How to clean pet stains from hardwood.
• Stains on the couch or rug: the best pet stain remover for each surface.
• House smells like dog: odor eliminators that remove the source.

Pet got into something? Call your vet or ASPCA Poison Control at (888) 426-4435. Have the bottle in hand: what it is, about how much, and when.