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It's pretty simple to keep a clean home without using harsh, dangerous chemicals that are toxic to pets. I've been testing floor cleaners, carpet shampoos, laundry detergents, and insecticides for many years as a home economist. I'm always looking for the most effective, easy-to-use, and affordable pet-safe cleaning products for myself and others, including my dog Gracie.
Chlorine, ammonia, isopropyl alcohol, formaldehyde, and phenols are quite dangerous if ingested by animals. Even if pets don't ingest chemicals, they can suffer burns to the skin and eye damage. Many aerosol cleaners and air fresheners are toxic to a bird's respiratory system. A smaller animal's respiratory rate is faster than humans and they can suffer more toxic exposure. Indoor pollution, much of which is caused by household cleaners, can put pets at risk for liver and kidney damage, anemia, and cancer.
With this knowledge, I've searched out the least toxic household cleaners that still do a good job for areas of the home that pets are most commonly exposed to. No matter the products you use, the first line of defense is to keep all cleaners in closed cabinets or on high shelves. If you have an animal that's inclined to drink from the toilet bowl, do not use a continual cleaning product and keep the lid closed at all times. Dispose of empty cleaning containers promptly and properly.
The cleaners in this guide are nontoxic or significantly less toxic than other products. However, if your pet ingests a large amount of any cleaning solution or chews the bottle up, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA poison control hotline (888-426-4435) immediately to determine if treatment is needed.
This easy-to-use lightly scented Method Floor Cleaner is made of nontoxic, plant-based ingredients that protect floors and keep people and pets safe.
Pros: Cleans floors with no rinsing needed, nontoxic, lightly scented
Cons: Refills are not available
Floors take lots of abuse from outside dirt, food, and drink spills, but clean floors are essential to a well-kept home. I have found the perfect floor cleaners to keep my floors shiny and protect my pet: Method Squirt + Mop Hard Floor Cleaner.
Floor cleaners end up on paws and paws end up in your pet's mouth. With Method Squirt + Mop Hard Floor Cleaner, I don't have to worry about my dog getting sick from harsh chemicals. Most of my home floors are hardwood so I use Method Squirt + Mop for Hardwood (check out my other recommendations for people without pets, which I tested before switching to pet-safe solutions). But in the ceramic-tiled bathrooms and laundry room, where my pup eats, I use Method Squirt + Mop formulated for tile, vinyl, and laminate.
The lightly scented Lemon Ginger cleans and shines using nontoxic, plant-based ingredients. I love that I can squirt the solution directly on the floor and use a damp mop with no sloppy bucket and no rinsing. And I know that when my dog walks on the wet floor she won't have any issues.
Pros: Plant-based ingredients are less toxic to pets, performs well in removing tough stains, available in unscented and scented formulas
Cons: More expensive than some detergents
You probably don't think about how your laundry detergent affects your pet, but you should. Using a laundry detergent that is nontoxic to animals is especially important if you have a puppy or dog that likes to chew on fabrics. Choosing Seventh Generation Free and Clear will not only help keep your pet safe, but it will take care of tough stains on clothes.
Seventh Generation Free and Clear contains the enzymes you need to break apart tough stains but no dyes or fragrances that can irritate sensitive skin. A USDA Certified Biobased product, it is formulated with 96% plant-based ingredients and is also a better choice for the environment as an EPA Safer Choice product. I use it for all of my laundry because it removes stains and protects my dog's sensitive skin. I don't need her scratching away because her blankets and bedding have detergent residue that contains irritants left on the fibers.
Here's an additional laundry room tip to protect your pet: Dryer sheets may do wonders for your clothes, but they are toxic to cats and dogs. The ingredients coating the sheet can cause kidney failure and pulmonary edema when a pet chews on the sheet. If the animal ingests the polyester substrate sheet, an intestinal blockage can easily occur. Just be sure to dispose of used dryer sheets immediately and correctly.
Best pet-safe disinfectant
Walmart
SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer is a one-step multisurface disinfectant that kills bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus.
Pros: Nontoxic to pets, effectively kills 99.9% of harmful bacteria, safe for most surfaces
Cons: Only available in 1 gallon container
Many disinfecting products, including most wipes, are not safe to use on food preparation areas without an added step of a rinse after disinfecting. Since your pet can't distinguish between a surface that has or has not been rinsed, you need SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer.
I like to cook and having to add a rinsing step after cleaning counters with a disinfecting wipe isn't always convenient. I clean regularly and quickly with Sanidate as I move between meat and vegetable preparation. After you have given surfaces a good cleaning to remove grease or dirt, a final spritz of Sanidate will leave you feeling good that harmful bacteria is gone and that the surface is safe for your pet.
I keep some in a more convenient spray bottle (labeled, of course) to do quick clean-ups with a microfiber cloth near my dog's feeding station.
Best pet-safe carpet shampoo
Amazon
Nature's Miracle Carpet Shampoo is a versatile odor-eliminator that can be used in carpet cleaners, with a mop, or as a spot remover.
Pros: Can be used with an electric carpet cleaner, with a mop, or as a spot remover; nontoxic; low-sudsing; lightly scented; performs well to remove stains and odor
Cons: Not readily available in popular retail stores
Carpet accidents happen, but no pet should be exposed to toxic cleaners. With Nature's Miracle Advanced Deep Cleaning Carpet Shampoo you can have a clean carpet or area rug and a healthy pet.
I don't know about your pet, but mine chooses to head to the center of an area rug to have an accident. In my previous homes, I had wall-to-wall carpet so I had to quickly learn how to keep the carpets clean and my sons, the animals, and myself healthy. I've used carpet shampoos that reeked with a chemical odor that couldn't have been good for any of us. But then I found Nature's Miracle Advanced Deep Cleaning Carpet Shampoo, which not only takes care of pet odors and stains but is nontoxic to animals and our respiratory systems.
For wall-to-wall carpeting, I used Nature's Miracle Carpet Shampoo in a steam cleaner, according to the machine's instructions. My carpets came out smelling fresh and looking clean and bright. The shampoo is low-foaming and contains a bio-enzymatic odor-locking formula to take care of embedded odors in the carpet fibers.
Now that I have area rugs, I still use it to thoroughly clean the rugs. For spot-cleaning accidents on rugs and upholstery, I use Nature's Miracle Advanced Stain and Odor Eliminator. I give the bottle a good shake and blot the stained areas. You may notice a heightened odor while the fabric is wet, but let Nature's Miracle do its work: As the area dries, the odor will disappear and it doesn't resurface.
Best pet-safe insect control
Zevo
Zevo Instant Action Spray bundle kills crawling, flying, and stinging insects using plant oils rather than chemicals, making it safe for people and pets.
Pros: Effectively kills insects, nontoxic to pets, available in several formulas for specific pests
Cons: Can leave surfaces slightly oily and slippery
While I respect all animals, there are just certain creatures that aren't welcome in my home: ants, roaches, spiders, and flies, just to name a few.
I was always concerned about using insecticides and pesticides around my pets. I would crate them when applying treatments and wait for hours for everything to dry and just hope for the best. Then I found the Zevo Pest Control Bundle to rid my home of unwanted pests while keeping my dog safe from accidental poisoning.
The Zevo Bundle uses plant oils rather than chemicals to get rid of bugs. While effectively killing ants, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, spiders, flies, cockroaches, and beetles, it uses no imiprothrin, cypermethrin, or pyrethroids that are toxic to pets. Although there is a nonaerosol trigger spray formula available, the aerosol cans in the bundle contain no butane or propane.
The sprays are lightly scented and instantly effective. Just spray, wait a few seconds, and bugs are dead. If using in a high-traffic area, you should wipe up the sprayed area with a paper towel because the spray can leave surfaces slippery. If you only need to target certain insects, the three sprays (Crawling Insect, Flying Insect, and Stinging Insect) can be purchased separately.
Other pet-safe cleaners we considered
Chris Amaral/Getty Images
There are other cleaning products that we tested that came in as runners-up to our top picks. Selecting them for your cleaning needs will give you good results and keep your animal best friends healthy.
Puracy Liquid Laundry Detergent, 96-load bottle: Formulated with plant-based enzymes and surfactants, Puracy contains no dyes or harsh fragrances to irritate an animal's skin. You can also use the liquid to spot-clean carpets and upholstery.
Attitude Floor Surface Cleaner, 35.2-ounce bottle: Attitude products are manufactured in Canada and carry that country's ECOLOGO as a biodegradable and sustainable product. The cleaner is plant-based and uses citrus oils to provide a fresh and safe scent. It can be used for sealed wood surfaces as well as tile, vinyl, and laminate. I found that it leaves my floors streak-free.
Check out our other guides to the best cleaning products for pet owners