Many dog owners keep cleaners in their homes that are not exactly pet safe out of habit or ignorance of the bad effects they have on the household. Cleaning products with ingredients such as bleach, ammonia, chlorine, gycol ethers or formaldehyde can cause many problems in adults and children, but young children and pets are particularly at risk for things such as cancer, anemia, liver and kidney damage. Many toxic cleaners are also carcinogenic. Several studies have been done on the dangerous effects of some common cleaning products. Many of these included data on pets which showed that Fido and Fluffy are not immune to chemicals and that many cleaning products are not pet safe. One study concentrated on measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cleaning products. In it, the vapor pressure of various chemical compounds in cleaners was measured. Three cleaners, Pledge, Clorox Wipes and Lysol Disinfecting Spray, registered close to a thousand times more vapor pressure than a natural cleaner.

This means that even when the toxic cleaners are put away and closed, the vapors left behind can continue to harm both us and our pets. Ammonia – Used in many de-greasers for ovens, glass and stainless steel, ammonia has a very high VOC, burns mucous membranes and contributes to asthma. If it is mixed with bleach, it creates a poisonous gas which can be deadly to small pets. Chlorine – Used in disinfectants, toilet bowl cleaners and automatic dish detergent to name a few, chlorine is also used to bleach coffee filters. It can cause everything from dizziness to vomiting to laryngeal edema. Avoid this ingredient and be careful about letting your pet swim in the pool. Glycol Ethers – Glycol ethers are found in many cleaning products that are not pet safe including glass cleaners, carpet cleaners and spot removers. It has been linked to anemia, lung damage and kidney damage in people and pets. Formaldehyde – The thought of a funeral home comes to mind when formaldehyde is mentioned and everyone can recognize the strong, nauseating smell.

But it’s also used in products such as soaps and even some pet shampoos. It can contribute to asthma and is carcinogenic. There are many, many cleaning products that are not safe for dogs on the market. Here are a few popular cleaners that contain some of the ingredients mentioned above as well as others: Floor Cleaners – These include Pine Sol and Mr. Clean. Even if you manage to get all of the residue off the floor, the vapors linger and are dangerous to your pet. Try a non-toxic, pet safe cleaner instead. Bathroom Cleaners – These include Clorox Bathroom Cleaner and Scrubbing Bubbles. Try a product such as Ecover Bathroom Cleaner instead. Never use a continuous toilet bowl cleaner such as Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner. It is very dangerous and the temptation to drink out of the toilet is a quirk in many of our pups. All Purpose Cleaners – For use in the kitchen and around the house, the most common toxic all-purpose cleaners that scream “Danger!” are Mr. Clean Multi-Purpose Spray and Formula 409.

Drain Openers – You may think that since this product is poured down the drain, it can’t be harmful to your pet. Gray Comforter West ElmBut the toxic drain openers give off dangerous fumes long after you’ve emptied them. Black Lakeland Terrier Puppies For SaleFor a non-toxic, pet safe option, try a product such as Earth Friendly Enzymes Drain Opener.Oh Crepe T Shirt H&M Glass Cleaner – It may seem that toxic glass cleaners are simpler products and are, therefore, safe but they are not. Instead of something like Windex, try a product such as Nature Clean Window and Glass Cleaner. Laundry Detergent – It’s easy to assume that choosing a laundry detergent isn’t that important because the rinse cycle rinses it away.

But there is residue left behind on clothes and pet blankets that can be harmful to your pet, especially those that chew on their bedding. Avoid detergents with toxic ingredients such as Tide and Cheer and try something like Down East’s Liquid Laundry Detergent. Instead of using toxic cleaning products around the house, try one of the non-toxic and pet safe lines of cleaners. If you do decide to keep toxic cleaners, make absolutely sure they are put away. Put child safety locks on cabinet doors and put cleaners up as high as possible. Never use them when your pet is in the same room and air out the house after cleaning with them. Never leave any residue behind. But the warning signs are clear and you and your dog will be healthier and safer if you use cleaning products that are pet safe. Pine-Sol is a registered trade name of Clorox for a line of household cleaning products, used to clean grease and heavy soil stains. Pine-Sol was based on pine oil when it was created in 1929 and during its rise to national popularity in the 1950s.

[3] However, as of 2016, Pine-Sol products sold in stores no longer contain pine oil due to increased cost of the commodity. Pine-Sol detergent was invented by Harry A. Cole of Jackson, Mississippi in 1929. In 1948, entrepreneur Robert Earnest "Dumas" Milner acquired Magnolia Chemical, the Jackson, Mississippi supplier of Pine-Sol.[6][7] Milner put Howard S. Cohoon in charge of the firm which had 6 employees, three salesmen and three that produced the product. In the following five years Cohoon turned the company into a multi-million dollar operation selling 20 million bottles throughout the US and 11 other nations. Cohoon modernized the operation from manual bottling and labeling to full automation. According to Cohoon, at that time pine oil was produced from old yellow pine tree stumps which were previously regarded as worthless.[3] After Pine-Sol went national, Milner Company began a national radio advertising campaign starting with the Robert Q. Lewis show in 1952. By 1955 the Milner company had purchased Perma-Starch, of Illiopolis, Illinois and by 1959 Milner had a grown to a $1.5 million daytime TV advertising package and a $100,000 radio buy shared between Pine-Sol and Perma-Starch.

In January 1956, the Federal Trade Commission ordered Milner Company to cease and desist an advertising campaign that related to the false claims regarding the effectiveness of Pine-Sol compared to other pine oil containing products.[8] Milner Company had previously agreed to cease and desist several other false claims about germicidal and bactericidal properties of Pine-Sol in March 1951.[9] In February 1963, the Dumas Milner Company, including Pine-Sol facilities in Jackson, MS and Perma-Starch plant in Illiopolis, IL, was taken over by Wayne, New Jersey based American Cyanamid for stock valued at $17 million. Howard S. Cohoon was to remain in charge of the division. The Pine-Sol brand was acquired by Clorox from American Cyanamid's Shulton Group in 1990.[5] The 2005 version of the original 8% to 10% pine oil based cleaner was acidic (pH 3 – 4)[12] and could be used to remove bacteria from household surfaces. However, some of the products now contain bases (pH 10 – 11). There was also a dispute between the owners of the trademark Pine-Sol and the trademark holders of Lysol over potential consumer confusion regarding the fact they both end in "sol" and are used for cleaning.

The issues spawned negotiations, agreements and lawsuits between several involved companies over the years from the 1960s to late 1990s. Although the original Pine-Sol formulation was pine oil-based, not all cleaners sold under the Pine-Sol brand contain pine oil.[13] As of 2008, the material safety data sheet for the "Original Pine-Sol Brand Cleaner 1" formulation lists 8–12% pine oil, 3-7% alkyl alcohol ethoxylates, 1-5% sodium petroleum sulfonate and 1-5% isopropyl alcohol.[12] In 2006, The Clorox Company's product line included "Clorox Commercial Pine-Sol Brand Cleaner", with the same ingredients and concentrations as "Original Pine-Sol Brand Cleaner 1."[17] Since January 2013, Clorox also makes a product called Original Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner which includes glycolic acid while lacking any pine oil. In January 2014, Clorox announced that Pine-Sol products would no longer contain pine oil, due its limited supply and increased cost.[19] In response to consumer requests for the original formula, Clorox made available a product containing 8.75% Pine oil to online purchasers, but said it would not be sold in stores.