Many pets explore the world through the senses of smell, touch and taste. This could be an avenue for ingestion of harmful chemicals which could affect the health of the pet. In order to avoid this, you need to know the toxic chemicals. We have compiled a list of the most dangerous chemicals you need to look out for when doing your cleaning.
Before diving into the cleaning products, it is important to look into some of the chemicals which pose a danger to pets.
Dangerous Ingredients
- Glycol Ethers
This chemical is used as an active ingredient in cleaning products and as a solvent in a variety of paints. It is common in window cleaners that are streak-free, carpet cleaners and stain removers. Glycol Ethers are known to cause birth defects in lab rats and some types of cancers, delayed development, eye and nose irritation and other effects.
- Ammonia
Ammonia is a very effective cleaning agent although it is highly toxic to your pet due to its strong alkaline nature. When inhaled or ingested, the chemical causes severe irritation to the nose and damage to the stomach, lungs and nose. In severe cases it can cause death.
- Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a super ingredient in cleaning agents due to its antibacterial nature. The chemical is known to be cancer causing in humans. Exposure could be through ingestion, inhalation or exposure to skin. The chemical could come under many brands including formalin, formic aldehyde, methanediol among others.
- Chlorine
Chlorine is a very strong cleaning agent with a strong alkaline nature. The alkaline nature makes it repulsive to cats by causing irritation to cats and dogs.
- Phthalates
Phthalates are used as a common fragrance in household cleaners and deodorizers. It is also found in packaging, toys, cosmetics, food, and many other products. Phthalates have been linked to disrupting hormonal patterns and indirect effects like cancers, developmental delays and weight gain.
Where to Find These Harmful Ingredients
These chemicals can be found in a host of the most common cleaning agents like bleach, laundry detergent, window cleaners, oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and carpet cleaners among other cleaning agents. We advise that you be on the look for these ingredients on the product labels when shopping for your cleaning agents.
Conclusion
In conclusion, many cleaning products have the above toxic ingredients. We also advise to look for safer alternatives like vinegar and baking soda and pet friendly cleaners.
