Carpet cleaner is a valuable cleaning tool for any household and is essential if you have pets. Those accidents aren’t going to clean themselves up, after all, but while you’re on the hunt for the right carpet cleaner, you might wonder whether carpet cleaner is safe for pets.
Some carpet cleaners are safe for pets, while others have harmful chemicals that can harm your pets. The best rule of thumb is to be on the lookout for a cleaner that specifically says it’s safe to use around pets.
Is Carpet Cleaner Safe around Pets?
A carpet cleaner is generally safe around pets due to the growing need for products that are safe around dogs, cats, and other pets. As with any chemical-based solution, you should follow the instructions on the machine carefully to make sure you’re using the cleaner correctly.
How to Safely Clean Your Carpet with Pets
Vacuum the area thoroughly to get up any dirt and debris and treat any particularly dirty areas that you’re targeting.
Make sure that you’ve bought yourself a pet-friendly carpet cleaner solution that you can use around your furry friend and test the cleaner on a corner of the room to ensure that it doesn’t damage the carpet.
Take note of whether the machine says to apply the cleaning solution to the carpet or in the tank of the machine.
In either case, ensure that you’re using the correct amount. Too little, and your carpets won’t come up clean. Too much, and your pets are at an increased risk of breathing in the solution.
Once you’re done, vacuum the carpet again to get rid of any residual cleaning solution and make your carpet look nice and clean. You can also open the windows to help the room air out more quickly.
Whenever you’re cleaning the carpet, it’s advisable to lock your pet up in another room for a little while. Better safe than sorry in this case.
Closing off your pet in another room ensures that they’re not getting in your way while you’re trying to clean and reduces their exposure to the cleaning solution. While many carpet cleaners are pet-friendly, they’re still not ideal for pets to be breathing in, so taking precautions is wise.
What to Look for in a Pet-Friendly Carpet Cleaner
When you’re at the store looking for a pet-friendly carpet cleaning solution, you’ll want to read the product label to see if there are any harmful chemicals in the carpet cleaner. Be on the lookout for these three:
- Perchloroethylene
- Naphthalene
- Butyloxy Ethanol
These all pose a degree of risk to your pet (and you, for that matter). While these chemicals are used in small quantities and likely safe around humans, pets are more susceptible to these chemicals because they go bare-pawed around carpeted areas and then lick their paws, increasing the hazard of ingesting harmful chemicals.
Opting for a natural carpet cleaner is recommended, and they’re pretty easy to find these days.
An all-natural carpet cleaner poses the least risk to your pets for avoiding harmful chemicals.
You should also be on the lookout for a pet-friendly label. A lot of pet stores will also carry pet-friendly cleaning products when you’re on the hunt for a suitable cleaning solution.
Professional Carpet Cleaning
When in doubt, consult the professionals. Contact your local carpet cleaning company and ask them whether their cleaning solution is safe to use around pets. If so, then you can feel safe and confident that the company is operating with your pets’ best interests in mind.
In the event of any subsequent adverse reaction, most carpet cleaning companies have some form of liability insurance to cover medical expenses.
Are Carpet Cleaning Chemicals Harmful to Pets?
Some carpet cleaners leave toxic residues in the carpets that pets will pick up on their paws and ingest while self-grooming. These can lead to adverse reactions like vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, dehydration, drooling, and seizures. The safest method for keeping your carpets chemical-free is to use a steam cleaner or enzyme cleaner.
What Household Cleaning Products Are Safe for Pets?
You can also take the DIY route, which will not only protect your pets but also save you a fair bit of money each month on home cleaning supplies.
Vinegar
Vinegar, either white distilled or apple cider, works wonders at killing bacteria and microbes, with the added benefit of having antifungal properties.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has alkaline properties and can cut through grease. The mild abrasive nature of baking soda makes it great to use as a cleaning paste around your home.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is quite acidic and has strong antibacterial and antifungal properties for tackling pesky deposits. Combine with vinegar for an exceptional acidic cleaning solution that’s completely safe around pets.
How to Protect Carpet from Pets?
If you own pets, they’re inevitably going to have a few accidents, especially if you have a brand-new puppy. There are, however, some ways you can cut back on the deep cleaning you have to do to help prevent a chemical buildup on your carpet.
First, make sure you clean up pet urine immediately, taking a paper towel and stepping on it with your shoes on to get up as much of it as possible. Scrub the area thoroughly with a cleaning solution as soon as you can—the longer it stays, the worse the lingering smell will be.
If you’re concerned about the long-term health of your carpet and you can swing it, a stain-resistant carpet is great to help protect your home from stains of any kind, not just pet accidents. Stain guards also provide a cheaper solution, creating an additional layer of protection.
You can apply these to cover your entire carpet or just ‘problem’ areas where your pet typically has accidents.
Final Thoughts
A carpet cleaner is generally safe for pets as long as you find a product that is specifically labelled as pet safe. Even with those, it’s best to remove your pet from the area while you clean and only let them back on when the carpet is completely dry to the touch.
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