National Poison Prevention Week: Household Products

This blog is recycled and talks about our spokesdogs in the present tense; however, they are no longer with us.

Today is the last day we discuss one of the topics: what your pets could potentially be accidentally poisoned by and how to prevent it.

Tomorrow, we are open to discussing anything you'd like to know more about; send me an email with your topic or questions to SavePets@TracisPaws.com.

When it comes to cleaning our homes, we have so many options for cleaning products. I grew up with Bleach and Pinesol, Fantastic and Ajax being some of my parents' parents'. I've grown up loving the smell of Pinesol and Bleach, and added Fabuloso to the list as well. I think many of us feel that if our home smells clean, it is clean. If you think about it, even companies picked up on this and have created products for us to spray on our couches and clothes to make them smell fresh, only covering up odors and adding more dangerous chemicals in the air for us and our pets to breathe, which eventually fall to the floor for our pets to walk on or lick.

"The cleaning products that we grew up with, those that our mothers and their mothers used, are just as harmful to your lungs as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. So think how harmful they are to your pets and your children." Laurie "Hopps, Clean Living Consultant.

That said, I know we still have a few cleaning products in our home that aren't the best to use, and I'm transitioning away from them. Until then, and like most of you out there, here are just a few precautions I take when I need to use them.

We have a "quiet" home. The doggies are older, so not many are wandering around, and we don't have tons of them, so dust is the only real culprit for dirtying our floors. When I mop, I use only steaming-hot water. But if I have to clean up a little doggy accident and go into the grot, I'll use a little cleaner.

First, I'll open the windows (even if it's cold) and then set up the doggy fence to keep the pups from entering the area. I'll dry the tile with a towel, then wipe down the area with a towel soaked in steaming-hot water, then use a little cleaner on the grout and repeat the wipe-down with a steaming-hot towel.

Whenever you need to use a cleaning product on the floor, it is always best to open the windows for ventilation and either confine your pets to another room or use a fence or baby gate. You do not want their paws or tongues coming into contact with the cleaner. Breathing in the fumes is not safe either. If you use a cleaner on the floor wherever you feed them, start using placemats under their food or water bowls. This way, they never come in contact with the floor.

I'm proud to say that our home is almost a "safe-cl" aner zone" and glad there are some safer products out there. "Thankful," ly, there is a cleaning line that is safe for you, your home, your children, and your pets. The products DO NOT contain bleach, ammonia, abrasives, formaldehyde, parabens, or any other toxic chemicals. The FDA requires no childproof caps because the products contain no toxins. The products contain 100% biodegradable ingredients, and they WORK!! You'll clean home, clean streams, and a clean conscience". Lauri Hopps, Clean Living Consultant

If you are interested in checking out this line of cleaning products, please visit Laurie's Page, and she'd be happy to speak with you about transitioning your home into a safer environment for your pets!

Remember, even lines that are free of chemicals might still contain essential oils that are toxic to pets, like pine and citrus. Always consult your veterinarian by providing them with a list of ingredients and getting their okay.

If you suspect that your pet has been accidentally or intentionally poisoned, please get in touch with your veterinarian immediately.

Here is the number for ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center as well: (888) 426-4435

If you ever suspect your pet of being poisoned, call your veterinarian or take your pet to the ER.

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