Floor cleaners and pet health
 

Hi,

I was wondering about floor cleaners and the possible adverse effects on cats, (or pets in general).
I read an article on ''wikipedia'' yesterday that said that the ''pine-sol''type of floor cleaner could be harmfull to my cats, if they walk on the floor before it is completly dry...because it is a phenol based product.
I found this article by typing ''cat'' in wikipedia, and it is in the section about poisoning...
Has any one ever heard of this?
I always used 'pine-sol' to clean my floors, and usually add a bit of javex water to it, I mop every other day.
I was just wondering if anyone has other ''home made'' alternatives that could be safer or better for the health of my cats.
I am on a budget, so I cannot afford some 20$ bottle of cleaner, so any home made alternatives are welcomed.
I have 8 cats and like to clean often, so that there are no smells in my place. So far, there has never been any!
I know there are some ecological products out there, but I also heard the contain enzymes that can be really harmfull to pets if they lick themselves after walking on the floor, so I always avoided them; they are not cheap either!
My oldest cat is 5 years old, and my youngests are turning 2 in April, so far, none of my cats seem to have any problems with this, and they do walk on the floor while it is still wet.
No one ever vomites or had loose stools, except for the occasional fur ball regurgitation, which only happens with my 3 long haired cats (Tonali, Gino and Airell).
Could it be that the adverse effects can take a long time to do their damage?
Perhaps it can damage internal organs slowly...
Could it be that the damage will be done and it would be too late when the symptoms appear?

Please help on this question, I am now very concerned about this issue, and would like to know your opinions and advice.

Thanks
Sandyrivers

White vinegar to the rescue; mix a cup to a bucket of lukewarm water :thumbs up.

That's all I've been using since we have our dog and it really works; use a microfibre mop and you're set - works on hardwood, laminate, tile - you name it. If you're dealing with serious messes or feel the need for a deeper clean , use a floor steamer - just water, no harmful chemicals.

Don't mix "BLEACH" with anything, toxic fumes........

[QUOTE=sandyrivers;1035508]that said that the ''pine-sol''type of floor cleaner could be harmfull to my cats, if they walk on the floor before it is completly dry...because it is a phenol based product.[/quote]

Not only that, but just inhaling the fumes from phenolic products (lysol, detol, pinesol, etc) can also be deadly to cats. And they aren't good for people either: [url]http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/01/18/the_health_dangers_of_phenols_found_in_common_household_cleaners_004.htm[/url]

[QUOTE=sandyrivers;1035508]I was just wondering if anyone has other ''home made'' alternatives that could be safer or better for the health of my cats. [/quote]

I second the vinegar recommendation. Cheap, effective, and SAFE! Also baking soda works well, and those micro-fibre cloths.


[QUOTE=sandyrivers;1035508]Could it be that the adverse effects can take a long time to do their damage?[/quote]

Yup. The toxic effects to the liver can be cummulative and you wouldn't necessarily see any symptoms until there's a significant amount of damage.

Glad to hear that you're considering safer alternatives! :thumbs up

Yep yep, vinegar, water, microfibre

Vinegar!
 

Hi,
I am just back from the store and got two huge jugs of vinegar! The cashier taught I was going to pickle things! Funny....

Thanks to all who helped out on this one.

sandyrivers

could it be too late?
 

Just wondering if the pine sol i used in the past could have already adversely affected my cats???
They are healthy and well for now, but would i need to take them to the vet to see if damage is already done?
If so, what tests should i ask the vet to do?

I am trying not to be paranoid here, but the more i read about this, the more terrible it sounds... my cats are my babies, so i really want to make sure they are ok.

Thanks again

sandyrivers

[QUOTE=sandyrivers;1035605]Just wondering if the pine sol i used in the past could have already adversely affected my cats???
They are healthy and well for now, but would i need to take them to the vet to see if damage is already done?
[/QUOTE]

I think just eliminating further exposure is the key. Cats are pretty amazing at recovering from all sorts of situations so as long as their bodies have a chance to heal, they should be fine. :goodvibes:

Thanks for the advice
 

I have been using vinegar and warm water ever since I read your advice.
The floors are just as clean as they were using toxic products.

Two of my cats found the smell very weird at first, it was almost as they were ''making faces''...they went to sit on top of my TV, and waited for the floor to be dry and the new smell to dissipate before venturing on the floor, they were so funny! The other ones just went about their usual business...

sandyrivers

Quick update
 

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to update you on the use of vinegar and warm water as an alternative to chemical floor cleaners.

Since about two weeks now, I have been using the vinegar and water formula to clean my floors, as well as to clean surface areas such as table tops, coffee tables and pretty much everything around the house...

Vinegar and water[U] gets rid[/U] of the smells, it dosn't only cover them for a while like the chemical cleaners do. So I was very happy about that. It also leaves the house smelling fresh and odourless for much longer than it did when I used the chemical cleaners.

I would strongly recommend this cleaning formula to any and every one!

Thank you so much to those who suggested this solution!
It was a life saver to my cats, and to me who was looking for something effective and safe for cleaning the house.
Sometimes, simple things work!

sandyrivers