- We have tested and selected the best pet-safe cleaning products to use in your home and around your pets.
- Products like SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer perform well and keep your pet safe from toxic chemicals and accidental poisoning.
- Some of the products recommended in this article are in high demand and may be out of stock at times. We’re doing our best to keep articles updated with available items, but if what you’re looking for is out of stock, we recommend searching for similar products from the same brand.
Pets have always been a part of our family. Throughout the years there have been dogs, cats, bunnies, fish, turtles, and one unusual duck who thought she was a dog. As nature took its course, I found myself without a pet for a period. Then I walked into our county animal shelter and one little face captured my heart. Gracie, a mixed dachshund/chihuahua came home with me that day and we began our days of fun, love, laughter, and quite a few messes to clean up.
Since she is a small dog and spends most of her time inside, I started to think about the toxicity level of the cleaners I was using. It occurred to me that when she licks her paws or eats something that has dropped on the floor, she is ingesting some of the floor cleaners.
Just as some chemicals are toxic to humans, many chemicals regularly found in household cleaners are toxic to pets. Chlorine, ammonia, isopropyl alcohol, formaldehyde, and phenols are quite dangerous if ingested by animals. Many aerosol cleaners and air fresheners are toxic to a bird’s respiratory system. A smaller animal’s respiratory rate is faster than humans and they can suffer more toxic exposure. Indoor pollution, much of which is caused by household cleaners, can put pets at risk for liver and kidney damage, anemia, and cancer.
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center answers hundreds of thousands of calls about the possible exposure of pets to poisonous substances. Of these calls, 10% are due to household products and 15% to insecticide exposure. Almost all pet poisonings nationwide are accidental ones that occur in our homes.
Just as young children don’t understand the dangers of some products, neither do animals. Even if they don’t ingest the chemicals, pets can suffer burns to the skin and eye damage. The first line of defense is to keep all cleaners in closed cabinets or on high shelves. If you have an animal that’s inclined to drink from the toilet bowl, do not use a continual cleaning product and keep the lid closed at all times. Dispose of empty cleaning containers promptly and properly.
It is pretty simple to keep a clean home without using harsh chemicals. I've searched out the least toxic cleaners that still do a good job for areas of your home that our pets are most exposed to. I've been reading ingredient labels and testing floor cleaners, carpet shampoos, laundry detergents, and insecticides for many years as a home economist for companies and publications. I'm always looking for the most effective, easiest to use, safest, and best value products for myself and others, including my dog Gracie.
Here are the best pet-safe cleaning products:
- The best pet-safe detergent for laundry: Seventh Generation Free & Clear
- The best pet-safe hard surface sanitizer: SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer
- The best pet-safe cleaner for floors: Method Squirt + Mop Hard Floor Cleaner
- The best pet-safe carpet shampoo: Nature's Miracle Advanced Deep Cleaning Carpet Shampoo
- The best pet-safe insect control: Zevo Pest Control Bundle
Prices and links are current as of 5/04/2020. Based on additional testing and research, we replaced the best pet-safe detergent (Tide Purclean Unscented) with a new pick. Replaced best cleaning wipes category (Clorox Anywhere Wipes) with new category for the best pet-safe hard surface sanitizer.
The best laundry detergent
SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer is a one-step multisurface disinfectant that kills bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus.
Many disinfecting products, including most wipes, are not safe to use on food preparation areas without an added step of a rinse after disinfecting. Since your pet can't distinguish between a surface that has or has not been rinsed, you need SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer.
While SaniDate doesn't pretend to deep clean surfaces, the one-step disinfectant will with patented ethyl alcohol technology will kill bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus on plastic and sealed wood surfaces, stone, tile, and laminate countertops and floors, and even dog bowls.
I like to cook and having to add a rinsing step after cleaning counters with a disinfecting wipe isn't always convenient. I clean regularly and quickly with SaniDate as I move between meat and vegetable preparation. After you have given surfaces a good cleaning to remove grease or dirt, a final spritz of SaniDate will leave you feeling good that harmful bacteria is gone and that the surface is safe for your pet.
I keep some in a more convenient spray bottle (labeled, of course) to do quick clean-ups with a microfiber cloth near my dog's feeding station.
Pros: Nontoxic to pets, effectively kills 99.9% of harmful bacteria, safe for most surfaces
Cons: Comes in a 1 gallon container that is hard to use
The best hard-surface sanitizer
SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer is a one-step multisurface disinfectant that kills bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus.
Many disinfecting products, including most wipes, are not safe to use on food preparation areas without an added step of a rinse after disinfecting. Since your pet can't distinguish between a surface that has or has not been rinsed, you need SaniDate Hard Surface Sanitizer.
While SaniDate doesn't pretend to deep clean surfaces, the one-step disinfectant will with patented ethyl alcohol technology will kill bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus on plastic and sealed wood surfaces, stone, tile, and laminate countertops and floors, and even dog bowls.
I like to cook and having to add a rinsing step after cleaning counters with a disinfecting wipe isn't always convenient. I clean regularly and quickly with SaniDate as I move between meat and vegetable preparation. After you have given surfaces a good cleaning to remove grease or dirt, a final spritz of SaniDate will leave you feeling good that harmful bacteria is gone and that the surface is safe for your pet.
I keep some in a more convenient spray bottle (labeled, of course) to do quick clean-ups with a microfiber cloth near my dog's feeding station.
Pros: Nontoxic to pets, effectively kills 99.9% of harmful bacteria, safe for most surfaces
Cons: Comes in a 1 gallon container that is hard to use
The best floor cleaner
This easy-to-use lightly scented Method floor cleaner is made of nontoxic, plant-based ingredients that protect floors and keep people and pets safe.
Floors take lots of abuse from outside dirt, food, and drink spills, but clean floors are essential to a well-kept home. I have found the perfect floor cleaners to keep my floors shiny and protect my pet: Method Squirt + Mop Hard Floor Cleaner
Floor cleaners end up on paws and paws end up in your pet's mouth. With Method Squirt + Mop Hard Floor Cleaner, I don't have to worry about my dog getting sick from harsh chemicals. Most of my home floors are hardwood so I use Method Squirt + Mop for Hardwood (check out my other recommendations for people without pets, which I tested before switching to pet-safe solutions). But in the ceramic-tiled bathrooms and laundry room, where my pup eats, I use Method Squirt + Mop formulated for tile, vinyl, and laminate.
The lightly scented Lemon Ginger cleans and shines using nontoxic, plant-based ingredients. I love that I can squirt the solution directly on the floor and use a damp mop with no sloppy bucket and no rinsing. And I know that when my dog walks on the wet floor she won't have any issues but a stern look from me.
Pros: Cleans floors with no rinsing needed, non-toxic, lightly scented
Cons: Refills are not available
The best carpet shampoo
Nature's Miracle Carpet Shampoo is a versatile odor-eliminator that can be used in carpet cleaners, with a mop, or as a spot remover.
Carpet accidents happen but no pet should be exposed to toxic cleaners. With Nature's Miracle Advanced Deep Cleaning Carpet Shampoo you can have a clean carpet or area rug and a healthy pet.
I don't know about your pet, but mine chooses to head to the center of an area rug to have an accident. There's not a chance it will happen on an easy-to-clean tile floor or the edge of the rug. Always, right in the center.
In my previous homes, I had wall-to-wall carpet so I had to quickly learn how to keep the carpets clean and my sons, the animals, and myself healthy. I've used carpet shampoos that reeked with a chemical odor that couldn't have been good for any of us. But then I found Nature's Miracle Advanced Deep Cleaning Carpet Shampoo, which not only takes care of pet odors and stains but is nontoxic to animals and our respiratory systems.
For wall-to-wall carpeting, I used Nature's Miracle Carpet Shampoo in a steam cleaner (following the machine's instructions). My carpets came out smelling fresh and looking clean and bright. The shampoo is low-foaming and contains a bio-enzymatic odor-locking formula to take care of embedded odors in the carpet fibers.
Now that I have area rugs, I still use it to thoroughly clean the rugs. For spot-cleaning accidents on rugs and upholstery, I use Nature's Miracle Advanced Stain & Odor Eliminator. I give the bottle a good shake and blot the stained areas. You may notice a heightened odor while the fabric is wet, but let Nature's Miracle do its work: As the area dries, the odor will disappear and it doesn't resurface.
Pros: Can be used with an electric carpet cleaner, with a mop, or as a spot remover, nontoxic, low-sudsing, lightly scented, performs well to remove stains and odor
Cons: Not readily available in popular retail stores
The best insect control
Zevo Instant Action Spray bundle kills crawling, flying, and stinging insects using plant oils rather than chemicals, making it safe for people and pets.
Since there is a constant need to open the door for my pup to visit the backyard, other critters see the open-door policy as an invitation to come inside. While I respect all animals, there are just certain creatures that aren't welcome: ants, roaches, spiders, and flies, just to name a few.
I was always concerned about using insecticides and pesticides around my pets. I would crate them when applying treatments and wait for hours for everything to dry and just hope for the best. Then I found the Zevo Pest Control Bundle to rid my home of unwanted pests while keeping my dog safe from accidental poisoning.
The Zevo Bundle uses plant oils rather than chemicals to get rid of bugs. While effectively killing ants, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, spiders, flies, cockroaches, and beetles, it uses no imiprothrin, cypermethrin, or pyrethroids that are toxic to pets. Although there is a non-aerosol trigger spray formula available, the aerosol cans in the bundle contain no butane or propane.
The sprays are lightly scented and instantly effective. Just spray, wait a few seconds, and bugs are dead. If using in a high-traffic area, you should wipe up the sprayed area with a paper towel because the spray can leave surfaces slippery. If you only need to target certain insects, the three sprays (Crawling Insect, Flying Insect, and Stinging Insect) can be purchased separately.
Pros: Effectively kills insects, nontoxic to pets, available in several formulas for specific pests
Cons: Can leave surfaces slightly oily and slippery
What else we considered
There are several cleaning products that we tested that came in as runners-up to our top picks. Selecting them for your cleaning needs will give you good results and keep your animal best friends healthy.
- Puracy Liquid Laundry Detergent, 96-load bottle ($14.99): Formulated with plant-based enzymes and surfactants, Puracy contains no dyes or harsh fragrances to irritate an animal's skin. You can also use the liquid to spot-clean carpets and upholstery.
- Attitude Floor Surface Cleaner, 35.2-ounce bottle ($10.49): Attitude products are manufactured in Canada and carry that country's ECOLOGO as a biodegradable and sustainable product. The cleaner is plant-based and uses citrus oils to provide a fresh and safe scent. It can be used for sealed wood surfaces as well as tile, vinyl, and laminate. I found that it leaves my floors streak-free.
- BioKleen Carpet & Rug Shampoo, 64-ounce bottle ($10.39): This concentrated carpet cleaner uses plant-based surfactants and citrus oils to remove stains when spot-cleaning pet accidents. I like it most of all as an overall carpet shampoo because it leaves no hazardous or sticky residue in the fibers. It works well in home carpet steamers and the larger carpet cleaning steamers that you can rent.
Check out our other guides to the best cleaning products for pet owners
The best vacuums for pet hair
If you have pets in the home, a quality vacuum cleaner designed specifically for the challenge of cleaning pet hair is a must and will make it much easier to keep your home clean.
The best cleaning products for pet messes
It helps to have the right cleaning tools and products on hand to tackle pet stains, odors, and other messes. To make sure you get the best of the best, we've reviewed the top cleaning products to bring you our top picks for pet owners.
The best lint rollers for pet hair
Whether your pet has short hair, long hair, or something in between, the right lint roller will pick it up off your clothes and furniture to keep things looking neat and tidy. These rollers come in many shapes and sizes, so take a look at our top picks for the best lint rollers for pet hair to choose the one that works best for you.
The best products for a pet emergency kit
Are you prepared to care for your family pets when an emergency strikes? These recommendations can be tweaked to fit the specific needs of your pet or environment, but they will serve the needs of almost every cat and dog.