Maintain A Clean Litter Box
By cleaning out your cats litter box regularly, you will drastically reduce the nasty smells coming from it. The longer you leave feces and urine in the litter box, the longer the odor-causing molecules have to enter the air. Moreover, cat urine actually smells worse over time. This is because there are bacteria found in cat urine that decompose a compound called urea. Through decomposition, the smell of ammonia is released. So, if you dont keep on top of daily scooping things can get pretty nasty pretty quickly!
You will want to try and get into the habit of emptying it twice per day. I like to scoop my tray in the morning and at night. This helps me get into a good routine so that I never forget to scoop. You should also empty and change the entire litter tray at least once every 1-2 weeks. Invest in a good quality cleaner to help lift those ammonia smells from the tray.
If you have issues with your cat urinating elsewhere in your home, such as on the carpet, maintaining a clean litter box can also encourage your cat to use their tray and reduce the number of accidents. This can improve the overall smell of your whole home. Besides, it makes your house much cleaner and more hygienic win, win!
Video Answer: Are Plug
Odor-eating sprays like Febreze can help a bit, but because they just mask the smell, they are not a permanent solution. Worse, they do not remove urine stains Even better, the same products will work well on human, cat, or dog urineall mammal urine is made up of uric acid crystals.
Freshen A Room By Diffusing Essential Oils
I have three diffusers that I use around the house. I began diffusing to calm the dogs down and I liked the way the house smelled too. Over the past year, I’ve become an essential oils addict and found a company that I truly love Plant Therapy and I use their oils on myself and around my dogs and cat. I was diffusing a calming oil while I typed this article with my cat sleeping next to me.
I’m still learning about the benefits and risks of essentials oils. So far, I know not to use ea tree oil, oregano oil, wintergreen oil, and thyme oil around my cat or dogs because they are said to be toxic. While using them in small amounts may be harmless, I’m not willing to take the chance with so many other great oils available. And until I learn more, I’ve decided not to use essential oils on my cat. If Cosmo is in the room with me, I reduce the number of drops I add to the diffuser and I don’t diffuse daily in an area where he’s commonly present.
Worried about using essential oils around your cat? Read this informative article by Melissa Shelton, DVM . I often reference Dr. Shelton’s book, The Animal Desk Reference II Essential Oils for Animals, to learn which oils are safe for my dogs and cat.
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Be Your Dog’s Advocate
When it comes to my dogs, I know that I go overboard. Maybe candles aren’t that bad. Maybe we don’t use enough air freshener to harm our dogs. For me, it’s not about whether candles, plug-ins, incense, and air fresheners are or are not bad for our pets. It’s about choosing a less toxic path. If there is a healthier and safer option, then I owe it to my dogs to give it a try.
To learn more about maintaining a healthy environment for your dog, be sure to check out The Dog Cancer Series.
And return tomorrow to learn tips on how we can improve our home for our dogs.
Are Glade Plug In Air Fresheners Safe For Pets
What are the safety concerns of glade plug-ins for dogs? The same VOCs are present in air freshener sprays as in plug-ins, but they are generally used in a less intensive manner. Pets can still be harmed if they are inhaled. If you spray air freshener on furniture, pets should never be allowed to enter the room, and furniture must be completely dry before pets can enter.
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Is Scentsy Safe For Cats
Pets can burn themselves on the open flame or with the hot wax. When using Scentsy wax in our warmers there is very little chance of your favorite animal burning themselves as our warmers do not use an open flame and our wax is specially formulated to melt at a low temperature, it gets warm but not hot enough to burn.
Are Glade Plug Ins Safe
SC Johnson considers that their scented oil product is safe and useful. However, they recommend that anybody with health issues or concerns should consult with his or her physician before using Glade Plug-Ins. The few particles that were measured were believed to be volatilized fragrance oils that posed no danger.
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How Can I Keep My Home Smelling Fresh Safely
There are several natural ways to freshen your home that will not harm your dog. The simplest and cheapest solution is to open a window and let in fresh air. This will circulate stale air and remove smells. If opening a window is not an option, you could invest in an air purifier that will remove allergens and other pollutants from the air.
Since soft furnishings can hoard bad smells, wash them regularly using a pet-safe detergent. Washing at a high temperature will also kill flea eggs. For larger pieces of furniture which are not easy to wash, such as sofas, cover them with throws that are easy to remove and put in the washing machine. The same applies to pet bedding. Pick beds with removable covers that can be easily and regularly washed.
Doggy smells are a common reason for pet owners to want to freshen a room. These occur for a few reasons â they can be due to a pet not being sufficiently groomed, a skin condition, or caused when the dog has been out and gotten wet or muddy. Spending time grooming your dog removes dead hair and allows the skin to breathe, and in many cases, will eliminate that doggy odour. Some dogs who suffer from skin allergies may need to be bathed routinely or given supplements. Severe skin issues should always be treated by a vet.
Are Wallflowers From Bath And Body Works Toxic
The answer is No. Bath and body works wallflowers are not safe for your pets. It contains toxic chemicals and may harm your pet. Humans may love these sweet and strong fragrances and put them in a good mood, but for your cat, room fragrances might be toxic and harmful and will put them in a bad, irritable mood.
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Do Bath And Body Works Plug Ins Cause Fires
A mother who uses wall scent plugins from Bath & Body Works is warning people to watch out after she says one of them nearly caught her home on fire. Sparks started flying out and fire, and she says had she been any closer it wouldve burned her as well, and her hand towel hangs right next to it, she said.
What About The Carpet Powders
Out of all of Glades products, their Carpet & Room Refresher powders are probably the safest. The primary ingredients are calcium carbonate and sodium silicoaluminate, which are not concerning. They do, however, contain benzyl benzoate, which is classified as an allergen by the E.U., along with several ethoxylated ingredients and other synthetic fragrance ingredients.
We recommend using regular baking soda and essential oils instead.Here is an easy DIY recipe!
Its also worth noting that when you look up Glades products on the Environmental Working Groups database on home cleaning products, their scores range from C to F when it comes to ingredient safety.
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What Are The Ingredients In Glade Plugins
Most conventional fragrance companies contain a wide variety of hidden toxic chemicals like phthalates, carcinogens, allergens, and more. In all honestly, we were expecting nothing different with Glade.
But we were surprised to see that Glade is more mindful about their ingredients. They advertise that their PlugIns are made without:
- phthalates
- nitro musk
- formaldehyde
Okay, thats a good sign! HOWEVER, Glade does not include what actually IS in their PlugIns on the product pages. While were glad that Glade doesnt use certain hormone-disrupting chemicals and some carcinogens , that doesnt mean theyre out of the woods. Lets keep digging.
Glade is owned by S.C. Johnson, which is overall a bit more transparent about their ingredients than other conventional brands. Even though the ingredients in Glade products are not listed on the product packaging or brand website, you CAN find full ingredient breakdowns on S.C. Johnsons website.
The fact that Glades parent company has a whole website about their ingredients and fragrance standards is definitely a sign of positive progress. When fragrance ingredients have been hidden behind legal loopholes for so long, we do love seeing this kind of transparency from brands. After all, consumers have the right to know what is in the products they buy and use in their homes!
Now lets look at some of Glades other products
Are Essential Oils And Essential Oil Diffusers Toxic To Cats And Dogs
“We know many of the components of many essential oils have some level of toxicity or carcinogenicity,” Dr. McCarthy said, adding that contact is often due to ingestion or skin contact. He further noted that direct skin contact is the most immediately harmful way in which pets are exposed. Because essential oils contain concentrated volatile oils, every route of exposure can be harmful to pets since absorption of these compounds through the skin, gastrointestinal system, or lungs can cause the oral or nasal mucosa to be irritated, Dr. Sung said. When absorbed, the toxins are metabolized through the liver, which can cause injury to the organ.
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Are Glade Air Fresheners Toxic
Glade air freshener sprays. Inhalants generally have been abused by 1 in 5 American teens and are potentially fatal, according to the Alliance for Consumer Education. Glades air freshener spray can be abused in this way and has the warning intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling the contents can be harmful or fatal on its label.
Are Glades Candles And Wax Melts Toxic
Yes. Not only are Glades candles are wax melts made with paraffin wax , but many of them also include BHT . Their list of fragrance ingredients includes a lot of synthetics, and some of them are questionable.
We recommend checking out this article for guidance on the best non-toxic candle brands.
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Are Air Fresheners Toxic To Dogs And Cats
Although researchers arent certain how toxic these are for our pets, there is evidence that air fresheners can cause respiratory illnesses and stomach upsets, and in more extreme cases, damage to the kidneys, liver and central nervous system. The suspected problem with some air-freshener sprays and solids is two-fold.
Cost Of Air Freshener
The first thing you should consider is the cost. There isnt a huge range in the cost of different air fresheners, but obviously, some are more expensive than others.
It is important that when you determine your price range, you also consider future purchases. For example, how often will you need to buy the product? Some products may last up to 60 days, others only 45 days, and some will depend completely on how bad the smells in your home are and how often you need to spray the air freshener or use the litter deodorizer.
Also, will you need to keep purchasing batteries? Automatic air fresheners often need batteries to run, so factor all these costs in when selecting an air freshener for cats, not solely the upfront cost.
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Are Plug In Air Fresheners Safe For Cats
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Asked by: Estrella Pollich
Last update: February 2, 2022Score: 5/5
Avoid putting air fresheners anywhere near your cat’s food and water, and also anywhere in or around their litter box. Plug in air fresheners are toxic to pets in particular because they are right at nose level and can really affect a cat’s breathing.
Is Febreze Poisonous For Cats
There have been rumors stating that the Febreze plug-in is just like any other freshener out there and thus not safe for cats.
See, our feline friends have sensitive noses that pick up tiny scents in the air.
Regardless of which odor-control method is used at home, these little creatures find them overwhelming.
However, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has somewhat cleared the air on this issue.
After doing a toxicology test on the Febreze fabric softener, the APCCs toxicology experts concluded that it is safe for use around pets.
Since the Febreze plug-in is part of the line of household fresheners, it is safe to assume that it passes the test as well.
As long as you follow label instructions, your cats should be fine with it at home.
Reports on the toxicology test of the plug-in arent available online.
So, watch your cat closely to see if she reacts to the freshener.
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The Ingredients That Makes Air Fresheners Dangerous For Pets
According to Dr. Mahaney, one of the main offenders in the ingredient list for most air fresheners are volatile organic compounds . VOCs are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. This causes these compounds to easily turn into gasses or vapors from a solid or liquid form. This transformation is called volatility. In other words, volatility is just how air fresheners are meant to behave: dissipate into the air, thereby changing its scent.
Unfortunately, this is the same volatility that occurs in paints and varnishes, fossil fuels, benzene, formaldehyde, refrigerants, aerosol propellants, cigarette smoke, and the dry-cleaning process. You wouldnt open a can of paint in your living room to improve the quality of the air, but this isnt too far removed from what happens when you break out an air freshener.
These substances can cause a laundry list of maladies. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the health effects of VOCs may include:
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Eye, nose and throat irritation
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headaches, loss of coordination, lethargy and nausea
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damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system
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Some VOCs can cause cancer in animals some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.
Can I Diffuse Essential Oils Around My Cat
Diffused oils are very dangerous, as the oils are inhaled, Bailey said. Not only are these oil droplets dangerous themselves, but the inhalation of these oils can cause a foreign body pneumonia in cats. Symptoms of respiratory irritation include a watery nose and eyes, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
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One Fur All Pet House Freshening Room Spray
Designed specifically to tackle pet odor, I also recommend the One Fur All Pet House Freshening Room Spray. This air freshener is intended exclusively for eliminating pet odors and contains no dye, paraffin, formaldehyde, or other toxic ingredients to ensure that your cats wont be harmed from using this spray.
There are also six different scents that you can choose from, all of which are 100% natural and plant-based, meaning that there is a scent for everyone! It is also very gentle and never too overpowering. Unfortunately, the smell doesnt last particularly long and will need to be sprayed slightly more frequently than other products.
Also, why it may seem trivial, the bottle is made of clear plastic, allowing you to see exactly how much product is left and when it is you need to buy a new one. Aerosols are not clear, and so you often dont realize the product is running low until it is too late. Whats more, as it is plastic you dont need to worry about your cat accidentally knocking the bottle over and it smashing.
Pros
- Neutralizes odors rather than masking them
- Clear bottle so can see when a replacement is needed
Cons
Glade Automatic Spray Refill And Holder Kit
Next up is the Glade Automatic Spray Refill and Holder Kit which has to be here because of the added convenience. This pet safe room deodorizer is automatic and sprays itself so that you dont need to remember to!
Whats more, you can choose for it to give a fresh burst every 9, 18, or 36 minutes, depending on how much help with odors you need. If you need an extra burst, you can always press the spray button yourself too. If you have it on the lowest setting, this air freshener will provide effective odor elimination for up to 60 days.
There are many different Glade air freshener scents, but this one is the Pet Clean scent which is specifically designed at tackling pet odors. Additionally, as made with pets in mind, it is also safe to use. However, unlike the other top products, it is not made from natural ingredients, which is slightly disappointing.
This air freshener is also battery operated and so can be placed anywhere, making it a better option than plug-in odor eliminators which are positioned at an unsafe place for cats as it can spray into their eyes. Be sure to place your Glade air freshener high up and out the way so that it is never directly sprayed on your cats.
Pros
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