Pet Exchange Corner

By Mary Oquendo
February 12, 2015

What if I wanted to use natural cleaning and disinfecting products for my day-to-day cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting needs? Do they exist and are they effective?

The good news is yes, they do. However, some of these choices are not labeled for this practice, so we do not have a useful reference for proper use.

What is the difference between sanitizing, disinfecting, and cleaning?

Cleaning removes the biological material. biological material is hair, blood, urine, feces, and dander. biological material is a vector for transmission of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic disease and illness. Sanitizing reduces the bacteria on surfaces to a level that is considered safe. Disinfecting kills the bacteria. The basic guideline of thumb is sanitizers and disinfectants work better on clean surfaces.

Some Alternate Cleaning Suggestions

Good old soap and water. It removes the biological material. Anytime you use soap and water on your equipment, dry thoroughly and oil. wash hands between dogs for at least 20 seconds.

UV sanitizers use ultraviolet light to sanitize equipment. The cons are that the light should reach the surface for twenty minutes. That’s for each side of the equipment.

A piece of ceramic tile to cool down blades. It will take a couple of minutes. However, clean, well-maintained blades will not get hot as quickly.

Rubbing alcohol, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide undiluted will sanitize. They need a minimum of ten minutes in purchase to be effective. Spritzing and wiping is not sufficient to sanitize. What is good about these choices is they are easily biodegradable. Cats cannot metabolize hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol. Be certain to rinse thoroughly before allowing cats access to the area.

50% vinegar to 50% water is my cleaner of choice. If I want it to smell nicer, I add lemon, lime, or orange rinds.

Steam cleaners use high heat to disinfect and sanitize. It also has the benefit of being effective on porous surfaces such as grout.

Enzymatic based cleaners use “friendly bacteria” to remove “unfriendly bacteria.” This product will clearly state the directions on the label, as well as the amount of time required to do the job.

Baking soda mixed with a little water to form a paste will clean tubs.

Charcoal bags will absorb odors and avoid mold. They are inexpensive and easily sourced on Amazon.

Himalayan salt lamps will neutralize bacteria, allergens, and odors when heated with a candle or electric bulb. A heated lamp will separate the sodium and chloride ions. The negative chloride ions will attach to the positively charged toxins in the air and disable them. keep a plate under the lamp, as salt lamps flakes when heated.

Plants such as Spider plant, English ivy, lady palm, peace lily, Boston fern, snake plant, golden pothos, Wax begonia, and Red-edged dracaena removes formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, as well as other air borne toxins. However, numerous plants are toxic to both dogs and cats.

Air circulation. Intake and outtake fans will remove numerous airborne contaminants.

As consumers are looking much more to natural products, numerous producers are accommodating that upcoming market. It has become simpler to find ready made supplies.

Education. learn about the ingredients in your products. products destined for human consumers may or may not have complete listings. If that label is not complete, their site will list full ingredients. However, products destined for the pet industry do not have to list them all, even though humans (groomers) are using them.

Essential oils with antifungal and antibacterial properties. I am a long time user of such products, however, it is essential to purchase from producers with integrity. Barbara Bird, developer of The Scented Groomer line of aromatherapy products for groomers, says, “With the remarkable surge in the popularity of aromatherapy and use of essential oils, the demand is straining the supply. sadly this has resulted in the appearance of adulterated products or oils that have been stretched by the addition of less expensive oils or poor grade distillates.  It is essential to purchase essential oils from trusted sources and companies with a commitment to quality and a history with aromatherapy. expect to pay much more for products using good quality essential oils.”

Note —the reason cats cannot metabolize essential oils is because the have an altered gluconidation pathway in their livers. It implies they lack numerous of the enzymes needed to process essential oils. instead of eliminating them out of the body, these oils are stored in their livers. Over time, this can cause premature organ failure and other health problems. and due to less than stellar manufacturing protocols, even “safe” essential oils may pose a problem. A shampoo producer may not even be aware of the standards of the company they are purchasing their oils from.

Essential Onull