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Spring has a way of making us want to throw open every window, pull everything out of storage, and scrub our homes from top to bottom. I love that energy — but because Luna has experienced some bad allergic reactions in the past, I’m always mindful of what could go wrong during my spring clean spree.
Many of the products under our sinks contain ingredients that are genuinely dangerous for the animals we share our homes with. The good news is that safe spring cleaning is completely achievable. You just need to know what to look out for and have a few reliable alternatives in your toolkit.
Here is everything I advise my friends to do before, during, and after a spring clean.
Know What to Avoid
The first thing is to read the label before you use anything. Most cleaning products will carry hazard warnings; words like “Danger,” “Warning,” “Caution,” or the instruction to “use in a well-ventilated area.” If you see any of those, treat the product with serious respect around your dogs.
More specifically, avoid products containing any of the following ingredients:
- Ammonia
- Chlorine and bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
- Alcohol (including isopropyl alcohol)
- Phenols – found in many disinfectants and some pine-scented cleaners
- Formaldehyde – present in some floor polishes and furniture sprays
- Quaternary ammonium compounds – common in antibacterial surface sprays
- Phthalates – used in synthetic fragrances
- Hydrogen peroxide – in concentrations above those found in mild wound washes
Essential oils deserve a special mention here. They have become popular additions to homemade and commercial cleaning products, but many are toxic to cats, birds, and dogs. I will come back to this when we discuss DIY alternatives.
One more thing that catches people off guard: fabric softener sheets. They are toxic to pets before they go through the dryer. Keep them stored away and make sure none fall on the floor during laundry day.
If you do use any of these products, remove your pet from the area entirely while you clean. Make sure the surface dries completely, and ventilate the area well for several hours before allowing your pet back in.
Make Vacuuming a Weekly Habit
I want to talk about vacuuming, because people often underestimate how important it is. While it is not a product in the traditional sense, it is one of the most powerful things you can do for a clean, healthy home when you have dogs.
Pet hair and dirt are the obvious targets, but what I really want you to think about is flea control. Fleas at every stage of their life cycle – eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults – love to hide in carpet fibres and under furniture cushions. Weekly vacuuming disrupts that cycle before it can take hold. If your pet is shedding heavily or coming in from outdoors, you may need to vacuum more frequently than that.
For everyday maintenance, I also recommend robotic vacuums, lint rollers, dry mops, and a good broom. These tools help you stay on top of hair and debris between more thorough sessions.
I also recommend having your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year, more often if you have a heavy shedder or an indoor-outdoor pet. When you do, remove your pet from the house for the duration and follow the same ventilation guidelines as you would with any cleaning product.
Most pet bedding, blankets, and fabric toys can go in a regular washing machine on a hot-water cycle. Do this regularly — it makes a significant difference to both cleanliness and allergen levels in the home.
Stock the Right Products
There are a handful of items you should keep on hand. They are non-toxic, effective, and inexpensive.
Enzymatic Cleansers
When your pet has an accident in the house, reach for an enzymatic cleanser. These products are not only safe for pets — they actually break down the chemical compounds in urine and dog poo that signal to your pet that a spot is a legitimate bathroom. That is critically important for house training and for discouraging repeat offences in the same location. A standard surface cleaner will not do this; only an enzyme-based formula will.
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
For carpet spots, this is my go-to recommendation. Cover the affected area with baking soda and let it sit for about seven minutes — you will be surprised what it draws out. Then vacuum up the baking soda thoroughly before moving on.
For hardwood floors, I recommend a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Apply it to the stain, blot (do not rub) until the surface is dry, and repeat as needed until the mark is gone. It is effective, inexpensive, and completely safe for your pet.
A Citrus Infusion for Everyday Cleaning
If you want something that smells a little more inviting than plain vinegar, here is a simple recipe I love recommending. Combine white vinegar with lemon or orange peels in a sealable jar and store it in a cool, dark cabinet for a couple of weeks. Then strain out the peels, and what you have left is a naturally scented, pet-safe cleaning solution that works on most hard surfaces.
A word of caution: do not substitute essential oils for the citrus peels in this recipe. The infusion extracts a mild, diluted scent that is very different from the concentrated chemical compounds in commercial essential oil preparations.
Tackle Odours Without Overpowering Your Pet’s Nose
Dogs have a sense of smell that is orders of magnitude more sensitive than ours. A scent that seems mild or pleasant to us can be genuinely overwhelming — or even painful — to a pet. This is why I am cautious about any heavily fragranced product in our home.
Baking soda remains my top recommendation for odour control. Sprinkle it on carpets and upholstered surfaces, let it sit, and vacuum it up. It absorbs odours rather than masking them with a synthetic fragrance, which is exactly what you want. The citrus-infused vinegar described above also does a good job of deodorising hard surfaces naturally.
Avoid plug-in air fresheners, scented candles, and aerosol sprays in rooms where your pet spends time. Many of these contain volatile organic compounds that are harmful when inhaled regularly. Ventilation — simply opening windows — is genuinely the best way to freshen a room.
Deep Clean Your Dog’s Crate
If you crate your dog, give it some extra love during your spring cleaning. Because your dog spends a significant amount of time in a relatively small, enclosed space, mess and odour accumulate there faster than almost anywhere else in the home. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to give it a proper, thorough clean.
An important thing to keep in mind is product safety. Your dog cannot simply leave the area while you work, so anything you use to clean a crate needs to be completely free of the toxic ingredients I outlined earlier — ammonia, bleach, phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds, and artificial fragrances. When in doubt, stick to the diluted white vinegar solution or an enzymatic cleaner.
How to Clean a Dog Crate Properly
It’s recommended that you do a full crate clean at least once a month, with a more thorough deep clean every season. Here is the step-by-step process you can go through:
- Remove everything from the crate first: bedding, blankets, and any toys or chews stored inside. Wash all fabric items on a hot machine cycle.
- Take the crate outside if possible, or to a bathroom with a drain. This makes rinsing much easier and keeps cleaning product residue off your floors.
- Remove the tray from the base of the crate and wash it separately. Trays tend to harbour the most bacteria and odour, especially if your dog has ever had an accident inside.
- Wipe down every surface- bars, frame, door hinges, and corners with a pet-safe cleaner. A 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water works well and leaves no harmful residue once dry. For stubborn odours or visible staining, an enzymatic cleaner is more effective.
- Rinse all surfaces thoroughly with clean water. Any cleaning product residue left on the bars or tray can transfer to your dog’s paws, coat, or mouth during normal grooming.
- Allow the crate to air dry completely before reassembling and returning your dog to it. Do not be tempted to speed this up by putting the bedding back while surfaces are still damp.
Keeping It Cleaner Between Deep Washes
A few simple habits will significantly reduce how much work the seasonal clean involves:
- Use a washable crate liner or fitted mat rather than loose bedding. These are far easier to pull out and launder regularly.
- Position food and water outside the crate rather than inside wherever possible. This reduces spills and crumbs in the base tray.
- Spot-clean the tray weekly using your vinegar solution and a paper towel. Two minutes of maintenance once a week is far less effort than scrubbing a heavily soiled tray once a month.
- Air the crate out regularly by leaving the door open in a well-ventilated area. Consistent airflow is one of the simplest ways to keep odour under control between cleans.
Taking on a pet means taking on a real responsibility for the cleanliness and safety of your shared environment. It is not always simple, but I promise it becomes second nature. Build consistent habits: weekly vacuuming, enzyme cleaners on standby, pet-safe products only, and a routine that accounts for where your dog spends time.
Spring cleaning is a perfect opportunity to reset those habits and do a thorough audit of what is under your sink. Swap out anything that carries a hazard warning for a safer alternative, and your home will be just as clean and considerably safer for every member of your household.
If you ever suspect your pet has been exposed to a cleaning product, look for excessive drooling, lethargy, redness around the paws or mouth, or vomiting — call your veterinarian immediately.
