26 Mar 2026
Pet-friendly cleaning products cheat sheet:
- Common cleaning products (eg, chlorine bleach or ammonia) can be harmful to pets
- Essential oils can also be toxic to animals even though labelled as ‘natural’
- Choose cleaning products with smarter, ‘pet-safe’ formulations
- smol products avoid many of the harsher ingredients while still giving a powerful clean
- Always let surfaces dry before allowing your pets back into the room
- smol non-bio laundry detergent, washing up liquid, floor cleaner and multi purpose spray are all good options
Whether they’re wagging, purring or hopping about, our pets are part of the family. They’re also part of the mess.
Muddy paw prints, mystery smells and the occasional “present” in the hallway…pets mean cleaning. A lot of cleaning.
But while we’re scrubbing away at their adorable disasters, it’s easy to forget that many everyday cleaning products can actually be harmful to the very creatures we’re trying to care for. And for many of us with children and pets, we want to ensure our cleaning products are safe for both kids and animals alike.
Sadly not all surface sprays, laundry capsules or floor cleaners are made with tiny humans or paws in mind.
What NOT to use.
You wouldn’t give your dog a shot of chlorine bleach or let your cat sip window spray… but some common household cleaning products contain chemicals that can do real harm if licked, sniffed, stepped in, or even inhaled.
So what ingredients in your cleaning products should you be looking to avoid if you have pets?
- ammonia (often found in surface sprays and glass cleaners).
- chlorine bleach (effective for tough cleaning, but tough on lungs and paws too).
- formaldehyde (used in some laundry and dishwashing products. Yikes).
- phenols (found in many disinfectants and antibacterial cleaners).
- isopropyl alcohol (also known as rubbing alcohol and used in electronics sprays and hand sanitisers).
- some essential oils (yep, the “natural” ones are often problematic for pets leading to vomiting, breathing difficulty, seizures or worse. Just because it smells like a spa doesn’t mean it’s safe for your spaniel).
Best pet (and child) friendly cleaning products.
So, what’s a pet-loving, child-rearing, clean freak to do?
Switch to cleaning products made with smarter, safer formulations.
That’s where smol comes in.
Our entire range is designed to give an incredible clean just without the single-use plastic and ingredients that our pets would avoid if they could. It’s cleaning that’s heavy on dirt but lighter on the planet (and paws).
- smol non-bio laundry capsules and non-bio laundry liquid is gentle on pet bedding, towels and soft toys. You can even choose fragrance free capsules for ultra-sensitive noses.
- our powerful multi purpose spray cuts through grease and grime on kitchen counters, floors, litter trays and more. Just spray, wipe and let dry before the paws come back.
- smol refillable floor cleaner is perfect for daily paw prints. No harsh chemicals, no need for buckets; just squirt, mop and let dry to a streak-free shine.
- and when dinner time is done, our plant-powered washing up liquid is ideal for bowls, dishes and food prep areas. Gentle on skin (and paws), it still kicks grease to the kerb.
- smol foaming bathroom spray is not only powerful against soap scum and limescale, it’s safe for a tub clean once your beagle’s had his bath!
- And if you’re after softer, scentier pet beds try our FAB fabric conditioner. We’re always transparent here at smol, so while it does contain tiny amounts of rubbing alcohol (less than 1%), it’s heavily diluted during a wash. And by the time your laundry is dry, any trace has either rinsed away or evaporated making it perfectly safe for use around pets.
Top tips for pet-safe cleaning.
So we’re sorted with our smol pet-safe cleaning products, but what should we know about the actual cleaning itself? Any important tips to remember?
- Clear the area of animals and little ones before cleaning because most risk comes to your pets when products are freshly used.
- Always let surfaces dry completely before letting your kids or pets back onto them.
- Choose washable fabrics and covers that make it easy to keep things clean and comfy.
Safe with smol.
To sum up? smol cleaning products are a great option if you want pet-safe cleaning for your furry friends. Just follow the normal precautions like drying surfaces before reintroducing your pets.
It’s so good to know you don’t need harsher chemicals to get a brilliant, reliable clean when you’re living with all creatures great and small.
So next time your dog rolls in something suspicious or your cat leaves its latest offering in the hallway… you’ll know exactly what to reach for.
Catherine Green, Cleaning Expert
Catherine has been on a mission to revolutionise the way we tackle chores since the dawn of smol is an advocate for making more sustainable living accessible to all with a strong focus in cleaning that’s heavy on dirt, lighter on the planet. Catherine has tested hundreds of hacks to make tackling chores easier, safer, and better for the planet.
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