Three Pet Friendly Product Swaps for Spring Cleaning

🗓️ March 5, 2026

✍🏾 Zoe Bowden

Spring is almost here! With the weather warming up and daylight savings this weekend, spring cleaning can help you to reset and enter this season on a good note. But, while we’re wiping down baseboards and refreshing our spaces, we need to remember our pets are walking across those floors, licking their paws and breathing in the same air. Many traditional cleaning products like Lysol contain harsh chemicals that can irritate sensitive noses, skin, and lungs. Especially for dogs, cats, and other small animals who spend most of their time on the ground. If you’re looking to freshen up your home without compromising your pet's health, here are three simple and pet friendly product swaps to consider this spring.  

Swap Ammonia-Based Floor Cleaners for Vinegar and Water Solutions

Many conventional floor cleaners contain ammonia, bleach, or artificial fragrances. While these ingredients can leave your floors clean and clear, they can also irritate your pet’s paws and respiratory system. Cats are sensitive to strong chemical scents, which can linger long after you’ve mopped. 

Instead, try a mixture of distilled white vinegar and warm water. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and mild disinfectant that can cut through grime without leaving behind toxic residue. For sealed hardwood, tile, or laminate floors, a diluted solution (one cup of vinegar per gallon of water) is often enough to keep the floors clean and your pets and floors safe.  

If you would rather have a quick fix from the store, look for plant-based cleaners labeled “pet-safe” like Blueland products and free of ammonia, chlorine, and phthalates. Always allow floors to fully dry before letting your pets roam. 

Swap Synthetic Air Fresheners for Baking Soda and Natural Ventilation

Plug-in air fresheners and aerosol sprays may make a room smell like April Fresh detergent or warm brown sugar and vanilla, but many contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can impact indoor air quality. Pets, especially birds and small mammals, are particularly vulnerable to airborne toxins. 

Instead of masking odors, focus on neutralizing them. Sprinkle baking soda on carpets and furniture, let it sit for 15–30 minutes, and vacuum thoroughly. Baking soda absorbs odors naturally without adding a synthetic fragrance to your space. 

Opening windows, running fans, and regularly washing pet bedding can also dramatically improve how your home smells; no artificial scent required. For a light, natural fragrance, consider making a simmer pot; just be sure your pets can’t get to it. 

Swap Chemical Disinfectant Sprays for Hydrogen Peroxide, Pet-Safe Wipes, or Pet Friendly Brands

Disinfectant sprays often contain quaternary ammonium compounds (“quats”) or phenols, which can be harmful to pets if inhaled or ingested. Cats are especially sensitive to phenol-based cleaners, which are sometimes found in multipurpose sprays. 

For high-touch surfaces, consider using 3% hydrogen peroxide as a gentler disinfecting alternative. It can be effective against many germs and breaks down into water and oxygen, leaving no harmful residue. Apply it to the surface, allow it to sit for a few minutes, and wipe clean. 

There are also pet-specific cleaning wipes and sprays formulated without harsh chemicals. These are especially helpful for cleaning crates, litter box areas, and food bowls. 

Spring cleaning isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about creating a healthy environment for everyone in your home. Because pets groom themselves and spend so much time on floors and furniture, they’re often more exposed to chemical residues than we are.

By making a few thoughtful swaps like gentler floor cleaners, fragrance-free odor control, and pet-safe disinfectants, you can reduce unnecessary toxins while still achieving a fresh, clean space.