Household cleaners may be toxic to you and your rats.

[jorats]

A while ago, the issue of household cleaners causing respiratory infections came up. Jennifervb was kind enough to send me a pdf file explaining some of the dangers found in the detergents. I wrote up a blog about it this morning and figured it would be good to post here too.

Rats have very sensitive lungs and are prone to lung infections. If your rat is wheezing, check to see what kind of detergent or cleaner you are using in and around your rats’ habitat.

Degreasers may contain petroleum distillates, which can damage lung tissues and dissolve fatty tissue around nerve cells.
Glass Cleaners may contain ammonia. Ammonia fumes can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system.
Oven Cleaners can be one of the most dangerous cleaning products, which can cause severe damage to eyes, skin, mouth, and throat.
Toilet Bowl Cleaners can be extremely dangerous cleaning products, which can be harmful just by breathing the fumes, and fatal if swallowed.

Everyone with any pets and children should do a routine check of what’s under their sink. Here are the key ingredients you need to look for and properly dispose of:
SODIUM HYDROXIDE – Inhalation is immediately irritating to the respiratory tract. Contact can cause severe damage to the eyes, skin, mouth, and throat. It can cause liver and kidney damage.May be found in: dishwashing liquids, laundry products, oven cleaner,
scouring cleansers and tub and tile cleaners.
HYDROCHLORIC ACID – Can cause severe damage to skin and be harmful to your health, just by breathing the fumes, it can be fatal if swallowed. May be found in odor eliminators and toilet bowl cleaners.
BUTYL CELLOSOLVE – Can cause irritation and tissue damage from inhalation. May be found in: all-purpose cleaners, cleaning wipes,
degreasers, floor polish, rug shampoos, toilet bowl cleaners, tub and tile cleaners and window cleaners.

Before buying and using a household cleaner be sure to research it’s ingredients. Don’t bring hazardous products into your home and putting your life and pets’ lives at risk. Educate yourself.

In my home, I rely on my vinegar and mild dish detergent. Every few months, I disinfect my pet rooms with diluted bleach and rinse them out very well. Be safe and keep your pets safe.

 

[amruiz]

That's good advice. I'm gonna have to write those down so I can take inventory of what I have in my house. My girls have been a little sneezy lately and this might help me find the culprit!

Thanks!

 

[ratamataz]

I like the Method cleaning products. They are supposed to be non-toxic. Their all-purpose has : corn and coconut derived biodegradable surfactant, corn based cleaning salt, soda ash, potassium hydrate, fragrance, oil blend, color, purified water.

Please don't anybody tell me anything bad about it or the company and ruin my lovely cleaning product! :lol:

I use baking soda for the toilet and sink. It works in the bath, but easier on porcelain, acrylic you really have to scrub if just using baking soda. The Method all-purpose works really nice in the bath, also on glass, mirrors and counters. I use it for pretty much everything. Comes in non-scented too. I hope nobody has anything bad to say about it... ! :mrgreen:

There are some other good brands of natural cleaning products. Can't remember them off the top of my head. A lot of stores don't carry them, but Method is cheaper and easier to find.

Vinegar and water with tea-tree oil makes a nice all-purpose too. Tea-tree oil is expensive though.

There is some nice peroxide based "bleach" out there too. When I need bleach, I use that instead. Regular bleach, no matter how diluted, makes me gag and want to puke.

Beware of the Chlorox brand "green" products. They smell pretty darn toxic to me, give me a headache, and make me gag.

 

[eagle]

I have used vinegar and water as a cleaner for years.

 

[Sorraia]

Great post! For a long time I've been phasing out the harmful chemical cleaners in my house. They irritate ME, I don't want to think about what they do to my pets! (And especially now that I have a canary too - even more sensitive than the rats!) I try to stick with a mild detergent, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide (where necessary/appropriate), and if I need anything else I look for natural and biodegradable products that aren't going to cause harm to me or the critters.

 

[ATez]

:O That's nice information, tyvm! <3
Personally since i read that pine shedding is bad for rats i've stopped using it (a few months after i had them) now i have this huge amount in my closet since, i don't know what to do with it. XD But i wanted to know exactly WHY it was bad and what i found is that the oil in the pine known as pinesol is toxic and is the tree's natural defense against parasites and bugs. Then i kept searching and found out that the oil of that tree is used in the Lysol products which i have also altogether stopped using. I'm not 100% sure on the details, it's something i read well over a year ago, but might be nice to add to the list in case anyone is using it.

I got myself a steam mop now to clean my floors and carpets instead! :nod:

 

[lizmo1221]

Looking back now, I think it may have been my use of lysol in a spray bottle in my apartment that contributed to the passing of my Libra last month. That and a combination of her lower than average immune system (on a good day!) and her further weakened immune system state since she was getting over mites/pyoderma at the time she got sick, and a bit of bad/hard luck with getting her to eat food/meds.

I no longer use these products in my living room/kitchen (since it is in direct airflow to the cage), and only use very sparingly in my bathroom and bedroom. I close the door when I use them, wear rubber gloves, and give my hands a very good washing after I finish.

Thank you guys for a small list of alternatives