How to Safely Disinfect Around Cats

When using household cleaners to disinfect your home around your cats, use ones with nontoxic, natural ingredients to avoid making them ill. Make these cleaners yourself, to avoid exposing your cats to harmful chemicals they may ingest while grooming themselves. According to the CatHealth website, you should not use chemicals commonly found in household cleaners, like phenols, petroleum distillates, chlorine or isopropyl alcohol, around cats, due to their toxic nature to the animals. Protect the health of your cats by switching to natural cleaners safe for you, your pets and the environment.

Things You'll Need

  • Vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Lemon juice
  • Enzyme-based cleaners
  • Oxygen bleach
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Instructions

    • 1

      Disinfect hard surfaces like kitchen counters, bathroom surfaces or floors with a solution of 1 to 2 oz. of oxygen bleach mixed with 8 oz. warm water. For tough mold or mildew, mix the oxygen bleach with enough water to form a paste, let the solution sit for a 15 minutes on the surface, and scrub off. Clean areas your cat frequents such as eating areas, litter boxes and play areas with the oxygen bleach solution or paste. You can use the color-safe solution on fabrics and carpets to remove stains and disinfect them. Oxygen bleach breaks down into natural soda ash or borax, so you can use it safely around cats.

    • 2

      Clean and disinfect around your cats using vinegar, which has natural antibacterial properties. Mix a solution of one part water to one part vinegar and use it to clean counter tops, bathrooms, and litter boxes. For tough mold or mildew, use vinegar straight without dilution. Add 1/2 cup to your laundry to kill germs and eliminate odors. Mix equal parts vinegar and baking soda to make a powerful scrub that eliminates soap scum, mildew and mold. Make a floor cleaner with 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with 1 gallon warm water.

    • 3

      Scrub away mold, mildew and germs with a solution of equal parts water and lemon juice. The lemon juice can bleach the stains away and, as a strong food acid, it has natural antibacterial properties. Clean wooden butcher blocks or other kitchen surfaces with straight lemon juice or mix with an equal part water. Combine lemon juice with an equal part olive oil to polish and disinfect wooden surfaces.

    • 4

      Treat and clean organic stains such as blood, urine, and feces with an enzymatic cleaner. Spray the cleaner on the stain, allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then blot or wipe away. You do not need to rinse the cleaner away as it contains natural enzymes that digest and eliminate the organic matter without leaving behind any harmful chemicals that would harm your cat.

    • 5

      Make an all-purpose cleaner of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1/2 gallon water to safely disinfect kitchen surfaces, bathrooms and soiled floors. Add 2 tsp. lemon juice for extra antibacterial power and a pleasant scent, without having to use a fragrance or essential oil.