Swiffer Cleaner & Dogs

For several years, a rumor has spread that Swiffer WetJet Cleaners are responsible for a flurry of dog deaths. Like most urban legends, this rumor is built on word-of-mouth testimony that is difficult to attribute to a single source, coupled with information that is apparent scientific support for the claim. The truth, however, is that the Swiffer WetJet Cleaner is safe to use in homes that house dogs.

  1. Urban Legends

    • Snopes.com is a site dedicated to debunking urban legends of all kinds, such as the one about Swiffer WetJets and dogs. According to Snopes, an urban legend is "a specific class of legend, differentiated from 'ordinary' legends by their being provided and believed as accounts of actual incidents [that] often contain names of places or entities located within the teller's neighborhood or surrounding region." Urban legends are usually cautionary in nature and, while they may have originally been based on real events, have been altered significantly in some way.

    Swiffer WetJet Urban Legend

    • The Swiffer legend consists of a story about the death or near-death of a dog of variable breed that licks a sufficient amount of the cleaning product, which contains an ingredient similar to one found in antifreeze, to destroy its liver. Although one claim of illness connected with a Swiffer product has some apparent credibility, no clear connection exists between the product and the animal's illness. This claim involved the death of a Jacksonville, North Carolina, miniature Pomeranian, Foxy, that was in apparent good health following her owner's use of the Swiffer cleaning product.

    WetJet Cleaner Ingredients

    • An article on the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website decries the alleged toxicity of the Swiffer WetJet as "unfounded." According to the ASPCA site, "The Swiffer Wet Jet system contains water (90-100%), propylene glycol n-propyl ether or propylene glycol n-butyl ether and isopropyl alcohol (1-4%). These ingredients are safe to use around pets when used according to label directions and would not cause liver damage at product concentrations."

    "Generally Regarded as Safe"

    • Propylene glycol is "generally regarded as safe" in terms of toxicity by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is a common food additive and has many food and nonfood uses. For example, it is used to absorb "extra water and maintain moisture in certain medicines, cosmetics, or food products. It is a solvent for food colors and flavors," according to the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances &Disease Registry.

    Repairing the WetJet Image

    • Procter &Gamble has addressed the question of this product's safety in a rebuttal on its "Home Made Simple" website. The company has also hired the "Dog Whisperer," Cesar Milan, as its spokesman. Swiffer products were used as official cleaning products for the movie "Hotel for Dogs." In addition, the DogTime website has approved the Swiffer WetJet for use with pets.