Important Tips on Using Disinfectants and Alcohol Safely
Disinfectants and alcohol have always been common in our daily lives, but this year they have become extremely difficult to find. Despite the shortage, some people still do not know how to use these essential items properly. For families with pets, it is even more important to be extremely cautious and careful!
Today, we will discuss some common mistakes people make when using disinfectants and alcohol to help you avoid accidents and ensure safe use.
Safe Use of Chlorine Disinfectant in Households with Cats
To enhance the disinfecting effect, some people use chlorine disinfectant without dilution! Chlorine disinfectant, such as bleach, has been used as a disinfectant for over 100 years. It offers broad antibacterial activity and rapid sterilization. However, special caution is needed when using it in homes with cats.
Cats risk poisoning and even death if they lick excessive amounts of the disinfectant. Therefore, it is essential to dilute the disinfectant before using it for cleaning. Common symptoms of poisoning from bleach (84 disinfectant) in cats include sore throat, excessive salivation, and vomiting.
Cats are highly attracted to the sodium hypochlorite component in disinfectants, much like how they react to catnip. If you mop the floor with diluted disinfectant, cats may become overly attracted and lick the floor excessively, which can cause poisoning.
For this reason, cats should be kept away during the disinfection process. Mop the floor twice and ventilate the area thoroughly to allow the smell to dissipate before letting cats back in. Additionally, store disinfectants carefully and out of reach of pets to avoid accidental ingestion.
Safe Disinfection Practices Around Pets
During the disinfection process, pets should be allowed to move freely only under safe conditions. Besides the chlorine-containing disinfectants mentioned earlier, there are other disinfectant products on the market, such as phenolic disinfectants like Dettol and Walch. Are these safer?
In fact, whenever using any disinfectant, pets should be isolated. This is not only to prevent accidental licking but also because the odors released by disinfectants can somewhat irritate pets. These odors may potentially cause damage to their respiratory system.
Therefore, it is important to ensure good ventilation and let the disinfectant odor dissipate completely before allowing pets to move freely again.
Proper Use of Alcohol for Disinfection
Everyone already knows that 75% concentration alcohol can kill the COVID-19 virus. Therefore, many people have returned home and sprayed alcohol disinfectant widely. However, the effectiveness of such extensive spraying is unknown. What is certain is that it is very dangerous. If exposed to open flames, it can easily cause fires.
Households with pets should especially avoid using alcohol sprays around animals. For pets, alcohol odors are considered irritating. The correct method is to pour alcohol onto a clean cloth and then wipe the items that need disinfection, such as mobile phones, clothing outer layers, and so on.
Using Pet-Specific Disinfectants Safely
Pet-specific disinfectants are generally safer compared to regular disinfectants. However, no matter how safe they are, they should never be applied directly to your pets. The purpose of these products is to disinfect your home environment, not your animals.
It is very important that you avoid spraying disinfectants directly onto your pets. These products are designed to be relatively safe for pets when used to clean household surfaces, but direct application could be harmful.
Always follow the instructions carefully when using pet-specific disinfectants, and use them only for sanitizing your living spaces to keep both your home and your pets safe.
Advanced Disinfection Methods and Pet Safety
Besides the commonly seen disinfectant products available on the market, there are now more high-tech options such as disinfection boxes and ultraviolet (UV) lights. It is important to pay attention when using these devices, especially since UV lights can be harmful if not used properly. They are not friendly to pets or humans when exposed directly, so you must avoid direct exposure to prevent skin and eye damage.
Currently, there is no evidence indicating that pets can transmit the COVID-19 virus. Therefore, families with pets need not worry. As long as proper disinfection measures are taken, it will be safe for everyone.
