When you have pets in your home, keeping it smelling fresh and looking clean on a regular basis can be a challenge. Whether you’re mainly dealing with pet odor, pet hair all over the place or pet stains, it’s important to keep your home as clean as possible while also making sure that you’re using cleaning products that are pet safe. Instead of relying on store-bought products filled with potentially harmful ingredients, try using the following natural cleaning products that are safe for pets.

Vinegar

Vinegar has a few different uses for household cleaning, and it won’t harm your pets. You can use this natural cleaning product in the following ways:

• Mix it with two tablespoons of salt to make a carpet cleaner that gets rid of carpet stains.
• Mix it with warm water for wiping down hardwood floors that pets might have tracked mud on.
• Mix it with warm water, and use it to clean your dog’s nose prints and other marks off your windows.

Baking Soda

Baking soda provides an effective and pet-friendly way to absorb pet odors from carpets and upholstery. It also has other uses as a cleaning product. You can use baking soda in the following ways:

• Place small amounts of it on carpets to soak up odors from your pets. You can also sprinkle it on hardwood floors to remove odors.
• Mix it with salt and hot water to make an abrasive cleaning product for kitchen and bathroom sinks and counter tops. Since this is a mild abrasive, it’s safe to use on stainless steel pet bowls as well in order to keep them clean.

Borax

When you have stubborn pet stains on your carpets, baking soda or vinegar might not be enough to remove them. Borax offers a pet safe and more potent natural ingredient for getting rid of tough stains. You can use it in the following way:

• Mix it with two tablespoons of salt and a half cup of vinegar, then dampen a cloth with this cleaning solution. Press the cloth on the stains to eliminate them.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice provides an alternative to vinegar if you prefer a more pleasant smell for your cleaning products. It’s also safe for pets. You can use lemon juice in the following ways:

• Mix it with hot water and baking soda in a spray bottle, then use it as an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down surfaces. Lemon juice helps break down residue while adding a fresh scent.

No matter which of these you use, you’ll have a natural cleaning product that doesn’t pose any risk to your pets. Put these cleaning products to use on a regular basis, and you’ll have a home that looks clean and smells great.