Are bath and body works wallflowers safe for dogs? If you are a pet parent, you surely know how tough odor control can be if there are animals in your living spaces. While bath and body works wallflowers may seem like a quick fix for your house to smell fresh and fragrant, these air fresheners may not safe for your pet.
Although air fresheners can serve their purpose well, these can have dangerous effects on your fur babies. Through the years, there were many kinds of air fresheners introduced in the market. Wax, plug-in diffusers, purifiers, and sprays are among the most common, with bath and body works wallflowers soaring to popularity for the past few years.
Table of Contents
Are bath and body works wallflowers safe for your pets
No, bath and body works wallflowers are not considered to be completely safe for your pets because of their toxin content.
In particular, cats and birds tend to be very sensitive to these airborne toxins. Many pet owners also reported that their cats usually vomit every time they use bath and body works wallflowers.
Cats also tend to suffer from the increase in feline asthma as the result of living in a home that uses incense or air fresheners and even from merely smelling certain cleaning products.
In addition, if not managed properly, your pet may even end up ingesting the air freshener’s contents. Ingesting is more dangerous than just breathing it that can cause some adverse effects on your pet’s gastrointestinal system.
Signs that indicate negative reaction in pets
If you are using bath and body works wallflowers or other similar products, it is important to keep an eye on how your pet reacts to it. You should stop using the product when you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Change in mood or appetite
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Eye and nasal discharge
- Itching
- Sneezing and coughing
If you think that your pet has adverse reactions to bath and body works wallflowers and other air freshener products, make sure you seek the help of the vet immediately. It is recommended to look for a vet who specializes in detoxification.
Early beginnings of air fresheners
The purpose of air fresheners was to remove or mask unpleasant smells in a room. These products usually give off a fragrance as well as other odor counteractants to the air. Ever since ancient times, people used fragrances for masking odors. Different compounds were used for the past two millennia due to their abilities to eliminate unwanted odors and produce pleasant aromas.
The function of the first-ever modern air freshener was based on the military technology for insecticide dispense and adapted this to pressurized spray with the use of CFC or chlorofluorocarbon propellant. Many companies during the 1950s started adding chemicals to their fragrance formulas that can counteract odors.
The market, later on, shifted away from aerosols because of the concerns about CFCs and their destructive effects on the ozone layer. From then on, many other delivery methods of air fresheners were developed and rose to popularity, including reed diffusers, scented candles, potpourri, and heat release products or commonly called plug-ins.
Air freshener contents
There are several toxic chemicals present in air fresheners that can be dangerous not only to your pet’s health but also to your health.
- Formaldehyde
It is an infamous human carcinogen definitively associated with cancer of the throat and nose. This also irritates the airways and throat that can potentially lead to frequent nosebleeds, respiratory ailments, asthma, and dangerous infections.
- Naphthalene
Many of the major plug-in air freshener brands contain this particular chemical that is shown to cause lung cancer and tissue damage in rodents in lab studies. Thus, it is safe to assume that it has the same effects in humans.
- Phthalates
Among the major concerns of health experts when it comes to plug-in air fresheners is that they often use phthalates that are also found in most aerosol sprays, plastics, pesticides, fragrances, cosmetics, and paints. These are also notorious for being very disruptive to the human body. Phthalates are known to cause reproductive harm or birth defects, while airborne phthalates are also found to cause asthma and allergic symptoms.
- VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds
These are compounds with a low boiling point forming vapor or gas at room temperature. Even if it makes them a great agent for scent dispersal, sadly, these are also associated with increased risks of asthma.
Safe and better alternatives
For your home to remain free from toxins, there are several safer alternatives you can consider. You can even keep your house fresh by just keeping your windows open if the weather permits. Here are some choices that are guaranteed to keep your house fragrant without compromising the safety of your fur babies.
Air purifiers
The air purifiers that feature filter technology are not just considered safe for pets because these can also boost their overall comfort level. Air purifiers don’t just get rid of pet odors but even dust mite matter, airborne toxins, spores, pet dander, and other contaminants and allergens. This can help a lot in improving the respiratory wellness of your pet.
Natural essential oils
You can now choose from a long list of essential oils guaranteed safe for pets. They are non-toxic and smell wonderful at the same time. But, it is important to keep in mind that you need to dilute the oil first to lessen the chances of irritating the nose of your cat. Just try to stay away from mint and citrus scents that might be very unpleasant to felines.
Indoor plants safe for pets
Last but not the least, plants are very effective air purifiers that are natural, therapeutic, and cost-effective. It was found out that houseplants can absorb dangerous toxins in the air. In addition to that, plants can also boost productivity and mood, improve memory and concentration, and lessen fatigue and stress. Just make sure that you cultivate nontoxic and safe plants for your pets.
