Shake n’ Vac is one of the world’s most beloved carpet fresheners. But can you use this product when around pets? Let’s take a closer look at the safety record of Shake n’ Vac and determine if it is genuinely pet-friendly.
Can You Use Shake and Vac with A Dog?
Shake n’ Vac is an odor control product from Glade that was designed for rugs and carpets. It was meant to quickly introduce fragrances to homes while eliminating deep-seated sources of odors, usually coming from molds and pets. Shake n’ Vac is easy to apply –shake a quantity of the product on the carpet and vacuum as usual.
Customer reviews show that it does work, though the longevity of the actual fragrances varies from home to home. Also, note that this is a carpet freshener and was not designed to be used on any animal. However, pet owners interested in using Shake n’ Vac with their pets indoors would be happy to know that the product is not fatal or toxic to animals.
Is Shake and Vac Dog Friendly?
Yes, shake n’ Vac is safe for dogs and poses no immediate harm or toxicity to dogs and cats. The main ingredient in Shake n’ Vac is calcium carbonate, which is a food supplement for animals. While we don’t advocate allowing your dog to ingest any Shake n’ Vac quantity because it contains additional ingredients that may be harmful when swallowed, mere exposure to this product will not hurt your dog or cat, so use freely.
Suppose you are worried that your dog may experience a severe reaction from the presence of Shake n’ Vac. You may want to schedule the carpet cleaning when your dog is outside, so you can confidently use the product on the carpet without running the risk of exposing your pet to the active ingredients. On the whole, however, it’s safe to use around our furry friends.
Is Shake and Vac Toxic?
Carpet cleaners and fresheners like Shake n’ Vac pose no risk of harming pets at home because they are made mostly of calcium carbonate, an ingestible compound that’s good for animals.
However, if your pet requires calcium and mineral supplementation, never give carpet cleaners for apparent reasons. However, for the sake of answering the theoretical question of toxicity and pets, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to use this product around your dogs at home safely.
Just make sure that your dogs do not lick the product and make sure that they are well away from the carpeting during the cleaning procedure.
Keep in mind that carpet cleaners have additional ingredients like fragrances that may irritate the mucous lining of your dog’s nose, so that may become a source of the problem in the long term if your dog has allergies or has existing upper respiratory conditions.
Keeping Your Surroundings Fresh with Pets
- Using products like Shake n’ Vac will help eliminate odors if you have trouble removing deep-seated smells from accidents that you could not clean on time. In addition, urine and poop can leave lingering smells if the carpet was not cleaned properly.
Shake n’ Vac helps remove these odors by absorbing any remaining moisture in the backing side of the carpet. After absorption, the fine powder can then be vacuumed away, carrying the smells trapped in the carpet fiber with them.
- One of the disadvantages of using products like Shake n’ Vac is the fineness of the powder. Powder that is too fine can cause issues with the vacuum’s motor, and eventually, the motor will burn out when it is blocked.
With this in mind, be sure that you clean your vacuum frequently and do not allow the carpet cleaner to block any vents. Some of the powder will get past the vacuum’s filter because it’s smaller than household dust. This is one of the risks of using Shake n’ Vac – one that you can overcome with constant maintenance of the vacuum.
- A little cleaning goes a long way every day. However, if you want to reduce the impact of pet hairs and sheds on your furniture, we recommend buying many large lint rollers. Lint rollers can easily capture hair, dust, and just about anything that will stick to the adhesive. Lint rollers also come with gentle fragrances that smell good on just about anything, too. So, while it is impractical to use lint rollers on large carpeting, it can help you in the daily tidying of your home.
- This may not occur to every pet owner, but your pets’ claws also have a bearing on how clean your house will be in the future. When pets have sharp claws, they can scratch at surfaces, and eventually, those gaps on the surfaces will begin to attract dirt and other contaminants. Therefore, regular pedicures on your pets will help with keeping your home clean.
- Make sure that your doormats and small area rugs are always clean. These will receive the most dirt, especially in the high traffic areas. Vacuum frequently, and when it’s necessary, wash area rugs, so they don’t end up with tough, caked dirt and mud in them. Washing takes time, but the return will be significant because your house will be cleaner overall.
- Watch the spots where your pet always stays. There are specific spots at home that have more pet traffic than others. The room or location where you place the meal bowls will also likely have more dirt than others. Be ready to wipe stains and spills, and you should probably have a smaller vacuum for picking up shedding and food-related messes.
- If your dog or cat can enter the house at will, you will have to deal with dirty paws constantly. Remember to remove any mud from their feet and wipe those pads down frequently, too. This is additional hygiene that will benefit both the owner and the pet, too.
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