12 Apr 2026 6 best pet-safe floor cleaners every cat and dog owner should know about
Experts also share the best way to clean your floors to keep your dog or cat safe.
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Keeping a clean home isn’t just beneficial for us, it also helps make sure our pets are comfortable, too. But using the right cleaning products as a pet owner is important, particularly when it comes to floor cleaners, which can be potentially toxic for them.
“Pets are much closer to the floor than we are, and they don’t just walk on it, they lick their paws, groom themselves, and sometimes lie directly on freshly cleaned surfaces,” says Robin Murphy, chief cleaning officer at home cleaning company Maid Brigade. “So anything left behind on the floor has a direct path into their system.”
With this in mind, I spoke with Murphy and multiple experts, including veterinarians, to find the best pet-safe
All of the floor cleaning products below are either direct recommendations from our experts, options NBC Select staff members use themselves and/or have at least a four-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon.
The best pet-safe floor cleaners
Dr. Bronner’s castile soap is made from plant-based ingredients, particularly olive, coconut, and jojoba oils, making it free of harsh chemicals including bleach and ammonia. It has many different uses, and while some use it as body wash or for laundry, it’s also suitable for cleaning and mopping hard surfaces, including hardwood and tile floors. You only have to use a half ounce of the soap for every 2 gallons of water when cleaning, according to the brand, so a bottle could last you a while.
Branch Basics’ multipurpose cleaner concentrate is a great pet-safe floor cleaner because it’s made from plant-based ingredients and is free of bleach, ammonia, parabens and phthalates, according to the brand. Since you only have to use one part of the concentrate for every 11 parts of water, the formula will last for months. The brand also has directions on how to dilute the concentrate for different types of cleaning tasks.
This cleaning solution from Aunt Fannie’s is made with a distilled vinegar base and without bleach, ammonia and other ingredients with strong smells that can irritate your dog or cat’s respiratory system. You only have to use around a half cup for every 2 gallons of water (or one quarter cup for 1 gallon) to mop and clean your floors.
This spray mop from O-Cedar comes with a water bottle that attaches to the handle. You only have to add two teaspoons of a pet-safe cleaning solution and fill the rest with water. It also comes with a reusable and machine-washable microfiber pad that flips back and forth so you use all of the pad instead of just one side. If you enjoy a spin mop, we’re also fans of O-Cedar’s spin mop.
This cleaning solution from Biokleen is a pet safe and effective way of getting rid of odors and stains, according to the brand (and reviewers). It’s enzyme-based, meaning it’s made from plant material as opposed to ammonia, bleach, chlorine and artificial fragrances. While it’s safe on sealed hardwood floors, Biokleen says it’s best used for cleaning pet stains on carpet and upholstery. It’s also best for spot cleaning, not for cleaning an entire carpet.
Dr. Aly Cohen, a veterinarian and clinical instructor at Cornell University’s Veterinary School of Medicine, recommends this cleaning solution from Rescue, because it has Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide. According to the brand this key ingredient is more effective at cleaning compared to regular hydrogen peroxide because it disinfects faster and less is required to do the same job.
It kills bacteria around your home (such as when a person or pet is ill) similar to other chemicals but isn’t as harsh or toxic, according to Cohen. This cleaner is also available in the form of a wipe.