Urban legends once traveled person to person. Now, they spread far more rapidly via the Internet. One such urban legend concerns Swiffer sweepers and their alleged toxicity to pets. Not only is that rumor unfounded, but Swiffer sweepers are designed to clean up pet messes, whether resulting from shedding, dirty paw prints or spilled food. As with any product, read the directions carefully before using a Swiffer sweeper.
No Threat to Pets
As with many legends, a grain of fact sprouted into misinformation. The Swiffer Wet Jet contains a tiny amount of propylene glycol n-propyl ether or propylene glycol n-butyl ether. These are not the same as ethylene glycol, which is found in antifreeze and is toxic to dogs and cats. If your dog happens to consume some of the the Swiffer Wet Jet cleaner, he might experience mild stomach upset and throw up, but it's not going to cause liver or kidney failure, sudden death or any of the other horror stories circulating about the product.
Pet Messes
You can use different Swiffer products depending on the particular pet mess you're tackling. The Wet Jet quickly disposes of muddy paw prints, while the Sweeper rids your house of pet hair. The Sweep and Trap gets rid of pet food spills, while the 360 Degree Duster picks up pet dander and dust mites, keeping allergens down.
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Photo Credits
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Writer Bio
Jane Meggitt has been a writer for more than 20 years. In addition to reporting for a major newspaper chain, she has been published in "Horse News," "Suburban Classic," "Hoof Beats," "Equine Journal" and other publications. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from New York University and an Associate of Arts from the American Academy of Dramatics Arts, New York City.
