Ot about colors

While it may be a myth about that product, anything with detergents, or other solvents or cleansers are harmful for pets to inhale. It may not kill them, but it makes their breathing experience difficult or uncomfortable and they can get any number of cancers from certain cleaners.

I have the parrot and cannot use anything in or around her. Birds are more sensitive because they breathe through bellows and the air passes through their system much more efficiently than animals who breath using their lungs only.

We were going to get granite also, but when we recently replaced ours we went with Silestone. No sealing necessary, or upkeep at all. Just wipe it up and that's that.

Something with some give to it. Wood isn't so hard, and even vinyl has some give. As someone else in the thread mentioned, you can also get mats to put in the places you're likely to stand a lot. I don't particularly care for the look of mats in the kitchen, and it's a bit of a pain to keep them clean (since you have to clean the mat and under the mat instead of just mopping the floor), but if I had a hard floor in the kitchen, I'd put the mats in in a heartbeat. If she's already got problems from the slipped disc, it might be that a mat would be helpful regardless of what kind of floor she had (i.e., even going to wood or vinyl might not be as helpful as a nice, cushy mat).

Best wishes, Ericka

The urban legend says pets lick the residue off their paws and die from liver failure. Breathing problems aren't mentioned. Neither are birds.

Well, shame on 'em. It's rare for a homebirth to result in stains. No stains here after three of them...

Have you tried enzyme cleaners on it? It might be too old to do any good now, but it might be worth a try if you haven't done it already.

Best wishes, Ericka

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I second that. Lived in a rental house with a cork floor, very easy on the limbs and squelches sounds.

There is a local showroom that has cork flooring - right in front. Oh my word I WANT - talk about comfortable to stand on, even in "heels".

Cheryl

I was not specifically talking about any product in particular. I was generalizing and pets are much closer to the places these chemical cleaners are used. A quick search on the ways animals die all the time due to people's misuse of chemical cleaners is evident.

Adult humans also die from the misuse of chemical cleaning products--ammonia + bleach = toxic gas. The myth was referring to a product properly used according to the manufacturer's directions. Allowing these particular urban legends to be spread is unfair to the companies who have tried to create safe, effective, and convenient products for consumers. That said, anyone who has a pet or a child should read ALL label warnings (preferably before purchasing the product) to make certain it is safe to use in areas frequented by these family members and if there is a waiting period before the child/pet may return to the area.

Okay, here's where we differ; any product which says "...safe to use in areas...waiting period before child/pet may return to the area..." is something I would consider dangerous and never use it. Period. If there is a point at which it could be toxic to my pet or child (I don't have children) I don't use it, right or wrong. I read the label in the store, see that on the label, and NEXT.

The government also says DDT is okay, glyphosate is safe, genetically modified corn is safe, and a whole lot of other things which are definitely not safe. I do not want to get into a whole big match here, but I was simply pointing out that people misuse products which say on the "label" they are safe. Deodorant isn't even safe. On and on.

I'm not talking about any product in particular, as I stated in my original post. If it's made by Monsanto or Dow Elanco, it's suspect.

I have hardwood maple flooring in my kitchen. I also have a slipped disc which is causing sciatica and affects right hip and my left leg (it swells). I don't find the floor any problem at all. I do dishes every day, cook, the usual kitchen duties on a daily basis, including all the standing required to make bread.

Dianne

Be careful. I was told by our floor finisher that some carpet backings can deteriorate polyurethane finishes. My daughter has laid down a type of felt cushioning under her large rugs. Supposedly this won't harm the finish. I know that I ruined my dining room table by using a foam cushion under the tablecloth.

Dianne

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Now birds aside, that might well be another thing altogether but ole Bucket is coming up 15 this year, has been 30lbs since kittenhood, and still shows no signs of departing.

I think this is a lot of todo about nothing. I have never even thought to consider him when I use any cleaners and he is still going strong. However much of any cleaner do you people use ???

Sorry to disagree but my delicate PITA does cough and choke some when I use anything with Clorox in it, which I like to use in the bathroom. I usually leave the window open for a while to get rid of the smell so he doesn't have a coughing fit.

Your Bucket is an old workhorse and probably made of sturdier stuff than my wimpy, Puff.

Lucille

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I can't stand Clorox myself so never use it. I had meant the more ordinary things like Comet, Pinesol or whatever. I use Vim in the bathroom, very good and doesn't smell lol

Prolly Bucket is a peasant, he usually behaves like one lol

We had new carpet put in our previous house, and the dachsie we had at the time developed all sorts of allergies -- my younger daughter used to call her "snot face" because she really was. I think it's that she was low enough to the ground to be affected by the chemicals in the carpet.

-- Jere

Your cat is 30 pounds? Holy cow! Is it a cougar?

When we first bought this house new, within three weeks my one kitty Geena Bird died. Two months later, her sister died. Four months later our dog convulsed and was dead. To this day I swear it was all the toxic chemicals in the rugs, paint, sheet rock, and whatever other toxic materials they use to build with.

I use orange oil to clean. For the bathroom I use Bar Keepers Friend.