Vinegar

Anti-bacterial non-chemical cleaners

White vinegar is a chemical-free alternative to commercial cleaning products. It doesn't need to be fancy.... just plain old generic brand white vinegar!

As pet owners, I am sure we all take our responsibility very seriously! We have committed to strive to provide the best care for our Scotties and to safeguard their environment as much as possible.

I have used vinegar as a cleaner for many years. I have long been comforted by the belief that I am safeguarding my family by reducing their exposure to harmful chemicals in the home. That goes for my pets as well!

I love vinegar and every time I use it I feel that I am doing my bit to reduce the number of chemicals released into our environment and exposing my Scotties to.

Among other things, you can use it to wash your dishes and clean surfaces, including dog bowls and floors. It disinfects and is odorless when dry.

Dogs can be sensitive to commercial cleaning products so replace as many of these as possible with natural alternatives.

I use vinegar in my mop water, I also add some drops of pure Tea Tree or lavender oil which are also anti-bacterial and add a fresh fragrance. I think steam mops are a very good option as well. (I did find that repeated use of too much vinegar in mop water tends to settle in the grout between tiles and attract dirt and grime like a magnet - to address this I had to use a steam nozzle to clean grout and I find that a good microfibre mop and plain water with a few drops of eucalyptus oil is the best option yet)! Unfortunately, there is no substitute for elbow grease....

For surface cleaning I have found good old water, elbow grease and microfibre cloths is as good as it gets! The secret is to change cloths often, wash regularly and if you are concerned about bacteria in cloths, you can use your microwave to sanitise and kill any remaining bacteria by zapping for 2 minutes on high!

When antibacterial surface spray is needed (e.g. handling raw meat and poultry etc.) I add vinegar!

Remember that Scotties are a low-to-ground breed, with their short little legs. This puts them right up close and personal with all the chemicals and toxic preparations we put on our floors, lawns, parks and gardens. I don't think it does anyone any good to lose sleep over these things, but I do feel that being mindful of both our own environment and that of our precious Scotties is not wasted.