Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a great cleaning product. However, many effective cleaners are unsafe for human and pet health. Therefore, if you are a cat owner, you may worry about its toxicity to your pet. This article addresses all those concerns and more.
Are Mr. Clean Magic Erasers Toxic to Cats?
According to the Safety Data Sheet of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, this product has no known toxic effects when it touches the skin, enters the eyes, is inhaled, or is ingested. However, it can cause gastrointestinal blockage due to its solid nature. Your cat’s body may be unable to break it down or excrete it.
Magic Eraser Ingredients
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are made from melamine foam. This foam is like a sponge that erases the toughest stains on almost any surface, and its structure makes it very hard on surface grime.
It can also penetrate the tiniest groves to get rid of dirt. At the same time, it is soft on the hands, and this feel might give a deceptive idea of how tough it is. However, if used on smooth, soft, or glossy surfaces, it may scratch them.
Melamine foam needs to be damp before use to be very effective. It is made from formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer. However, despite the presence of formaldehyde in the chemical name, it is not the same, and the foam is completely non-toxic.
Common Ingredients in Cleaning Products That Are Toxic to Cats
Phenol
Phenol could be deadly to cats since their bodies cannot process it; it could damage their liver and kill them. It is toxic to them whether they come in direct contact through consumption and topically or inhale the fumes. Many popular home cleaners contain phenols, e.g., Lysol, Dettol, Pine-Sol, etc.
Magic Eraser does not contain Phenol in it.
Ethanol
Humans get drunk from excessive ethanol and need to take an extreme amount for it to become lethal to them. However, it is different for cats, as a bit of exposure can poison them and depress their nervous system due to ethanol toxicosis.
Most cleaning products contain some form of alcohol which contains ethanol. For example, a popular ingredient is ethyl alcohol.
Ethanol poisoning could cause heart attack, unconsciousness, dehydration, coma, and even kidney failure in cats.
As a result, you need to watch out for these ingredients in their cleaning products. If you need to use such products, you will need to control your cat’s exposure to the products.
Magic Eraser does not have Ethanol in it.
Other toxic ingredients include bleach, ammonia, formaldehyde, and chlorine.
Cat Ate Magic Eraser (What to Do?)
The Magic Cleaner is like any other cleaning product; you should treat it as such. This means you should keep it away from children and pets, even if it is non-toxic.
If swallowed, it could lead to gastrointestinal issues due to the body’s inability to process it. If the chunk eaten is large enough, it may also block the tract.
This could lead to many symptoms like vomiting, stomachache, or constipation. If your cat ate the magic cleaner or you suspect it did, you should not panic immediately.
Instead, observe your cat and see if its behavior has changed or if it is exhibiting signs that it is experiencing discomfort.
If, after monitoring for about 48 hours, you do not notice anything, more likely than not, your cat is good and has already pooped it out.
On the other hand, if you notice things like vomiting, contact your vet immediately. It would be best not to wait for a second before seeking medical help for your cat. Subsequently, you should avoid keeping such things within reach of your cat.
Protecting Your Cat from Toxic Cleaners
Cats love to groom themselves and keep themselves clean. This means that they lick themselves frequently. When you use cleaners that are toxic to them, they walk on the surfaces you use these cleaners on or rub their bodies on these surfaces. Then they proceed to lick themselves and ingest these cleaners.
Here are a few tips to prevent this:
1- Keep it away from recently cleaned rooms and surfaces if you used chemical cleaners with unknown toxicity levels.
2- Cover recently cleaned surfaces with foil paper. It will not want to walk on the foil, so it will avoid such places.
3- Wipe areas dry after cleaning.
Although not all natural cleaners are necessarily safe for pets, some are. Many of those are made with a plant-based formula. Usually, you will get fresh herbal smells such as mint.
Other pet-safe cleaners can work for the outdoors, like your yard, patio, and areas surrounding your house where your pet frequents, this cleaner is perfect for you. It is entirely non-toxic, and soon after you’ve used it, your pet and kids can play in the area safely.
Take Away!
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are not toxic to cats. However, they may pose choking risks to them. Your best bet is to keep this product entirely out of their reach.
