FACT CHECK: Viral Image Claims Swiffer WetJet Cleaning Solution Is Poisonous For Pets

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

An image shared on Facebook more than 9,000 times claims Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution contains an antifreeze-like compound that causes fatal liver failure in pets.

“Do you use a Swiffer?” reads the caption. “A must read!!”

Verdict: False

Swiffer WetJets cleaning solution does not contain an antifreeze-like compound that’s harmful to animals. The Animal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) determined it is safe for pets. This claim has been routinely debunked over the years as a hoax.

Fact Check:

The viral Facebook post contains a story about a german shepherd that died of liver failure after licking Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution from its paws. Two cats also died from the same cause, it claims.

“He called the company to ask what the contents of the cleaning agent are and was astounded to find out that antifreeze is one of the ingredients,” states the post. “Actually he was told it’s a compound which is one molecule away from antifreeze.”

The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution does not contain any antifreeze or antifreeze-like compounds, per its material safety data sheet. It mostly comprises of water, but also contains small percentages of propylene glycol n-propyl ether or propylene glycol n-butyl ether. These compounds have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use around humans and animals, according to Mercury News.

Procter & Gamble, the company that manufactures Swiffer WetJet systems, states that its cleaning products are safe for pets on its website. (RELATED: Does This Photo Show A Dog Former NFL Player Michael Vick Abused?)

“These ingredients are safe to use around pets when used according to label directions and would not cause liver damage at these concentrations,” writes the ASPCA on its website.

Further adding to the post’s dubiousness, the Daily Caller didn’t find any media reports of pets dying from licking the cleaning solution from their paws. If Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution caused fatal liver failure in pets, it would have been picked up by the media, yet numerous outlets have actually debunked this claim.

Snopes reported the claim has been circulating in various forms since at least 2004, when people shared a chain email telling a similar dubious story about a dog dying after licking the cleaning solution from its paws.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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