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Anita asked: How do I remove kerosene smoke stain off of animals. Our kerosene heater stopped up and blew the smoke out in the air. The smoke of course went up and my cat was in the cat tower. She is not stained with the soot from the smoke. I gave her a bath, but it is very difficult to get it off her fur. She okay, just black looking. I would appreciate any ideas.
Smoke and soot stains need to be cleaned off of animals immediately. Once the initial layer of soot is removed, the rest may have to wear off with time.
You Will Need:
- Dawn dish soap
- Water
- Bathtub
- Towels
- Bathing instructions found in “How to Wash a Cat”
Steps to Remove the Soot:
Dawn dish soap is recommended by veterinarians as a safe and effective way to cut through the soot.
- Follow the instructions found in “How to Wash a Cat,” but substitute Dawn dish soap for the pet shampoo.
- If a second wash is needed, use a pet shampoo to wash the fur.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If there are still stains present, it should still be safe for the cat to lick their fur as they naturally would. Most of the soot will be removed with the steps above.
- If you see any sickness or reactions from the soot, seek the advice of a veterinarian.
- If the cat was exposed to the smoke for an extended period of time, it would be wise to consult a vet to check for any other possible problems.
- For additional tips and advice, see the following guides and reader comments:
Is it okay to remove soot from a cat using Ajax liquid dish soap, or is Dawn the only one recommended?
Anna,
I wouldn’t use Ajax on a cat. Here’s why: I just looked at their website and all their liquid dish soap bottles except one had a picture of a citrus fruit on the label and citrus fruits are toxic to cats. Also, the one Ajax bottle that didn’t have citrus on it, had aloe on it, which is also toxic to cats.
Source: Colgate – Ajax
Source: Pet Education – Citrus Oil Toxicity in Dogs and Cats
Source: ASPCA – Aloe