The Bath and Body Works Store, you must have spotted it literally everywhere for years. And why not? Their body and home improvement products are quite impressive and, therefore, a part of maximum households. However, the question that’s currently going around the corner is, ‘Can I Use Bath and Body Work Candles In A Household With Pets’?
Bath and Body Work probably has one of the best candle lines available in the market. Both their scented and unscented candles (perhaps a maximum of them) are absolutely tremendous. However, not all Bath and Body Works candles are safe for cats and dogs.
How Bath And Body Works Candles Are Harmful To Pets?
Like all other scented candles, Bath and Body Works candles are made up of a variety of wax and fragrances. And since pets are highly sensitive to fragrances and smoke, the candles from Bath and Body Works can prove harmful to them.
Here are some insights on the same.
Most Bath and Body Works candles are made up of paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances. Both of these ingredients, when burned, can irritate your pet’s respiratory system and give them trouble breathing.
Paraffin is a byproduct of refined crude oil, and burning it for an extended period isn’t safe for both humans and animals. Although Paraffin has played an important role in candles for decades now, it is time to learn about how harmful it has always been.
When burning a Paraffin-based candle, you can always notice a black sooty gunk building up around the wick. This is basically a byproduct of the ‘Combustion process that is responsible for releasing chemicals such as Toluene.
Toluene, on the other hand, is a benzene derivative, a very carcinogen for humans, or in simpler words, it can cause cancer in humans, as well as pets.
The inhalation of Paraffin smoke in fewer amounts will do no harm. Humans have been using such candles for years. However, exposure to the same in larger amounts can definitely prove hazardous. Studies conducted in many regions during festivities also show that burning larger amount of Paraffin based candles have increased benzene and toluene emissions.
Is It Just The Paraffin In Bath And Body Works Candles That Is Toxic?
No, and that’s more of a concern when burning fragrant candles in a pet-frequented home.
Bath And Body Works undoubtedly have the best-scented candles, and their range has multiple options, from mild to overwhelming ones and even non-allergic scents. Though no matter what the scents are, most fragrances are harmful to dogs and cats. For instance, Citrus essential oils, Peppermint, Pine, Clove, Wintergreen, and some fragrances pets are sensitive towards.
Inhaling more of it (and sometimes even a little) can cause an allergic reaction in both dogs and cats. The poor pet may experience vomiting, diarrhoea, redness in the different body parts, and even undergo serious liver problems.
What To Know Before Buying Bath And Body Works For Your Home? If You Have Pets
It is really good to have candles at home, especially fragrant ones. However, if you co-stay with pets, you need to be very careful. No matter how big the brand is, fragrant candles or candles, in general, aren’t really safe for dogs and cats. Pets are more smell sensitive than humans and therefore generate allergies very easily.
Due to their keen sense of smell, pets are able to smell the scent and even the smoke from burning wax more efficiently. Is result can trigger various health issues amongst dogs and cats. Therefore, before buying a Bath and Body Works candle for your home.
While picking a candle for your home, check whether it contains ingredients such as
- Paraffin Wax or other Petroleum Products
- VOCs
- Acetone
- Toluene
- Formaldehyde
- And Benzene
Also, avoid a list of fragrances, including
- Peppermint
- Wintergreen
- Pennyroyal
- Sweet birch
- Pine
- Thyme
- Juniper
- Citrus
- Tea tree (melaleuca)
- Anise
- Clove
- Ylang ylang
- Eucalyptus
- Cinnamon
PLEASE NOTE: Bath And Body Works claim their candles are pet-friendly. However, they also mention a disclaimer that buys only considering your pet’s sensitivity to different waxes and fragrances.
How Do Burning Bath And Body Work Candles Affect Dogs and Cats?
Burning candles from Bath And Body Work, or any other brand for that matter, can impact your pet’s health and well-being. Wondering how?
Well, when you burn a candle, the wax and wick produce fumes and smoke. Scented or not, this smoke, when inhaled by dogs (in high quantity), can make breathing difficult for them. In addition, if the candle is scented, the trouble will climb some more ladders generating respiratory issues for pets.
Also, some dogs and cats may even experience severe allergic reactions within no time. In addition, overexposure can lead to liver toxicity as well.
How To Use Bath And Body Work Candles Safely Around Dogs And Cats?
Scented Candles aren’t appropriate for homes with pets and even for humans who are prone to allergies. However, if you cannot overlook the need for scented candles at your home, there are ways you can keep your pets safe.
For instance,
- Burn Scented or non-scented Bath And Body Work Candles away from your pet. Consider keeping the candle in another room where the dog or cat doesn’t generally enter.
- Despite how separately you keep the candle, always choose fragrances and wax types that your dog isn’t allergic to. Go With Beeswax candles and fragrances like Vanilla, Jasmine, etc.
- When burning a candle at a pet-friendly home, make sure windows and doors are left open. Regulating ventilation is extremely important.
- Monitor that your pet isn’t anywhere around the burning candle. Also, make sure you observe the pet for any allergic reaction simultaneously.
Pet Owners: Here’s How To Keep Your House Smelling Good Without Scented Candles
If you are a hardcore pet lover, you can avoid candles but definitely not your loving pet. And we absolutely understand and appreciate that. Keeping living beings above any materialistic habit is the only right thing to learn.
And if not scented candles, there are many ways of keeping your pet-friendly home odour free. Here how:
- Always emphasize deep dry and wet cleaning.
- Use pet-friendly floor cleaners (liquid).
- Make sure you are replacing Pet-Stained Carpets and Upholstery every now and then.
- For washing any fabric that pets utilize, always use a disinfectant.
- Opt for a mixture of Baking Powder, Vinegar, and two drops of pet-friendly essential oil and spray it around your home.
- Brush and Bath your dog once every month.
- Use a lint roller to clean fur from your furniture.
- When coming home from outside, always wash your dog’s feet and mouth.
- Set out a dish of coffee beans to make your home smell aromatic.
- For accidents, use an enzyme-based cleaner.
- Vacuum your floor and furniture frequently.
- Keep the house well-ventilated.
- Lastly, emphasize sun drying your dog’s belonging at least once every week. Also, if your house receives direct sunlight, open windows and allow sun heat to remove that odd pet smell naturally.
Wrapping up…
Bath And Body Works makes excellent candles, and there are reasons why people are a fan of this brand. However, these candles aren’t very dog friendly. The problem isn’t with the brand, but dogs and cats have never been very comfortable and safe around candles. Even the safest wax and fragrance can initiate some problems in the long run. Therefore if you find your dog avoiding rooms with fragrant candles, it is probably time to throw them out (CANDLES, OF Course).