Sleepy Cotton's Sanitizing Paw Gel Cleanser Will Save Your White Rugs
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Problem: Living in New York city means my pup picks up dirt from the sidewalk and brings it home — directly onto my white shag rug. She also ends up licking her paws often, and who knows what kind of germs are lurking on her toe beans after a walk.
Solution: Sleepy Cotton's Afterwalk Paw Gel Sanitizing Cleanser, the dog equivalent of Purell.
If you've ever walked your pup on a city street, you know they step in it all: spilled drinks, dirt, mysterious puddles, and whatever else is lurking on the sidewalks. On rainy days, it's even worse. While I towel down my dog every time we come back from a walk, a dry towel just doesn't cut it. I have also used baby wipes, but they tend to dry out her paws and smell really weird. Olive, my dog, also has a foot thing (she hates anything cold and wet on her paws, so baby wipes fall in that category), and she squirms away while I'm trying to clean her up.
Plus, as silly as it was, I purchased a light-colored (fine, it's white) rug for my apartment’s living room, which I am hellbent on keeping clean and stain-free. No shoes in the house helps, but when you have a 10-month-old puppy running around with dirty paws, all bets are off.
During my usual Instagram scrolling, I saw an ad for Sleepy Cotton's Afterwalk Gel and decided to give it a go. After all, I was going to continue cleaning Olive's paws one way or another, so why not try something that was actually made for dogs?
Although I love a good product, I definitely am actively resisting purchasing too many dog products out of fear of becoming that dog owner. That means no clothes (except for a necessary rain jacket), no puppy perfume (yes, it's a thing), and no unpractical products. Did I really need a sanitizer just for my dog? After reading more about dogs' skin and how different it is from human skin, I realized I did.
Sleepy Cotton's gel sanitizer doesn't only promise to kill harmful germs and bacteria on your dog's paws, but it also promises to rid their paws of built-up grime and debris, which can cause infection or allergies. Keeping your dog's paws clean can also help reduce licking, which in turn keeps all that bacteria and debris out of their mouths. Of course, if you notice constant licking, itching, or visible paw irritation, contact your vet for help.
What really sold me on the sanitizer is that it's safe for dogs to lick. There is no alcohol or harsh cleansers in the gel — just clean, vegan ingredients like aloe, a coconut-based cleanser, chamomile, and other natural ingredients.
A bottle of the cleanser is 8.8 ounces and costs around $18, which is more than enough to last me a few months. To use the cleanser, all you need to do is squeeze a pea- or dime-sized amount on your pup’s paws and gently massage it in. If there’s any excess cleanser, wipe it off with a rag or microfiber cloth (which they include with the cleanser when you purchase it). Otherwise, you don’t need to wipe away the cleanser unless it’s a nuisance to your dog.
The formula not only breaks down dirt and grime on your dog's paws, but it also moisturizes their pads, which tend to get rough and dry. If they get too dry, they can crack and bleed, similar to when we get dry skin on our knuckles, which is another spot bacteria can get into and cause infection. Plus, its slight citrus and herbal scent is quite pleasant.
Like I said, Olive doesn't really enjoy having her paws touched, but she definitely liked this gel better than baby wipes. She didn't instantly pull away when I began to pull her paws, and because I was massaging the gel into her paws with my fingers, I could actually feel it working. Little gritty pieces of dirt came off on my fingers, and when I wiped away the excess from her paws with a rag, a bit of grass stain and dirt came off, too.
Overall, I'm really pleased with how well the Sleepy Cotton Afterwalk Sanitizing Paw Gel Cleanser worked, even after just one use. I even gave their all-natural shampoo and face cleanser (Olive gets a lot of eye crusties) a try, and I'm just as impressed. I'm definitely going to continue using the paw cleanser, especially after long walks through our neighborhood and visits to the dog park. Not only does it give Olive super soft, clean paws, but it is giving me the gift of a clean, white rug — and for that, I'm forever grateful.
Shop Sleepy Cotton's Afterwalk Sanitizing Paw Gel Cleanser
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