The 5 best paw wipes for dogs, according to vets

Most pet parents understand the importance of keeping a dog’s coat well-groomed, but what about their paw pads? Wiping your pet’s paws regularly not only helps keep your home clean but also keeps your pup’s feet healthy. 

Certain things, like salt from the ground during the winter, can irritate your dog’s paws, so it’s a good idea for pet owners to have dog paw wipes on hand for quick clean-ups. But, with so many types of wipes for paws out there, it can be a challenge to choose the right product for you and your pet.

To help, our team of professionals researched and reviewed popular products on the market. We evaluated everything from the ingredients and price to the smell and packaging to help you pick the best pet wipes for your pup.

On paper, here’s a glance at how the various choices on our list stack up against each other.

*Current average prices at the time of our review

Packed with aloe vera

These dog wipes contain soothing ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E. They’re gentle, making them ideal for daily use for pups that like to get their paws dirty.

Petkin Dog and Cat Paw Wipes don’t just clean the dirt off your dog’s paws. Aloe vera and vitamin E work as cleansing agents to provide dry skin relief, leaving your dog’s skin and paws feeling smooth and soft. They’re great for multipet families, too, as these wipes work on both dogs and cats.

Dog-safe and environmentally-friendly

Pups, people, and Mother Nature love these gentle, biodegradable wipes that are friendly to the environment. They can even be used on your dog’s skin folds, wrinkles, muzzle, face, and ears. 

Natural Dog Company Grooming Wipes boast safe and soothing ingredients. But they’re also powerfully effective at getting gunk off your dog’s paws. Natural Dog Company Grooming Wipes include aloe, which is both soothing and anti-inflammatory. This product is fragrance-free, making it a great option for dogs that are sensitive to certain smells. 

Gentle on skin

Dogs with allergies need a little extra TLC when it comes to grooming. These plant-based, hypoallergenic deodorizing wipes from Pogi’s keep paws feeling fresh while cleaning off dirt and allergens.

A dog with sensitive skin needs a product with gentle ingredients. Pogi’s Deodorizing Wipes fit the bill, using ingredients like aloe vera, vitamin E, and cucumber extract to soothe paw pads. Pogi’s Deodorizing Wipes are full of safe ingredients that clean and soften your dog’s skin, such as aloe vera, Hawaiian awapuhi, cucumber extract, vitamin E, and purified water. These wipes are fairly affordable. They cost $11.99 for 100 wipes.

Safe and simple

Earth-conscious buyers, rejoice. These dog wipes are vegan, compostable, and effective. Pet owners can also choose between scented and unscented options depending on what’s best for their pup. 

Earth Rated Dog Wipes are vegan and compostable, allowing you to cut down on your environmental impact while keeping your dog’s paws fresh and clean. It contains safe, vegan ingredients like shea butter, lavender oil, chamomile, aloe vera, and vitamin E. 

Great for on-the-go grooming

A consumer favorite brand of hand wipes for humans also has an excellent choice for pets. Wet Ones for Pets are effective and portable, making them great for traveling pups.

Wet Ones for Pets is a hypoallergenic wipe that gets the job done — at a fraction of the cost of other options. A bonus is that you can even use these multipurpose grooming wipes to keep your dog’s coat soft and shiny. Wet Ones for Pets contain safe, nourishing ingredients like vitamins A, C, and E. 

We wanted to provide you with the best dog wipes on the market. We worked with our product experts and veterinarians to develop criteria we thought would be of utmost importance to pet parents like you.

• Ingredients. Safety should always be a top priority for dog parents. We asked our vet teams and product reviewers to evaluate each ingredient label for harmful substances and tell us if everything was safe.
• Affordability. Affordability is relative, but we provide you with the price per wipe so you can decide which product best fits your pet budget.
• Cleaning power. You want an effective product. Our professional team of experts sounded off, evaluating how moist each wipe was and how well they cleaned.
• Smell. Some pets don’t like foreign or artificial smells, so we let you know what to expect when you open the product.
• Packaging. Packaging is important for ease of use and moisture retention. If a product stays moist, you’ll get better results when wiping off dog paws.
• Residue. Residue can be irritating and messy. Our product reviewer let us know whether this was something pet parents would have to worry about if they purchased a specific brand of dog wipes.

Beneficial ingredients to look for 

You’ll want to look for safe and effective ingredients for your pet, especially if they have an issue like cracked paws. Here are some of our favorite ingredients to look for:

• Glycerine – Glycerine Trusted Source PubMed Central Archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. Go to source is considered a pet-safe ingredient. It can help your doggie’s paws lock in moisture and reduce dryness. It’s also odorless. You don’t have to worry about products with this ingredient if your pup isn’t a fan of certain scents. 
• Aloe – Humectants are a type of moisturizing agent in aloe vera that help to bind moisture to the skin. ​​Aloe can help soothe and treat cracked paws. It can also relieve itchy skin, reducing your pup’s desire to bite or lick the affected area.
• Vitamins C and E – Just like humans, dogs can benefit from topical products with vitamins. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that reduces inflammation in pet paws. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant that protects the skin and helps to treat dry or itchy skin.
• Shea butter – Shea butter is a common ingredient in doggie paw products. The ivory-colored ingredient deeply penetrates the skin to moisturize and soften. Shea butter can help heal cracked, damaged paw pads. It’s also anti-inflammatory, so it can prevent and relieve skin issues triggered by injury or infection.

👉 Vitamin A is not essential for dog paw health and should be used sparingly. Too much vitamin A can be harmful Trusted Source VCA Hospitals Community of veterinarians with up-to-date veterinary information. Go to source to a dog that ingests it. 

Harmful ingredients to avoid 

• Phthalates and parabens – Phthalates Trusted Source U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Government agency. Go to source are used as a plasticizer in cosmetic products. They reduce cracking in nail polishes and are sometimes used as solvents in fragrances. You may also see them in pup products. It’s best to avoid them — research Trusted Source PubMed Central Archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. Go to source shows they may disrupt your pet’s endocrine system. Brands may use parabens Trusted Source U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Government agency. Go to source as preservatives. You’ll see them on ingredient lists as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, or ethylparaben. Some pets may be sensitive to these chemicals.
• Alcohol – Alcohol is a common ingredient in household cleaners. But it’s best to avoid it in paw wipes. Alcohol can dry out your pup’s skin, and is also harmful if ingested. This issue is the opposite of what many dog owners are looking for in a paw wipe.

Caring for your dog’s paws is an essential part of pet parenthood. A doggie’s paw pads serve as versatile cushions Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals. Go to source . They insulate their bodies during extreme winter weather, keep bones and joints safe from shock, and make it easier to walk on rough terrain.

Dog wipes are an easy way to give your dog’s paws a quick clean after they walk or play in the rain or mud. They’re especially convenient if you’re traveling and want to clean dirt, salt, or sand off your dog’s paws. The best options keep your pet safe and your house and car clean.

Paw wipes might be especially useful for pet owners who live in cold climates since roadside de-icing chemicals can irritate a pet’s paws Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals. Go to source . They can also be toxic if licked, so it’s always a good idea to wipe your dog’s paws after coming in from the cold. That said, even if you use a wipe, you should still bathe your pet regularly to wash away hard-to-remove dirt.

Be sure to inspect your dog’s paws frequently for cuts, torn toenails, salt, dirt, sand, ticks, or infections. Regular grooming appointments also prevent bacteria and parasites from making their way into your pet’s paw pads. Treat wounds quickly with antibacterial ointment and bandages, and talk to your veterinarian if a cut looks deep or doesn’t heal.

👉 Paw care shouldn’t be a footnote. Regular cleaning, inspections, and communication with your vet can keep your dog’s feet in tip-top condition.

Other products for optimal paw care

Besides paw wipes, you’ll want to have a couple of other items on hand to help keep your pet’s paws clean and healthy.

• Dog booties. Humans aren’t the only ones who can wear boots in the winter. Many brands sell boots made for dogs that protect your pup’s paws from the elements and irritants like salt. It may take some time to get used to them — so be patient with your pet.
• Dog paw balm. Paw balms help heal and protect against dry, cracked paws.
• Nail trimmer. Overgrown nails can cause injuries, pain, and infections. Regular nail trimmings can keep these issues at bay.

Wipes are an excellent addition to your dog’s paw-maintenance regimen. They can help wipe away any number of the following:

• Chemical irritants. Debris and chemicals, like harsh ice-melting salt in the winter or lawn chemicals in the spring and summer, can irritate your pet’s paws.
• Parasites. The eggs of various parasites can get on your dog’s paws while they walk. Wipes can help remove them, but giving your dog year-round protection against heartworm, fleas, and ticks is also important.
• Bacteria. Bacteria is a common cause of paw and nail infections. A wipe can help clean off all the dirt you can see on your doggie’s paws, as well as the microscopic stuff you can’t.
• Allergens. Dogs that have environmental allergies are often allergic to various types of pollen. Wipes can help to remove pollen from a dog’s paws.

The answer to this question will vary based on your pet’s activity level, needs, and where you live. Generally, you should clean your pet’s paws at least once a week. But you may need to clean your dog’s paws daily if you live in a muddy area or go for a walk in unpleasant weather. Rain can cause muddy conditions, and snow and ice bring toxic, irritating salt.

If you have baby wipes on hand or regularly wipe down countertops with Clorox wipes, it may be tempting to repurpose these items by using them on your pup. But you don’t want to use just anything on your dog’s coat or paws. Dog-safe products are always best.

Though baby wipes Trusted Source American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Nonprofit organization for small animal hospitals. Go to source are perfect for your human baby, the ingredients in these wipes can be particularly dangerous if your furbaby were to ingest or lick them. And bleach-based house cleaning wipes like Clorox can be super irritating to both your skin and your pup’s. Talk to your vet about products you plan to use on your dog. They can steer you in the right direction towards safe animal products and flag any harmful ingredients in a specific brand.