Tuesday, July 3, 2018

How to Clean Your Pet's Bowl

Westie drinking from water fountain
Pierre Westie: “MOM!! Bentley is yucking up our water bowl. He is definitely backwashing and it is grossing me out.”
Bentley Basset Hound: “Oh, for crying out loud! I was thirsty before I finished my last treat and if a few crumbs got in the water, you should be grateful. Extra treat bits for you!”
Pierre: “I am not trying to be a whiner, but I would prefer fresh drinking water and that includes washing the bowl. You can’t just swoosh the water around and call it clean. I am talking soap and HOT water to clean the bowl inside and out. After all, I have seen some of the places you stick your tongue and it is rather disgusting.”
Hound and Westie drinking water
Bentley: “No need to get personal. I know how important a clean food and water bowl is to a dog or cat’s health. According to the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) ranking, our bowls are the fourth dirtiest spot in our home. We eat wet food, so Mom washes our dinner bowls after each meal. Our water bowl gets refilled and washed at least twice each day. I don’t want to drink out a bowl that Pierre has stuck his tongue in after licking his feet clean. Ugh!”
Pierre: “The thing is if Mom doesn’t wash our bowls we could be exposed to E. Coli, Salmonella, yeast and mold. That slimy residue that forms on our bowl is not a good thing, you know. Here is the recommended way to clean a bowl.”   
Washing a dog bowl in kitchen sink
How to Clean Your Pet’s Bowls
·           • Wash them by hand with hot water and a mild detergent. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry.
·           • Check to see if the bowls are dishwasher safe.  If you use plastic bowls, be sure to put them on the top rack so they don’t melt.
·           • A homemade cleanser works well.  Mix Baking soda, warm water, and salt in equal parts to form a paste. 
·           • Scrub the bowls in a circular motion, washing both the inside and outside.
 The NSF recommends soaking the bowls for 10 minutes with one-part bleach and warm water. *Follow this with a complete washing and rinsing.
Bentley: “July is Pet Hydration month, so we want to remind everyone to make sure your pets have access to plenty of fresh water at all times. We have several different water bowls including a fountain and it is important that all of them are kept clean. During the Dog Days of Summer, never leave home with your dog unless you have some bottled water for them. Stay thirsty, my friends!”
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16 comments :

  1. I'm glad I read this, I'm a little lax in the cleaning department.

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  2. Great post! Mom washes my food bowl twice and day and my water bowl once a day and she changes the water in my bowl more times than I can count!

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  3. Mom always washes out out water bowls before each new fill, and our food bowls go in the dishwasher. Only the fountain upstairs doesn't get cleaned as often as it is for cats mainly, and cleaning it is a lot of work. Clean bowls are a wonderful thing.

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  4. I’m pretty sure Mom is trying to kill me with the squirt of detergent and a swish of hot water. #stepupyourgamehuman

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

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  5. Thanks for this important reminder to not forget the dog dishes in cleaning.

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  6. Great reminder. My hubby is in charge of keeping the fountain clean, he does it daily and pulls it apart monthly for a thorough cleaning.

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  7. We have a special spaniel bowl. It's stainless steel and has slanted sides so that our long ears don't get wet. Our patron saint Old Charisma passed this wisdom down through all the doggies who have lived in this house: never drink stale water. The humans are pretty diligent about rinsing the bowl and refilling it throughout the day, and run it through the dishwasher every night.

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  8. You are so good washing their bowls after every meal. We put ours in the dishwasher twice a week and rinse them out each day, but we could do better! And now we will.
    Love & Biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

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  9. MOL MOL Pierre
    You sound like my mom...every time she sees 'backwash' in my bowl she goes postal.
    I like to have a little water to wash down my kibble and yes sometimes if falls in MY water..with MY being the operative word. I tell her to chill but even after 16 years she still rants and raves
    Hugs madi your bfff

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  10. Very informative article about how to properly clean out your dogs' water bowls. I usually only clean out the bowels a couple of times a week but I will definitely be more attentive to cleaning them out more frequently.
    World of Animals

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  11. Pretty good advice here even if it made me want to urp. I make a point of scrubbing the water bowls every day. No telling what creepy crawlies find their way in there after a couple sloppy poodles take a less than indelicate slurp.

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  12. Mom washes ours twice a day too
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

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  13. Excellent PSA. Mom is very good about washing our food bowls after we eat with soap and hot water, and she cleans our water bowls the same way at least once a day. It is the only safe and sanitary thing to do.

    Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

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  14. The mom needs to start cleaning our bowls better. Sometimes she just uses her hand and water. Not good!

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  15. I like to have multiple bowls that I can alternate putting in the dishwasher - that's the easiest way to do it! :)
    Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets

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  16. Pawsome topic my furiends.
    My huMom is very vocal about clean bowls & how the influence our health.
    Pawsup!

    Nose nudges,
    CEO Olivia

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