Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Washing the bowls by hand
• Method 2 of 3: Cleaning the bowls in the dishwasher
• Method 3 of 3: Basic Rules for Cleaning Dog Bowls
• Tips
• Warnings
• Additional articles

Do you keep your pet's bowls clean? Even if your dog is not particularly neat and loves to mess around in the mud, it is imperative to keep his drinking and food bowls clean. Cleaning the bowls on time will prevent the growth of bacteria that can make your pet sick. In addition, it will be much more pleasant for the animal to eat and drink from clean dishes!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Washing the bowls by hand

1. 1 Choose a mild detergent. If you'd rather wash your dog's food and water bowls by hand rather than using the dishwasher, use a mild, non-toxic dishwashing detergent. If you are unsure if a product is really gentle, check the label that says the product is gentle on your hands. If the detergent is gentle enough on the skin of your hands, it is also suitable for washing dog bowls.
   • Organic detergents are more expensive, but less likely to contain toxic ingredients.
   • Harsh detergents and bleaches are toxic to dogs.
   • Harsh detergents can also damage stainless steel dishes, causing them to rust.
   • You can also make your own detergent by mixing equal proportions of baking soda, warm water, and table salt.
2. 2 Choose a location where you will clean your pet's dishes. It is not recommended to wash dog bowls in the bathtub or kitchen sink as this can lead to contamination. Bacteria from the mouth of the animal or its food can remain on the bowls, and it is possible that later they will get on the dishes that you and your family use. In view of this, it is best to wash your dog's dishes in the sink in the bathroom or in a large basin.
   • If you do decide to wash your dog's bowls in the kitchen sink, then disinfect it afterwards.
3. 3 Wash the water and feed bowls by hand. To do this, use a cloth or dishwashing sponge. Use this rag or sponge only for washing dog bowls. Run hot (but not too hot, so as not to burn) water. Gloves can be worn to protect your hands from hot water.
   • Use a cloth or sponge to wash the bowls inside and out in a circular motion.
   • Pay particular attention to areas with hardened food debris.
4. 4 Disinfect food and water bowls. With hot water and a mild detergent, you can easily clean dog dishes. However, a thin, sticky biofilm may remain in the bowls. This film is a combination of bacteria, algae and fungi that can make an animal sick if swallowed. To get rid of the biofilm and the harmful microorganisms it contains, scrub the bowls and disinfect them.
   • Biofilm is difficult to remove due to its sticky and sticky structure. Baking soda is a good homemade abrasive.
   • To sanitize bowls after wiping, add one tablespoon of bleach to 4 liters of water. Pour this solution into bowls and wait about two minutes, then rinse them. Disinfect the outer surface of the dishes as well.
   • To thoroughly clean your pet's bowls, it is best to wash and disinfect them, and not be limited to just one of these two procedures.
5. 5 Rinse thoroughly and dry the bowls completely. Your dog can get sick if he swallows any remaining detergent, so rinse the bowls thoroughly in water. You can then wipe them with paper towels or air dry.
   • After you sanitize the bowls, rinse them thoroughly to remove any bleach residue.
   • If you wipe the dog's dishes with a rag towel, then use this towel only for these purposes.
6. 6 Disinfect the sink. If you've washed your bowls in your kitchen sink, you should disinfect it with a mild bleach solution (one tablespoon to 4 liters of water) before using it for any other purpose. Plug the drain plug and fill the sink with bleach solution. Wait about five minutes, then remove the plug and drain the water. Then rinse the sink with water and let it dry.

Method 2 of 3: Cleaning the bowls in the dishwasher

1. 1 Place the dog food and water bowls in the dishwasher. It is best to wash your pet's dishes in the dishwasher as it exposes them to enough hot water (60 degrees Celsius) to remove and kill bacteria. Plus, the dishwasher is handy if you don't have enough time to wash the bowls by hand.
   • Even if you wear gloves, it is unlikely that you can handle water as hot as in the dishwasher.
2. 2 Try to wash your dog bowls separately from other dishes. To avoid contaminating other dishes, it is advisable to wash your pet's bowls separately. In this case, it is convenient to have several bowls for the dog so that you can wash them every few days. It is impractical to run the dishwasher for the sake of cleaning 1 or 2 bowls.
3. 3 You can wash your pet's bowls along with the rest of the dishes. The thought of washing dog dishes along with your plates and cups can make you feel squeamish at first. However, it is quite normal if your dishwasher has a "sanitize" function. This function effectively removes and kills all bacteria, so your dishes will not get dirty.
   • If you don't want to mix your dishes and your dog's, wash them separately.
   • Regardless of whether you wash all dishes together or separately, set the maximum water temperature.

Method 3 of 3: Basic Rules for Cleaning Dog Bowls

1. 1 Clean your dog's bowls daily. This is necessary to keep your pet healthy. Depending on what you feed him, you may need to clean the bowls several times throughout the day. For example, if you only feed your dog liquid food, combine liquid and dry food, or feed him natural foods, you should empty the food bowl after each meal.
   • If you only feed your pet dry food, cleaning the food bowl once a day is sufficient.
   • If your dog lives in the yard, or if several dogs use the same water bowl, you should clean this bowl several times a day.
   • If your dog's food and water bowls are getting too sticky, consider washing the food bowl after each meal and the water bowl twice a day.
   • Food and water bowls can also collect saliva, dust, and other debris. In addition to the fact that this can make your pet sick, he may even refuse to eat or drink from too dirty dishes.
2. 2 Check the food and water bowls for scratches. Not every dish can withstand frequent washing. Over time, bowls can develop scratches, which provide a convenient breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria. When washing dog dishes, check for scratches.
   • Replace scratched bowls with new ones.
   • The stainless steel and porcelain bowls are very durable and tolerate frequent washing.
   • Ceramic and plastic dishes are inferior because they have pores in which bacteria can accumulate. In addition, plastic dishes are easily scratched.
3. 3 Clean up the area around the dog's food and water bowls. Keeping the bowls clean is not enough - site around eating places should also be clean. To clean the floor around the bowls, mix 1: 1 vinegar and water and wipe the floor with this solution every few days.You can also place a rubber mat under the bowls so that splashed water and food falls onto the mat.
   • Wipe or wash the rug every day to keep it clean and free of bacteria.

Tips

• If you have small children, make sure they do not play with dirty dog ​​food and drink bowls. Bacteria in these bowls can make your child sick.
• Homemade bleach in water is only effective for 24 hours. Prepare as much solution as you need in the next 24 hours.

Warnings

• Dog saliva and food may contain colibacillus and salmonella. These bacteria can cause disease in you and your family.
• The biofilm that covers dirty bowls contains harmful bacteria such as Escherichia colilisteria and legionella.

Additional articles

How to tame a stray cat or dog How to avoid foods that are hazardous to your dog How to get your dog to drink water How to add fiber to your dog's diet How to get your dog to eat slower How to tell if your dog is allergic to food How to get your dog to eat dry food How to determine the age of a puppy How to put a dog to sleep How to make your dog love you How to calm your dog How to understand that a dog's labor is over How to make friends with a cat and a dog How to massage a dog