How To Clean Dog Bowls

Food hygiene is really important when it comes to the health and wellbeing of our pets. Making sure your dog’s and cat's food bowls are clean will ensure the food tastes fresh and also stop any build-up of bacteria which could cause health problems such as vomiting. In this blog post we take a look at how often you should wash your pet bowls and dishes as well as how to clean them. Read on for our top tips about keeping your pet feeding bowls clean.   How Often Should You Wash Dog Bowls? [product]Ideally, you should clean your dog’s bowls after each mealtime. It’s okay if you forget every once in a while, but we should really to do our best to keep on top of keeping them clean. Pet bowls can easily build up with germs which can lead to health problems for your dog or cat such as tummy upsets and vomiting. When your pet eats directly from their bowl, bacteria from your pet’s mouth is transferred to any leftovers which can then flourish in the bowl. The longer this is left the more germ ridden the bowl will become. One study actually found that pet bowls are one of the dirtiest things in most homes, coming 4th on a list of top germ-infested items in the home. To stop this happening, we need to ensure they’re cleaned regularly, and that your pet is eating from a clean bowl or dish.   What To Clean Dog Bowls With Your dog’s bowls should be cleaned with warm soapy water and a separate dish cloth or sponge to the one that is used for your other washing up. You should take care to lather and clean thoroughly and then rinse really well. Make sure all the soap has been rinsed fully before drying, ready to use again. It is essential that any food remnants or crumbs are scrubbed from the bowl as it is this food debris which is most likely to carry germs and bacteria.   Is It Safe To Wash Dog Bowls In The Dishwasher? Dog bowls are often safe to be washed in the dishwasher and there should be a mark saying so on the packaging of your particular bowl. Generally, it’s just plastic bowls that aren’t suitable as they could melt in the heat. [product]At Lords & Labradors we have a variety of dishwasher safe dog bowls that are really simple to keep clean. There is a whole range of melamine bowls by Tarhong which have the practicality and break-resistance of plastic, whilst being dishwasher friendly. They come in a fabulous range of designs too with something to suit every taste. [product]We also love the ceramic dog bowls by Scruffs which can be washed in the dishwasher. These bowls have been designed with your dogs in mind, they have versions for flat-faced dogs and long eared dogs. Why Wash Dog Bowls Separately? It’s important to wash your pet bowls separately from your own dishes, to stop any cross contamination. All kinds of bacteria can flourish in pet bowls including salmonella. If this bacteria is transferred on to any of your dishes or kitchen surfaces it can cause illness in humans as well as your pets. Ensuring that bowls are properly cleaned and that no food remnants remain on the dishes is imperative for the health of the whole household.

By Megan Willis