Do I Need to Clean My Dog’s Food & Water Bowls? YES!!
Unfortunately, many do not understand the importance of properly cleaning their dog’s food and water bowls. How often do you clean your dog’s bowls? If this was something that you had to think long and hard about, there was no need to worry. We will inspire you to start cleaning bowls more often.
Why do you need to clean your dog’s food and water bowls? The answer is simple – the health of your dog is at risk. Did you know that the microbes from your dog’s saliva can be transferred to your dog’s bowl, creating an area for bacteria growth? We are talking about bacteria like Salmonella, Bacillus, Neisseria, Enterobacteria, and Staphylococcus aureus.
A study by NSF International discovered that pet food dishes are the 4th germiest product in the average home. We thoroughly researched how often you should wash your dog’s bowl. See our results below:
- Dog bowl with dry food – after the final meal of the day
- Dog bowl with wet food – after every meal
- Dog bowl with water – once per day unless multiple dogs are using the same bowl. In this case, plan to wash and sanitize every 1 to 2 hours.
- Don’t forget about the dog mat – clean it daily
We understand that this may seem excessive, but your dog’s health is at risk once again! The good news is that there are multiple ways that you can clean dog bowls. You can hand wash them with soap and water or use a dishwasher with a heated dry setting. Make the health and safety of your dog a top priority by following our steps for cleaning bowls.
