Here’s How Often Your Pet’s Food Bowl Should Be Cleaned – LifeSavvy

As pet owners, we usually have set times for most things, like when our fur babies eat or go to the bathroom. But one thing many of us don’t know for sure is how often we should clean our pet’s food and water bowls (and it’s more often than you might think).

Did you know that your pet’s food bowls should be cleaned with soap and water after every meal?

Veterinarian Katie Malensek said Soft washing them after each use is ideal as dried food particles and saliva contain bacteria which can multiply without proper cleaning. Just as we clean our own plates after eating, Malensek said, we should do the same for our pets.

As for the water bowls, these must be cleaned once a day.

Commonly found in our pets’ food and water bowls are Salmonella, E. coli, algae, and mold, which are harmful to everyone in the home, not just our pets.

In fact, the National Sanitation Foundation ranked pet bowls as the fourth most sprouted item in the home, after the kitchen sponge, sink and toothbrush holder. They recommend running the bowls through the dishwasher or scrubbing them thoroughly with hot, soapy water.

It makes sense, right? Imagine making a plate of food and grabbing a dirty, used dish. We know this might have been news to you, so the next time you go wash your dog’s bowl, don’t forget to rub his belly as an apology (he’s probably already forgiven you, however).