You Should Be Washing Your Dog’s Food Bowl Once A Day, And Here’s Why
After eating eggs for breakfast or steak for dinner, would you ever put your dirty plate back in the cabinet and use it for your next meal?
Of course not! Whether you wash dishes by hand or plop them in the dishwasher, it’s well known that sanitizing dishware is important for eliminating germs and bacteria to prevent the spread of illness. So, why should your dog’s bowl be treated any differently?
Why You Need To Wash Your Dog’s Bowl (And How Often)
No matter if you have a large dog or a tiny pup, all canines tend to be messy eaters. They might spill food or drool on their bowl. Not to mention, their mouths contain bacteria that, when combined with leftover food and moisture, create a perfect breeding ground for harmful germs.
Even if your furry friend’s bowls look clean, ignoring proper food handling and hygiene guidelines can lead to contamination and increase the risk of infection for both you and your dog.
That’s why it’s recommended that pet owners wash their dog’s food and water bowls with hot, soapy water once a day to prevent the accumulation of biofilm and food residue.
The easiest way to ensure this task gets completed is by having two sets of bowls. While you clean one in the dishwasher, your dog can still eat and drink out of the other set.
We know that, for some pet parents, this might seem like overkill. However, remember that any leftover food in your dog’s bowl can attract pests and lead to the growth of salmonella and E. coli. Over time, this can result in foul odors and even food poisoning.
And in case you need any further convincing, according to the National Sanitation Foundation, pet bowls rank as the fourth germiest spot in our homes! Washing pet bowls by hand has also been proven to result in higher bacterial contamination compared to using a dishwasher.
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So, if you opt to handwash each day, you should use bleach diluted with water to disinfect the bowl on a weekly basis. All you have to do is let the bowl soak in this solution for 10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing it.
Other guidelines recommended by the FDA to keep your pup safe include washing your hands both before and after handling any of their food, cleaning kibble scoopers following every use, and properly disposing of expired or soiled food.
Now, you may be looking at your dog’s food bowl right now and realizing it looks a bit sad, with old food particles or residue stuck to the inside. You can try soaking it in hot water with soap for 10 to 15 minutes or mix water and baking soda to form a scrubbing paste.
If the dirty bowl is still putting up a fight, or you just want to start fresh, stainless steel bowls are the way to go. They are dishwasher safe, and since they’re nonporous, they don’t cling to bacteria and odors like plastic dishware. Otherwise, non-toxic ceramic bowls are fine alternatives. Just keep in mind that they are not always dishwasher-safe.
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