When was the last time you washed your pet place mats and bowls? What about the last time you sanitized them? Unfortunately, many pet owners aren’t aware of how often we should be cleaning our pet place mats and bowls.
Your pets’ eating areas can harbor many germs that can harm both animals and humans. Some of these germs include salmonella, E. coli, mold, parvovirus, and even parasites like Giardia. In fact, studies show that pet bowls and mats are not far behind our dish sponges when it comes to germs. Therefore, to keep everyone safe, be sure you’re cleaning and sanitizing your pet place mats and bowls regularly.
How Often Should You Wash Pet Place Mats and Bowls?
So, how often should you be cleaning pet food mats and bowls? Just like your own dishes, you should be washing food bowls and pet place mats in hot, soapy water after each use. Also, you should clean water bowls the same way every couple of days. Then, let the dishes and mats air dry so you don’t cross contaminate your towels. Remember to disinfect your sink afterwards as well, to prevent spreading bacteria to your family. However, if you feed your pets a raw diet, dishes and food mats are at an even higher risk of making your pets and family sick. Therefore, washing with soap and water won’t do the trick. Instead, you’ll need to sanitize them after every single use.
How Do I Sanitize Food Mats and Bowls?
In addition to regular washing, you also need to sanitize your pet place mats and bowls often. Unless you feed your pets a raw diet, you can sanitize your pet’s food mats and bowls once a week. For bowls and food mats made of hard materials, soak them in a solution of ¼ cup of bleach and 1 gallon of water. Leave them to soak for 10 minutes to ensure you kill all the germs. Let them air dry this way and then wash them either in the dishwasher, if they are dishwasher-safe, or with hot soapy water in your sink. However, if your pet place mats are made of fabric, you’ll likely need to sanitize them by placing them in the washing machine on the highest temperature setting.
At Curtis Wagner Plastics, we manufacture durable, innovative pet products, home products, and floral products. From pet food savers to cork plant mats and clear plant saucers, we offer the highest-quality plastic and cork products for your needs. We make everything in the U.S.A. to ensure the strictest quality standards. Call us today at (713) 937-3784 to place an order or talk to one of our experts. We are here to serve you.