You probably refill your pet’s food and water bowls a couple of times a day, but how often are you giving these dishes a thorough scrub? Experts say you likely aren’t cleaning these as often as you should.
“Just as we wash our own dishes to avoid infection, we should wash pet dishes regularly,” says Jennifer Trees, D.V.M., medical director of Corona Del Mar Animal Hospital in Corona Del Mar, California.
But routine cleaning of pet bowls is often overlooked, adds Thomas Dock, a certified veterinary journalist and director of communications at Noah’s Animal Hospitals in Indianapolis. A 2022 survey of more than 400 dog parents published in PLOS One found that 22% washed their pet’s dish weekly on average, 12% washed them at least daily, and 18% said they washed the bowls less than every three months or not at all.
“Just like us, our pets naturally carry bacteria, and these bacteria are often shed all around the house,” says Dock.
Here’s what to know about how often you should clean your pet’s food and water bowls, why it’s necessary, and how to clean and disinfect them properly.
What are the dangers of not washing pet bowls frequently enough?
Pet bowls were found to be one of the germiest places in a home, according to a 2011 study by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), which found the items to be contaminated with yeast, mold, salmonella, and E. coli. Bowls can also be a source of listeria, Campylobacter, and other harmful bacteria, adds Dock.
“Pets' bowls are a great breeding ground for bacteria because they are often moist, get new food sources, such as kibble crumbs or leftover canned food bits, and sit at a pretty comfortable room temperature,” he says.
Without routine cleaning, a slimy bacterial biofilm can form on the bowl’s surface. The biofilm is composed of a “community of microorganisms,” such as bacteria and yeast, along with food debris, according to the American Kennel Club. Removing the biofilm through cleaning could prevent illness.
Will these germs make your pet sick?
Most of the bacteria found in your pet’s food bowl likely won’t cause illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This is particularly true for healthy adult animals, but these pets could transfer the harmful germs to humans or other pets in the household, warns Dock. He explains that young animals or pets who are immunocompromised may be at a higher risk for illness if they come into contact with harmful organisms.
But any bacteria or germ on a pet’s food bowl has the potential to make them sick, says Dr. Trees. They can particularly cause gastrointestinal problems, similar to food poisoning, she explains.
How often should you wash your pet’s food bowl?
“Daily is ideal,” says Dr. Trees.
The CDC recommends cleaning food bowls after every use if you feed your pet wet food and every day for dry food and water. However, if your pet is sick, their food bowls should be cleaned and disinfected more frequently.
“A good protocol is to consider cleaning your pet's bowls daily with a mild dish soap and then disinfecting them once weekly,” says Dock.
Cleaning refers to removing bits of food, dirt, and germs from the surface, using soap and water, according to the CDC. Cleaning pet bowls should happen before you disinfect them, says Dock. Disinfecting refers to using bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or other substances to kill germs, he adds.
What’s the best way to wash your pet’s food bowl?
Follow any specific cleaning directions on your particular bowl, but otherwise handwashing will work. Specifically, the CDC points to the follow steps:
1. Use soap or detergent and warm water to scrub the bowl with a sponge or brush.
2. Rinse it well to remove dirt, debris, and soapy water.
3. Dry it with a clean towel or leave to air dry.
If you wash pet bowls daily, disinfecting it is not always necessary, says Dr. Trees. However, if you choose to disinfect it, use a wipe or spray, suggests the CDC. You can also soak it in a bleach solution made of 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water for about a minute once a week, according to the NSF.
“The dishwasher is another effective method of disinfecting pet bowls when used on the sterilization cycle,” says Dock. Just verify that your particular bowl is dishwasher-safe before running a cycle.
Overall, washing pet bowls is “just like you wash your own dishes: soap, warm water and run through the dishwasher if it’s safe to do so,” says Dr. Trees. It’s really as simple as that.
