Cleaning and Disinfecting your Pet Supplies

Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Pet Supplies 

At Ashworth Road Animal Hospital, we're here to provide help for IA residents of West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, Clive, Urbandale, and the surrounding areas. One of the many things we do to help residents is educate them on best practices to keep their pet's living spaces sanitary and healthy! Pet infections and pet diseases can easily be spread through dirty pet supplies. For better pet care, read on below to find out more about properly sanitizing and disinfecting your pet supplies.

Disinfecting Food Bowls

Our veterinarian recommends cleaning and disinfecting pet bowls every day to ensure there are no bacteria or germs present. Start by scrubbing the bowl with warm, soapy water and a clean washcloth. Afterwards, rinse it with hot water and towel dry. Then mix one teaspoon of bleach for every quart of water in a separate container. Once mixed, submerge the bowl in the solution and let it soak for a few minutes. Rinse with hot water after this is done and you're set!

Sanitizing Pet Beds

Washing pet beds every couple of weeks can help keep your pet healthy and prevent skin allergies, infections, and parasites. To begin, machine wash the bed with warm or cold water according to your bed's instructions. Use a mild detergent and make sure to select the gentle cycle on your washing machine. After this is done, dry the bed on a low-heat setting so the fabric won’t shrink or become damaged. Our veterinary care team also recommends air drying, if possible, to prevent shrinkage.

Disinfecting Pet Toys

Pet toys should be cleaned often, since they can easily collect bacteria, feces, and other germs from your pet's mouth. Start by wiping the toy with a damp cloth or running it through a dishwasher cycle. To really disinfect the surface, use a 10% bleach solution and let it sit for several minutes before rinsing off with warm water. It’s also important to throw away any pet toys that are cracked, ripped, or broken, as these can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

Follow Our Animal Hospital Advice Today

At Ashworth Road Animal Hospital, we want to ensure you have the information and resources needed to keep your family's pets as healthy and safe as possible. By following the tips above, you can help reduce the spread of germs and keep your pet healthy!