Your pets have a lot of gear, and it’s important to keep those items clean and free of germs. While all living things carry bacteria and other microorganisms on them, the ones that grow in litter boxes, on food dishes and on other pet supplies can cause illness.
It’s easy to overlook cleaning these items until the filth is too horrible to ignore any longer, but these items actually need to be cleaned regularly. So, how do you clean pet supplies?
Why It’s Important to Regularly Clean Pet Items
Dogs and cats come in contact with and even consume some fairly nasty things. While many types of bacteria aren’t harmful and could be beneficial in some instances, others can make your pet seriously ill.
As is true with other items in your home, pet supplies must be cleaned regularly to prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria and other germs.
How to Clean and Disinfect Pet Supplies
The most obvious things that you might think to clean are those with visible dirt or unpleasant smells. However, even things like toenail clippers, leashes and other pet items should be cleaned regularly.
Food and Water Bowls
If you feed your pet wet food, the food bowl needs to be cleaned on a daily basis. For dry food bowls and water bowls, a weekly cleaning will suffice. The easiest way to clean your pet’s dishes is by running them through the dishwasher.
Toys
Both hard and soft pet toys need to be cleaned at least monthly. Most hard toys can be cleaned in the sink using warm water and dish soap.
Soft toys can usually be laundered in the washing machine. However, always refer to the product’s label or care instructions before washing it.
Beds and Blankets
Does your pet sleep on the bed with you? Is there a special blanket or pet bed that he or she curls up on? These special places can get filthy with pet hair, dander, dirt tracked in from the outdoors and more. Any place that your pet sleeps or sits on regularly needs to be cleaned regularly.
Check the labor for care instructions. Many, but not all, products can be laundered in the machine. However, if the item is covered in pet fur, shake out the hair or use a vacuum to avoid clogging your machine.
Collars, Leashes, and Harnesses
Collars, leashes and harnesses may not go in your pet’s mouth, but they can get filthy on your pet and while outdoors. Wash your pet’s collar weekly. This is easy to do by simply tossing it in the washing machine with your pet’s other items.
Wash leather collars, leashes and harnesses by hand using hot water and pet shampoo. Leashes and harnesses can be laundered monthly. However, if you know they’ve been exposed to feces, urine or other contaminants, wash them as soon as possible.
Grooming Tools
After each use, remove loose pet hair from brushes and combs. On a monthly basis, soak the items in a bowl of warm water and white vinegar for 20 minutes to kill germs. Use a small brush to clean the items before rinsing them off.
Clippers should be cleaned after each use according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Often, wiping the parts down with rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth is suitable.
Litter Boxes, Carriers, and Crates
Pet litter boxes need to be scooped daily. Depending on if your cat spends time outdoors and how many cats share the litter box, you may need to replace the litter once every week or two. When you do, clean the litter box with soap and water.
Allow it to air dry completely before replacing the litter. Pet carriers and crates are used daily in some homes and once in a blue moon in others. For daily use, clean these items weekly. For occasional use, clean them both before and after each use.
When you share your home with pets, it’s important to be conscious of the cleaning products and chemicals that you use. At Tidyhere, we make it easy to provide your family and pets with a clean, healthy living environment. To learn more about our eco friendly cleaning in Boston and to schedule service, call our friendly team today.
