A 60-degree weekend came as a bit of a surprise to us here in State College, but we are hoping you made the most of it by not being too shocked to spend some time in the sun with your pet! It was a great opportunity to ditch the winter coat, the gloves, and the hats and catch some Vitamin D.
The official beginning of Spring is March 19th, and our team here at Wiscoy for Animals has put together a Spring Cleaning Checklist for Pet Parents to make sure everybody is starting off on the right foot (or paw, or hoof, or other). Keep reading to make sure you’ve covered your pet’s bases as we move into spring.
Spring Cleaning Checklist for Pet Parents
Based on personal experience, we’ve had worse winters than this past one in State College, PA. Nonetheless, pets and people are more cooped up in the winter than they would be in the warmer months and as we get into those warmer months, it’s important that we disinfect and prevent the winter bacteria from bugging us into spring. Nobody wants to start spring feeling under the weather. Here’s our Wiscoy for Animals Spring Cleaning Checklist for Pet Parents:
Pet Food Bowls
According to a study conducted by the National Safety Federation, pet food bowls ranked 4th on a list of the germiest household items! When you think about it, this isn’t actually all that surprising. We forgive all of our pet parents that don’t clean their pet’s food bowls as much as they should. Spring is a time of regeneration, regrowth, rebirth, and recharging, so it’s a perfect time to turn over a new leaf and start some positive habits.
It’s a good idea to wash your pet’s bowls just as much as you would wash your own plates, silverware, cookware, and bowls – basically after every meal. They are hotspots for bacteria when they sit out. Your best bet for disinfecting and cleaning pet food bowls is in the dishwasher, or scrubbing by hand with a mild soap and hot water.
Pet Toys
Take a moment to think of your pet’s favorite toy: how long have they had that? How many times have you seen it in your pet’s mouth? How many times have you personally felt it damp from your pet’s saliva? How many times have you refused to touch it due to the same reason?
The same study by the NSF put pet toys at number 10 on their list of germiest items in the house. Here’s a good action plan for you to use for your pet’s chew toys.
Pet Bedding and Blankets
Pet bedding and blankets absolutely deserve a spot on the spring cleaning checklist for pet parents. Depending on how much your pet loves their bedding or blankets, a weekly wash is probably not a bad idea. Imagine this: your dog comes inside after doing happy rolls on the warm grass, ecstatic that they’ve seen the sun for the first time in weeks. Where do they go to nap? How much dirt, dust, pollen, and bacteria will they be bringing into the house? Plenty will accumulate in the areas that your pets lie.
So, let’s get them cleaned! The first way to do this is to vacuum for hair – hair doesn’t do so great in the washing machine. Once you’ve vacuumed or scraped and rubbed off some of the fur stuck to it, throw that stuff into the wash. A mild detergent and hot water will get you the best results.
If you need products, advice, or more resources for cleaning pet bedding, ask an associate at Wiscoy for Animals. We have a handful of cleaning items that are pet-friendly and extremely effective, as well as bedding and blankets if you decide it’s time for the current iteration to go.
By the way, if you’re looking to get new bedding and blankets and your current items are still passable, local rescues and shelters would be grateful for your donation. We would be happy to help you pick out a few of our favorite organizations.
Pet Collar
Last but not least, the pet collar is a piece of your pet’s life that often gets overlooked for cleaning. This isn’t great because out of all of these items it has the most contact with your pet! Its consistent proximity to your pet’s neck can cause rashes, irritation, hot spots, gunky buildup, or other reactions along those lines.
Our recommendation? Soak the collar in hot, soapy water for about 15 minutes – use pet shampoo to prevent any irritation or reactions! For the best dog and cat shampoos, visit your local pet supplies store Wiscoy for Animals and ask for an associate and we’d be happy to assist you. Once it’s washed, air dry the collar. This might take a few hours depending on what material your collar is, so you can do it overnight, after a long walk, or if you have a spare then anytime you’d like!
Spring Cleaning Checklist for Pet Parents Conclusion
Don’t forget about the litter boxes if you’re a cat owner! That’s an easy place for bacteria to build up and in some cases might require a strong hose-down. The Wiscoy for Animals Spring Cleaning Checklist for Pet Parents concludes with a request that you put your pet’s health equal to your own! If you’ll be conducting some spring cleaning for yourself, don’t forget to clean your pet’s bowls, toys, bedding, and collars.
For any additional products, resources, assistance, or otherwise, feel free to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members.