A 60-degree weekend came as a bit of a surprise to us here in southeast Michigan, but we are hoping you made the most of it by not being too shocked to take your pet for a walk in the sun! On a personal note, we ditched our winter coats, hats, and gloves and organized a neighborhood doggie playdate. It was a grand old time.
With the official beginning of spring set for March 19th, it really is just around the corner! We’ve put together a quick spring cleaning checklist for pet parents to make sure that not only you but your pets are benefiting from the renewal, regrowth, regeneration, and recharge of spring’s timely arrival.
Spring Cleaning Checklist
for Pet Parents
With pets and people more cooped up in their homes than normal during the cold Michigan winter, it’s important that we aren’t dragging some of those winter pathogens, bacteria, and bugs into warmer months. Keep reading to know about the Wags to Wiskers Pet Supplies spring cleaning checklist for pet parents:
Pet Food Bowls
A study by the National Safety Federation has found that pet food bowls are the fourth germiest item in the house - gross!! It’s okay to admit that most of us probably don’t clean our pet food bowls as much as we should. As pet parents, it would be a real shock if they refused to eat based on the presence of last meal’s remains stuck to the bowl.
Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to wash your pet’s bowls as much as you would wash your own plates and bowls - that is, every day or after every meal! Bacteria like to grow in areas that have food, slobber, and heat, and despite the robust immune systems of our domesticized pets, it’s better safe than sorry.
You can throw many food bowls in with the dishwasher, or you can use a mild soap and water mixture to scrub them yourself.
Pet Toys
If your pets are like our pets, there is probably a significant amount of dried, layered, possibly crusted saliva and who knows what on their chew toys - gross!! The same study by the NSF put toys at number 10 on their list of germiest household items. Here’s your plan of action:
Rubber toys - these can go in the dishwasher
Furry or cottony toys - you can handwash these, or even throw some of them in laundry washing machine. Be sure to use a detergent that is not going to negatively react with your dog, and remember that they’ll be putting this item back in their mouth.
Toys that look like they’ve seen better days? Stop by your local Wags to Wiskers Pet Supplies stores in the Ann Arbor, MI area (2270 W. Stadium Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103), the Chelsea, MI area (1192 S. Main St, Chelsea, MI, 48118), or the Ludington, MI area (4815 W. US-10, Ludington, MI, 49431) to pick up some new toys! We have plenty of dog toys and cat toys of all shapes, sorts, sizes, and styles.
Feel free to ask an associate for assistance or recommendations based on how your pet likes to play with their toys!
Pet Bedding and Blankets
Next on the spring cleaning checklist for pet parents is pet bedding and blankets. It wouldn’t hurt to get these washed every week or so, depending on the amount of usage they get. If your pet gets tired out after a sunny afternoon of romping in the back yard, where are they going to lie down? What kinds of dirt, dust, and bacteria will they be dragging in and leaving on their bedding?
First step to cleaning your pet bedding and blankets is to vacuum or scrape off some of the hair. At Wags to Wiskers Pet Supplies, we have some products and tools that can help you out with these as it can sometimes be a challenge. Second, throw that bedding and blanket into the wash! Again, use a mild detergent and hot water.
And if you want some more bedding, your local Wags to Wiskers Pet Supplies store will have it! We’d be more than happy to help you pick one out.
Pet Collar
This often gets overlooked, and partly for that reason makes the pet collar a prime candidate for our spring cleaning checklist for pet parents. The collar is rarely washed in the first place (oh, we know!) and due to it’s consistent proximity to one area of your pet’s skin can play a factor in causing hot spots, gunky buildup, flaky skin, or other similar reactions.
We recommend taking the collar off and soaking it in hot, soapy water (pet shampoo to prevent skin irritation) for about 15 minutes before letting it air dry. It might take a few hours to dry depending on the type of collar, so give yourself and your pet some time. It might be ideal to do this after a long spring walk or overnight. If you can’t do that, it’s never a bad idea to have a backup collar!
If you are looking for pet collars, pet shampoo, or other pet supplies near you, just visit your local Wags to Wiskers Pet Supplies - now 3 locations to serve you better! Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and Ludington.
Spring Cleaning Checklist for Pet Parents
Conclusion
If you’re a cat owner, don’t forget to clean out the litter box! That ought to be second-nature by now, but we’re here to help you! If you’re going to be working hard on some spring cleaning for the house, don’t forget about taking care of it for your pets! They surely won’t speak up, they might not even notice whatsoever, but you’ll be doing your part to keep them happy and healthy. Make sure their bowls, bedding, toys, and collars are clean and you should be good to go!
For any additional products, resources, assistance, or otherwise, feel free to speak with one of our knowledgable staff members.