How to get rid of biofilm in dog water bowl

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 30, 2024

Contributions sourced from

BioFilm on Pet Bowls What it is and How to Clean

Have you ever wondered about that slimy coating in your pets water bowl? Here in Arizona, its especially important to keep these bowls clean or you could wind up with a lot of hard water toxins and a nasty thing called biofilm.

What is Biofilm?

Biofilm is a collection of good and bad bacteria along with lots of inorganic microorganisms. This combination of living organisms settles on the bottom and sides of your pets water bowl, creating a sticky, slimy film.

Biofilm can appear in a wide variety of colors and designs, and its not something you want to see in your pets bowl. Biofilm in pet bowls refers to a thin, slimy layer of microorganisms, including bacteria, that can develop on the surface of the bowl over time. It is a common issue and can lead to potential health risks for pets if not properly managed.

Where is Biofilm in Pet Bowls Most Common?

Biofilm can develop in any type of pet bowl, whether its made of plastic, stainless steel, ceramic, or other materials. It tends to thrive in moist and nutrient-rich environments, making pet bowls, which often have food remnants and water residue, an ideal breeding ground for biofilm.

In Arizona, biofilm often includes a special addition of hard water minerals and salts that can add to the problem. This accumulation of salts and minerals from our water looks like a white line along the side of your pets water bowl.

When combined with biofilm, it can create health problems for your pets.

Causes of Biofilm

Several factors contribute to the formation of biofilm in pet bowls. From the water quality to your pets dental health, the reasons why they can occur are

Residual Food and Water

Leftover food particles and standing water in bowls provide nutrients for microorganisms to grow.

Irregular Cleaning

Inadequate or irregular cleaning of pet bowls allows bacteria to accumulate and form biofilm.

Material of the Bowl

Certain materials may have microscopic scratches or pores where bacteria can adhere and multiply.

Dental Health

When Brock and Bree were in our lives, we rarely had issues with biofilm developing on the dog fountains. However, Maya already appears to have a few dental issues, which we are keeping an eye on. In the meantime, between dental chews and regular brushing, we add a water-film supplement designed to decrease the occurrence of biofilm in her bowls.

We are always on the lookout for effective supplements, and this one seems to work. These Pet Water Drops do seem to decrease the amount of biofilm on our pet fountains, while also contributing to better dental health.

Is Biofilm on Pet Bowls Really Bad?

Nothing is 100% good or bad, but in the case of biofilm, there is more bad than good. Not only does it create the perfect environment for dangerous bacteria like Listeria, E. coli, Legionella, and even Leptospirosis it also makes your pet not want to drink their water.

In Arizona, a pet that refuses to drink their water is already in a very dangerous situation. Water is life in the desert and its important to do all you can to encourage your pet to drink as much as they can. This is most easily accomplished by keeping water bowls very clean, incorporating pet fountains (these really encourage pets to drink by mimicking moving water in nature) and ensuring that you keep your fountains clean.

How to Remove Biofilm from Pet Bowls

Biofilm is not something that can be rinsed out. In order to effectively remove the slick mess, youll need to scrub the bowls or pet fountains with warm, soapy water.

Its suggested that you do a thorough cleaning each week, but if youre seeing this film develop quickly, you may need to wash bowls daily.

How to Avoid Biofilm in Pet Bowls

There is no real way to avoid this accumulation. Unfortunately, our pets mouths just naturally excrete chemicals that create a perfect recipe for biofilm. However, using the proper dishes and/or a pet fountain can help you avoid the worst of it.

Rotate Bowls

Have multiple sets of bowls and rotate them to ensure that one set can be thoroughly cleaned and dried while the others are in use.

Clean and Disinfect Regularly

Periodically disinfect pet bowls by soaking them in a mild bleach solution (follow dilution instructions) or using pet-safe disinfectants

Choose the Proper Materials

When selecting a pet bowl, its best to avoid plastic. Plastic can create acne on your dogs and cats chins, which can become also become a health problem. Opt for smooth, non-porous bowl materials like stainless steel or glass that are less prone to microscopic scratches and provide fewer opportunities for bacteria to cling. Stainless steel or ceramic bowls are also an excellent option (and can help your pet avoid plastic-related chin acne). For water bowls, it helps dramatically to use a pet fountain.

Fountain-type bowls keep the water moving and filtered. For our pets, this is especially important. Not only do they improve water intake (pets love drinking out of moving water), they also help keep biofilm at bay.

Avoid Plastic Bowls or Fountains

When choosing a fountain, read the reviews. The fountain should be easy to clean and simple to change out filters. One of the better known fountains is from Drinkwells pet fountains (Drinkwells is now a subsidiary of PetSafe).

There are also water bubblers if your pet tends to avoid streams of water. We love the newest stainless steel bubbler from CatIt!

But, there are many different types of fountains and its best to choose one that your pets love even if it doesnt meet every protocol for cleaning. The fountain shown below contains a UV filter that helps purify the water and inhibit the growth of biofilm.

Whether you choose bowls or fountains for your pets, its critical that they have 24-hour access to clean water. The Sonoran desert is unforgiving and if your pets decrease their water consumption, it can quickly lead to expensive and often tragic issues with their kidneys and liver.

Water helps keep your pets cool and gives them the resources they need to survive in our desert environment!

Biofilm: The Common Slime Thats Poisoning Your Pets & Family

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What is Biofilm?

As pet owners, weve all come across that unpleasant, slimy mess and foul odor that accumulates in our furry friends food and water bowls.

This build-up is known as bacterial biofilm, and it forms when bacteria cling to your pets dishes and release a sticky substance that adheres to various surfaces like plastic, stainless steel, ceramics, glass, and more.

Biofilm can appear in a range of colors, such as red, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, brown, or even be colorless or black. Moreover, it produces a putrid smell that greatly bothers our pets. Keep in mind that many types of pets have a sense of smell thats 14 times more powerful (or even more!) than ours.

So, lets tackle the biofilm problem in your home and ensure that your pets enjoy their meals without any unpleasant surprises.

Biofilm Can Cause Life-Threatening Conditions and Can Contain:

Serratia marcescens (thats the the pink film you see in bowls, on shower curtains, in toilet bowls and other wet areas)
E.coli
Salmonella
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Candida albicans
Clostridium difficile (the most common cause of human GI infection and a growing epidemic)
Clostridium perfringens
H. pylori (causes human stomach ulcers and gastritis)
Listeria monocytogenes
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Vibrio cholerae (some strains cause the disease cholera)
Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease)
And many more (including those causing diverse chronic, debilitating human illnesses)

What are the Risks to Humans?

In humans, infectious processes in which biofilms have been implicated include common problems such as bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear and sinus infections, formation of dental plaque, gingivitis, coating contact lenses, and less common but more lethal processes such as endocarditis, infections in cystic fibrosis, and infections of permanent in-dwelling devices such as joint prostheses and heart valves.

Whether from our animals bowls, or from places all over our home, biofilms are a constant hazard to our health.

Imagine your child touching or playing with the pets bowl or toys, then putting their fingers in their mouth? YUCK!

Family members with certain types of medical conditions or implants or with weakened immune systems are also vulnerable to the organisms living in biofilm on our pets bowls and toys.

Biofilm Present in the Human Body:

Prevents the full absorption of nutrients across the intestinal wall.
Protects disease-causing microorganisms from the immune system.
Protects disease-causing microorganisms from antibiotics and antifungals (both herbal and pharmaceutical-grade).
Promotes inflammation.
Contains heavy metals such as copper, lead, and nickel

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 60% of all human infections and 80% of refractory infections (unresponsive to medical treatment) are attributable to biofilm colonies.

Common Places for Biofilm Around Your Home Include:

Remote controls, cell phones, lamps, door knobs, reading glasses, tools
Toilets, showerheads, toothbrushes, and shower curtains
Kitchen sink drains and plugs, sponges
Cutting boards, silverware, coffee pots, water bottles
Toys, rattles, baby bottles, pacifiers
Spas and hot tubs
Teeth, skin, catheters, sinuses, implants

What are the Risks to Pets?

That dangerous biofilm found on your pets bowls consists primarily of algae, bacteria, and fungi. These unwanted guests originate from things your pet licks or consumes while exploring outside or in the yard.

Additionally, the biofilm may contain traces of fecal matter, food particles, and various other contaminants.

The risks cant be ignored:

Periodontal diseases are the number one health problem in small animals. By just two years of age, 70% of cats and 80% of dogs have some form of periodontal diseases.
The bacteria responsible for biofilm formation contribute to the development of dental plaque, which in turn leads to the formation of dental calculus, periodontal diseases, dental cavities, and even systemic illnesses.
Biofilm bacteria can also cause systemic inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, urinary tract infections and chronic kidney disease (especially in cats).

Biofilms are complex microbial communities that adhere to surfaces and each other through a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS).

This EPS, primarily composed of polysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, provides structural support and creates a protective barrier, making biofilm-based bacteria and fungi particularly resistant to environmental threats like cleaning agents and antimicrobials.

Environmental Factors in Biofilm Formation

Biofilm formation is also influenced by environmental factors like:

how much food and water is available
how hot or cold the temperature is, and
what materials the pets bowls and supplies are made from

Even the tiny organisms within the biofilm can affect how quickly it grows and how tough it is.

Thats why its really important to clean your pets bowls regularly and thoroughly in order to control the growth of biofilm and keep your pets healthy.

This isnt limited to dog and cat dishesbiofilm can form on pet bowls for parrots, rodents, reptiles and any others who rely on a bowl, dish or bottle for food and water. This also applies to pet cages and enclosures.

How to Protect Your Pets & Prevent Biofilm Build-Up

Go to the Source! Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Pets Enclosures, Bowls & Fountains

A study conducted by National Science Foundation International looked into the most common places in peoples homes for toxic biofilm to build up. In the top five nastiest areas were pet food and water bowls, pet toys, and enclosures.

Provide Clean Bowls & Dishes at Every Feeding

First things first: clean the bowls! If you feed your pets kibble, seeds, or other dry forms of food, its not sanitary to simply keep refilling the bowl. Using a fresh bowl for each meal is essential.

Oils from the food and the pets saliva mix to create a particularly gruesome biofilm, in addition to the oil going rancid. One of the many causes of cancer in pets and humans has been linked to rancid oils.

Consider products like these when researching what kind of pet food bowls, water bowls or fountains to use:

Automated Pet Feeders: Automated feeders like the PetSafe Simply Feed Automatic Feeder ensure clean and fresh food at every serving, reducing the chance for biofilm buildup.

Pet Fountains with Filters: Pet water fountains with replaceable filters can help reduce biofilm buildup by providing clean, fresh water constantly.

The PetSafe brand offers the tried and true, dishwasher-safe DrinkWell Water Fountain and also the Creekside Ceramic Pet Fountain, both excellent for providing clean water for your pets.

Durable Glass or Ceramic Pet Bowls: These are especially useful, as you can easily see dirt, slime, sediment, and mold. They are easier to clean and less likely to harbor bacteria compared to plastic bowls. Plastic bowls absorb odors, grease, saliva, and old food particles and are difficult to keep truly clean.

Brands like Luminarc Glass Bowls and Bone Dry Pet Bowls offer high-quality bowls. Clear glass Pyrex bowls or white, Corningware-type bowls are also ideal to use as pet bowls.

Dishwasher-Safe Stainless Steel Bowls: Stainless Steel Pet Bowls can endure high-temperature washing, effectively eliminating biofilm.

What About Pet Toys? Yup, Theyre Covered in Biofilm, Too!

Pet toys are a particularly odious source of biofilm and bacteria.

You can run hard toys through the dishwasher on highest heat or clean and sanitize them with products formulated to address biofilm prevention. Soft toys can be washed on the highest temperature setting.

All household members should wash their hands after playing with pets and their toys, especially before meals or food preparation.

Here are a few high-quality cleaning and disinfecting products to consider:

Pet Toy Cleaning Solutions: Specific cleaning solutions for pet toys, collars, leashes etc like PlayClean MultiPurpose Cleaning Solution for Dogs ensure safe and thorough cleaning.

Pet-Safe Disinfectants: Pet-safe disinfectants, such as Rescue One Step Disinfectant Cleaner and Deodorizer can be used to kill biofilm bacteria on pet toys and bowls.

Taking a few minutes each day to properly clean and sanitize your pets bowls can mean the difference between a healthy pet and a pet who develops chronic and sometimes fatal conditions. And your pets will be happy to eat and drink fresh, clean food and water at every meal.

Be sure not to scrub stainless steel bowls with anything abrasive, as that causes scratches that can allow biofilm to grow. Also, be sure not to use an abrasive sponge when cleaning stainless steel, plastic, or other easily-scratched materials.

Eliminate Biolfilm with the Right Products

You can make the fight against biofilm buildup on your pets bowls easier with the use of some specially designed products. These tools not only make the cleaning process more efficient but also more effective, leading to a healthier and safer environment for your pets.

In addition, having a dedicated set of cleaning products for pet hygiene can also prevent cross-contamination, ensuring your home remains a clean and safe space. Use a separate sponge when cleaning pet supplies, avoiding the use of your regular dish/kitchen sponges for human use. You dont want to wipe biofilm from your pets dishes onto yours.

If you do not have a dishwasher with a hot water wash, consider washing pet dishes in a bathroom or other sink, rather than using the kitchen sink, to protect your food prep areas from cross-contamination.

Its all about choosing the right product for the task whether its cleaning bird cages, scrubbing pet bowls, or sanitizing pet toys:

Bird Cage Cleaning Brushes: Brushes specifically designed for cleaning and sanitizing bird cages make cleaning bird environments more effective.

Enzyme & Non-Bleach Cleaners: Cleaners such as Natural Rapport Bird Cage Cleaner can help eliminate biofilm on bird enclosures. Products like Oxyfresh Premium Crate and Cage Cleaner is safe for birds, reptiles, and small pets in addition to cats and dogs.

Steam Cleaners: Easy to use, handheld steam cleaners like the Bissell SteamShot Hard Surface Steam Cleaner can kill biofilm bacteria with heat, useful for cleaning hard pet toys, childrens toys, and other hard surfaces.

Microfiber Cleaning Cloths: Using a dedicated set of microfiber cleaning cloths for pet bowls can prevent cross-contamination.

Pet-friendly Utensil Cleaners: Tools like the XO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set can be used to scrub pet bowls and toys without scratching and giving biofilm a place to grow.

The fact that we can prevent major health conditions in our pets simply by keeping their bowls and toys clean and sterile is sobering.

Its a little bit of effort for such a large return!

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I recommend, for your convenience in ordering and product research- those links will open in a new window. Im a solo medical pet sitter and all proceeds go towards supporting my medical pet sitting business. Please read my privacy policy for more information. I do not sell or provide personally identifying information to any 3rd parties.