How to Disinfect a Pet Food Storage Container
Tips to Clean Dog or Cat Food Bins After Pet Food Recalls
Oct 7, 2008
During the late summer and early fall of 2008, hundreds of pet owners were affected by a pet food recall for Pedigree and more than a dozen other brands of food that were possibly contaminated with salmonella. Many of these pet owners placed the recalled pet food in a storage container, which must be disinfected properly to avoid illness and the spread of salmonella to dogs, cats and human family members.
An unrelated pet treat recall was issued on October 20, 2008, for Hartz Chicken Basted Rawhide Chips. This pet treat recall affects nearly 5,000 two-pound bags of the treats, which are said to possibly be contaminated with salmonella.
About the Pedigree Pet Food Recall
In August 2008, Mars Petcare U.S. issued a Pedigree dog food recall due to possible salmonella contamination.
In September 2008, the salmonella-related pet food recall was expanded to include more than a dozen other brands of food that were manufactured at Mars Petcare's Everson, Pennsylvania pet food factory between February 18, 2008 and July 29, 2008.
The Everson plant is no longer manufacturing pet food, as the pet food factory was ordered closed at the end of 2008, in part because authorities were unable to locate the source of salmonella contamination, which reportedly spurred a pet food recall in 2007.
Cleaning a Pet Food Storage Container Following a Pet Food Recall
Although tainted pet food is no longer being produced, some stores are still unknowingly selling recalled Pedigree and several other brands of cat food and dog food manufactured by Mars Petcare.
If a pet owner finds that they've purchased recalled pet food, there are a few special measures that pet owners should take to ensure that all traces of bacteria that could cause salmonella are killed. Properly disinfecting pet food storage containers will lower the risk of salmonella in dogs and cats.
Sanitizing a Pet Food Storage Container After a Recall
- Begin by putting on a pair of cleaning gloves.
- Rinse the crumbs out of the pet food storage container.
- Mix a solution of one part bleach to four parts water and pour it into the container.
- Use a clean rag (not a sponge - bacteria can live in the sponge and it can be difficult to disinfect) to scrub the inside walls of the storage container. Take your time and clean the inside of the storage container thoroughly and don't forget to clean the cover and wipe-down the outside of the container as well.
- Pour out the bleach and water mix.
- Rinse the pet food storage container.
- Next, use a second clean rag to thoroughly wash the inside, outside and cover of the plastic pet food storage container using an anti-bacterial soap. Take five or ten minutes to wash the container, carefully tending to all the corners, nooks and crannies.
- Repeat the same process for the pet's food and water bowls, and any other areas where the recalled pet food has contacted, including dog bowl stands, dog bowl place mats or trays, and the floor around where the dog eats.
- For cleaning the floor and other items that don't fit in the sink, place the bleach solution in an empty spray bottle and use paper towels for an easy clean-up that will lower the risk of salmonella in pets and human family members.
- Either throw out the rags or launder using bleach.
For more information on the 2008 Mars Petcare pet food recall, visit the Pet Food Recall Page, where readers will find information on the symptoms of salmonella in dogs and cats, how to determine if a pet's food has been recalled and more.
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