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Health

Daughters and hygiene

(97 Posts)
ExDancer Wed 25-Mar-26 11:45:31

I wash my cat's dishes at the end of a dish washing session in the used water left in the bowl.
My adult daughter insists I am risking our health by using the same bowl and its set me thinking. They have their own bowls and cutlery but I use the same washing bowl I have just used for our own plates and dishes.
Am I being ignorant and risking our health?~
The more I think about it the more I think she may be right.

Basgetti Wed 25-Mar-26 11:49:29

Do you use antibacterial liquid?

Job done.

Astitchintime Wed 25-Mar-26 11:52:24

I’m inclined to think your DD has a valid point. Should we really be washing the food bowls of any creature, especially those renowned for licking their own backsides, anywhere near our own domestic washing up facilities?
If you kept chickens ExDancer, would you wash their water and food bowls in your domestic sink? Likewise if you kept rabbits, budgies, pigs……..I could go on but I’ll leave it there.

Doodledog Wed 25-Mar-26 11:54:36

I can't see what harm it would do. I wouldn't put a pet bowl in with other dishes, but if it is using the last of the water then what's the worst that can happen?

When I was growing up and hot water was limited to what was in the tank, every bit was used to full potential and it was only poured away when either all the dishes were washed or it was really unuseable. By modern standards it might not have been 'hygienic', but we all lived to tell the tale.

V3ra Wed 25-Mar-26 11:55:05

I use the sink in the utility room to wash our dog's bowls with washing up liquid, and kitchen roll to wash them and dry them.
I wouldn't use anything we use on our own food items 😕

Luckygirl3 Wed 25-Mar-26 11:55:11

Bit yuk is my verdict! Do you have a utility room sink?

Liz46 Wed 25-Mar-26 11:56:49

We wash the cat's dishes after our own and give them a quick rinse in hot water. I then empty the bowl and give that a rinse in hot water. I think that's fine.

Doodledog Wed 25-Mar-26 11:57:13

If you use the same dishcloth, I would soak it in a bit of bleach afterwards, but I do that every couple of days anyway, with no pets in the house.

Allira Wed 25-Mar-26 12:01:42

Perhaps in the sink if you only have one, but not in the washing up bowl, using kitchen roll not your dishcloth?

You can scrub the sink better if it is stainless steel, although I always scrub the washing up bowl too.

sodapop Wed 25-Mar-26 12:21:38

Don't overthink this, I use the last of the water if it's not greasy, kitchen roll to wash and dry then a quick spray with antibacterial liquid after rinsing. I would love to have a utility room for all the animal stuff but that remains a dream.

Magenta8 Wed 25-Mar-26 12:24:35

When I still had cats we used to put our stuff in the dishwasher, wash the cat bowls in the sink, in a bowl kept for that purpose only and dry them with kitchen roll. We then used to clean the bowl and sink.(We had an old style Belfast sink)

I believe that if you wash stuff in a dishwasher at 65 degrees, or above, it is safe to put pet dishes in with everything else but I have never tried it.

Farmor15 Wed 25-Mar-26 12:33:48

I put cat dishes in dishwasher. Probably safer than handwashing as temperature higher and detergent harsher.

Grammaretto Wed 25-Mar-26 12:34:43

I think our DC can be our most severe critics.
They forget that you brought them up and they survived along with family pets.

I was astonished when first visiting DS and future DiL in their first home together to be asked to take off our perfectly clean shoes at the door.
The white carpets and lack of ornament left me speechless. Was this the same person?
When he had left for university I filled 9 binbags of rubbish from his bedroom.

If it makes you feel better, wash the animal dishes separately and use the dishwasher if you have one.

eazybee Wed 25-Mar-26 12:40:26

Do you have upset stomachs? If it as a rare occurrence I would think you are safe.

ViceVersa Wed 25-Mar-26 12:49:56

We only have the one sink, so when I've finished washing all of our dishes, I use the same water to wash the dog bowls and fork, but in the sink itself, not the washing-up bowl. I then dry them using kitchen towel, not the dish towel, and clean the sink afterwards with an antibacterial spray. It's a system which has always worked well for us.

kittylester Wed 25-Mar-26 13:15:07

We have a utility room so use that sink. It is also used for vases, plant pots and other 'dirty' stuff.

Floradora9 Wed 25-Mar-26 13:53:28

We used to fill the cat's bowl and then leave the plastic spoon outside the bowl but in the sink . We had a friend of my daughter's staying with us who was a chef. I found her one day stirring a pot of some lovely dish with the cat's spoon probably not properly washed. I said nothing .

TwiceAsNice Wed 25-Mar-26 15:21:42

We have always washed the cats dishes in the dishwasher at the same time as everything else. No drying required so no need to use tea towels or washing up sponges etc.

We’ve never had a problem no tummy upsets ever . The dishwasher temperature is hot enough to kill anything

Smileless2012 Wed 25-Mar-26 16:55:25

Never used separate cutlery for our dog and cat food and always washed their bowls in the same washing up bowl and never had any problems ExDancer.

BlueSapphire Wed 25-Mar-26 17:05:31

I'm with the Grans who wash the pet dishes in the last of the washing up water in the washing-up bowl, but using a separate sponge. I also put them in the dishwasher. Been doing this for years, never been ill and can't see anything wrong with it.

Ladyleftfieldlover Wed 25-Mar-26 17:19:14

We wash the cat bowls in the dishwasher. We’re still to tell the ‘tail’.

My daughter has a thing about use by dates. Admittedly elder son threw away a jar of mustard powder which was three years out of date when he was last here…

Esmay Wed 25-Mar-26 17:25:48

I hate using dishes which my animals have used .
They always have their own and washed separately.
I'm going out on Saturday and I know that my friend will put a plate on the floor for her dog in the cafe .
On one occasion we found one of her cats had dragged a roast chicken onto the floor and was devouring it .
I'll cut that bit off and it will be okay ,she said blowing on on the remains.
Her family often have upset stomachs .

Doodledog Wed 25-Mar-26 18:16:50

I don't know what animals can have in their saliva that might penetrate the glaze on crockery. I wouldn't share a plate with a pet (as in both eat off it at the same time), but if it's been washed in hot soapy water (machine or by hand) I'm sure it's absolutely fine.

Cossy Wed 25-Mar-26 18:36:50

We’ve had dogs all our lives, bowls either washed in very hot water alone, or, more likely rinsed then into dishwasher, with our things, on high temperature.

So long as hands are washed regularly and floors mopped and counters cleaned I think that’s good enough.

Those worried unduly about hygiene probably don’t have pets.

Our preoccupation with anti-bac this that and the other has caused a huge rise in allergies.

Tenko Wed 25-Mar-26 18:45:22

We have a utility room with a sink , so dog bowls get washed up there and left to air dry .