BARF Tips & Tricks: Cleaning Up
"Use a vinyl tablecloth or sheet to lay out on the floor at feeding time. Then when the dogs are done, pick it up, fold it up, put it in a ziplock freezer bag and into the freezer. That way, you only needs to wash it once a week, and clean up after meals is minimal."
"To kill any bacteria in the kitchen (or anywhere) during clean up, I put Mr. Clean Antibacteral in an old spray bottle (make sure it's labeled 'poison' too), and just spray the area, utensils, dog bowls, etc... Among the many household germs and virus' it kills, Salmonella is one of them. Smells nice too! I use it in the dog crate too, after eating!"
"When I bring home my 40-pound boxes of chicken (on ice) rmb's from my supplier, I manage to place the entire box, side ways, in my kitchen sink. I already have my zip lock bags labeled and opened, ready to fill. I hold the 'clean' bag with my left hand, and place the chicken in the bags with my right hand COVERED with a disposable glove. When I'm done, I just pull off the glove and toss, along with the box the chicken came in!"
"Barfing bearded breeds can be a real mess. I tried several different clean-up strategies before I figured out that plain water works best. Just use a heavily textured hand or dish towel, soaked with hot water, to wash out that long beard. Let it dry and comb it out later (use conditioner or coat detangler for a nice smell). Hang the towel in its own place so family and guests know not to use it, and you can use the same towel for several days. Don't worry too much about the germs: we all build up a wonderfully strong immunity!"
"I use newspaper at feeding time to protect the floor. I put the chicken pieces on the paper and toss it to the garbage after my dog is done, which takes only a minute. For recreational beef bones, I use an old sheet. My dog learned quite easily that she has to keep the bone on the sheet. After she is done, I wash the sheet."
"I fill an empty spray bottle with a mixture of 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol and remainder with water. After the dogs finishing eating, I pick up their bowls and water dish, and spray the area with this mixture. The small amount of alcohol dissipates quickly and the vinegar acts as a natural non-toxic disinfectant. Wipe with paper towel. Area is clean and non-toxic. Cost is minimal and produces a superior cleaning product. Great for mirrors and windows. Leaves no streaks."
"To kill any bacteria in the kitchen (or anywhere) during clean up, I put Mr. Clean Antibacteral in an old spray bottle (make sure it's labeled 'poison' too), and just spray the area, utensils, dog bowls, etc... Among the many household germs and virus' it kills, Salmonella is one of them. Smells nice too! I use it in the dog crate too, after eating!"
"When I bring home my 40-pound boxes of chicken (on ice) rmb's from my supplier, I manage to place the entire box, side ways, in my kitchen sink. I already have my zip lock bags labeled and opened, ready to fill. I hold the 'clean' bag with my left hand, and place the chicken in the bags with my right hand COVERED with a disposable glove. When I'm done, I just pull off the glove and toss, along with the box the chicken came in!"
"Barfing bearded breeds can be a real mess. I tried several different clean-up strategies before I figured out that plain water works best. Just use a heavily textured hand or dish towel, soaked with hot water, to wash out that long beard. Let it dry and comb it out later (use conditioner or coat detangler for a nice smell). Hang the towel in its own place so family and guests know not to use it, and you can use the same towel for several days. Don't worry too much about the germs: we all build up a wonderfully strong immunity!"
"I use newspaper at feeding time to protect the floor. I put the chicken pieces on the paper and toss it to the garbage after my dog is done, which takes only a minute. For recreational beef bones, I use an old sheet. My dog learned quite easily that she has to keep the bone on the sheet. After she is done, I wash the sheet."
"I fill an empty spray bottle with a mixture of 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol and remainder with water. After the dogs finishing eating, I pick up their bowls and water dish, and spray the area with this mixture. The small amount of alcohol dissipates quickly and the vinegar acts as a natural non-toxic disinfectant. Wipe with paper towel. Area is clean and non-toxic. Cost is minimal and produces a superior cleaning product. Great for mirrors and windows. Leaves no streaks."
