How to Clean Cat Water Fountain – Some Easy Tips

How to clean cat water fountain? Can you be tired of cleaning that slimy green buildup in your pet’s water fountain? The slime build-up occurs every other day in the fountain.

The water will be dirty if it’s not cleaned by the end of the week. It would be better to use a commercial cleaning solution. Alternatively, you can make a simple homemade slime solution for cleaning the fountain.

Now that you have the right way to clean a pet water fountain, let’s move on to the actual cleaning process. Here are some tips and tricks you need to have by your side.

Should I Use Distilled Water for Pet Fountain?

Yes, you should use distilled water for a pet fountain. However, it would be helpful if you remembered that distilled water doesn’t contain any minerals that are good for your pet’s health.

These minerals that are helpful for your pets are the same elements that cause buildup in the fountain. Water contaminants include sodium, potassium, chlorine, & other things found in municipal or tap water.

Filtered Water

Lead, Calcium, Manganese, and Lithium, but, distilled water will be more expensive and would have no healthy minerals. So, it is better to prefer filtered water as opposed to distilled water. The best type of water for drinking is RO filtered water.

The water filter will help you avoid mineral buildup in the short run. However, there’s no guarantee the mineral buildup won’t happen again. Change the water every day, and you’ll greatly reduce the buildup.

Prevent Slime

In case you learn how to prevent slime in the pet water fountain, then less cleaning will be required in the future; It’s not always clear what is responsible for cats’ dehydration sometimes cats don’t drink water even from clean fountains.

Ways to encourage a cat to drink more water include keeping them indoors during the heat, using natural herbs such as basil to make your cat more thirsty, and providing more toys for the cat to play with.

Cleaning Pet Water Fountain Daily

Cleaning Pet Water Fountain on daily basis. First, you need to provide your cat with some fresh water in a separate bowl. Next, you need to make sure that you don’t reuse the fountain for a while, as it will start to smell bad after being used for a while.

You must use a spray bottle to fill the fountain with vinegar and then remove all the water before spraying the corners.

You should set the fountain aside when you’re done using it, and if possible, you should clean it. Let the vinegar sit for at least an hour, and then you can use the fountain to clean things as needed.

The best water fountain for cats is a device that provides fresh, running water for your cat. Your cat will probably enjoy the sound of the water, and it can encourage her to use the fountain.

Scrubbing the Gunk

Cleaning the fountains is a good idea. There are various kinds of brushes available for this purpose.

These brushes are designed for cleaning the complicated fountain design & the crannies that are hard to reach. You can find these brushes in your local aquarium supply store.

After you have allowed the vinegar to sit on the fountain for about an hour or so, it’s time to start scrubbing. Determine what type of fountain you have. If the fountain is a metal one, you can scrub as hard as you need to.

With plastic fountains, it’s important to be a bit careful when cleaning. Otherwise, you might cause dents or scratches on the surface. Gently start with the sponge and remove the slime from the surfaces.

The brushes are your best tool for cleaning your fish pond. After using them, the surface of the water looks new again.

If there are places where the slime is hard to clean, try using scouring pads to clean them off. When finished, make sure to use clean, warm water to rinse all the remaining slime off the fountain.

Dry the fountain with the help of a clean & dry cloth, and use a blow-dryer to dry out the parts that are inaccessible.

How to clean with vinegar?

If your pet water fountain is made out of ceramic, abrasive cleaners and powders can harm the material. Commercial cleaners can also leave some unsightly scratches, allowing an easy buildup of mineral deposits.

With the ceramic fountain, using distilled white vinegar can be the best choice. You should first apply the vinegar to the hard mineral and slimy deposits in the fountain. Then allow the vinegar to soak in and break the deposit on the pet water fountain.

Apply the vinegar again, then the baking soda. If this happens, it means things are going well for you. Then, scrub any remaining deposits.

You must make sure to use a plastic mesh to prevent any scratches when you are finished scrubbing.

Alternative Methods to Use for Cleaning Pet Water Fountain

How to Clean Cat Water Fountain at Home

1-Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is like vinegar. You can use a cotton swab to dab the juice on the fountain. If you have sensitive skin, try using a glove to clean the fountain with lemon juice.

2-Alcohol or Baking Soda

Alcohol: If your pet-water fountain has a simple slime buildup, you can opt for the alcohol cleaning technique.

Baking soda isn’t good for cleaning hard water deposits.

3-Hot Water

Boiling water is fine if you have stainless steel fountain, but when there are no spots, use an ultrasonic cleaner. Follow the instructions.

4- Vinegar

You don’t want to leave your pet’s water in any conditions that might harm them. Also, the available solutions in the market may not be suitable for the pet’s health. However, if you have a bottle of vinegar lying around in your kitchen, you have access to a cleaning solution that’s safe and effective for your pet.

Conclusion

No doubt, vinegar is the safest solution for cleaning the pet water fountain. Vinegar exhibits antiviral, antibacterial, & antiseptic properties. So, it is in no way harmful to your pet.

Make sure your pet is drinking healthy water by cleaning out your fountain at least once a month. Slime or mineral deposits can form over time within the fountain.

If your fountain contains any kind of harsh chemical such as bleach, you should refrain from using it. This could be dangerous to your pet’s health and your family’s well-being.

Other places, such as behind the TV, under the refrigerator, and on the microwave, can also contribute to the formation of slime.