How To Prevent Slime in Pet Water Fountains? (8 Ways)

Last updated on March 24th, 2024

While fetching a cup of water for yourself or your pet, you are often pulled toward the bowl which your pooch has used to drink from. You see, it is likely that the waterer is not just used by the pets but also by you and other members of your household. 

Water fountains are a great idea if you have a pup. But did you know that they can be breeding grounds for bacteria?  If you neglect to clean your fountains, then you could end up with slime forming. Slime forms not only as a result of excess moisture but also by food and dirt particles.

This article is about how to prevent slime in pet water fountain. And some of us don’t even know what slime is. Well enough said, I’m sure you’re tired of reading this, let’s take a quick look!

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What is Slime?

Slime is a colloidal dispersion of organic matter in water. It is usually white or grayish-white with a slimy feel and consistency similar to mucus. Slime can be found in many places, such as on the surface of stagnant ponds or rivers where algae and bacteria grow together to form this substance.

Why Does Slime Accumulate in Pet Water Fountains?

There are many reasons why slime accumulates in pet water fountains:

Rough surface

The surface material of the bowl may be too rough to allow proper drainage, which causes the accumulation of slime. This could also be caused by hard water deposits that build up over time on the sides of the fountain bowl’s surfaces. If your pet fountain has this issue, try cleaning it with vinegar or another natural cleaner to loosen up any deposits that have built up on its surfaces so they can drain properly again.

Pet water fountain is dirty

This is the most common reason why slime accumulates in pet water fountain. The slime sticks to the water and makes it look dirty. In order to eliminate this problem, you can clean your pet fountain regularly. You can also use a filter to remove slime from the water and keep it clean at all times.

Your pet is not drinking enough water from the pet fountain

If you notice that your pet is not drinking enough water from the pet fountain, this could be another cause of slime accumulation in pet fountains. If your pet does not have access to fresh and clean water, then he or she will not drink enough of it either which means that you need to refill the bowl more often than usual which will lead to an increase in slime accumulation over time

Pets are territorial over their food bowl

Some pets may decide that their water bowl is also their food bowl and they will eat from it as well which may cause more slime accumulation than usual because they cannot distinguish between food and water easily when they have both sitting next to each other at once!

How to clean pet water fountains?

Pet water fountains are a great way for your pet to stay hydrated. They also help prevent pets from drinking from the toilet. Unfortunately, over time the fountain will become dirty and need to be cleaned.

Step 1: Rinse the fountain with hot water and let it dry completely before refilling with fresh water. This step can be repeated every time you refill the fountain with fresh water.

Step 2: If your pet has been sick or if there are any signs of illness, its best not to use the fountain until it has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Step 3: Clean all surfaces of the fountain with warm soapy water, then rinse thoroughly with warm running water. Make sure all soap residue is removed from all surfaces before proceeding to step 4 below!

Step 4: Fill a bucket or large bowl with warm water (as hot as you can stand), add ½ teaspoon of bleach for every gallon of water used, then pour this mixture into your pet’s water fountain until full. Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain excess bleach solution into toilet bowl or drain outside on grass/ground instead

Why clean pet water fountains?

Cleaning your pet’s water fountain is important because it can help keep your pet healthy. Cleaning the fountain helps prevent bacteria, dirt and other materials from getting into your pet’s water supply, which can lead to stomach upset and other health issues.

Read Also: Are Pet Water Fountains Safe?

How to Prevent Slime in Pet Water Fountain

There are many different ways to keep your pet’s water fountain clean, but the most effective way is to prevent slime from forming in the first place.

1. Cleaning the Fountain Regularly

The best way to keep your pet’s water fountain from getting slimy is to clean it regularly. If you have a dog, you know that they’re messy creatures, so this should be a no-brainer. You should be cleaning their bowl once every week or two. If you have a cat, they tend to be cleaner than dogs, but you may still want to clean their bowl every few days. 

There are many different ways that you can clean your pet’s water fountain, but we recommend using warm water and soap or detergent. This will get rid of any dirt, hair and other debris that might be causing the slime buildup on your pet’s fountain. You can also try using baking soda or vinegar if you don’t want to use harsh chemicals on your pet’s bowl.

2. Choose a fountain that is easy to clean

The best fountains are made of stainless steel, are dishwasher safe and have removable parts. This makes it much easier to clean your pet’s water bowl.

3. Purchase an automatic cleaning system for your pet’s water fountain

These systems can be purchased at most pet stores for about $20-$30 dollars, but they make cleaning the water bowl much easier on you and your pet! The automatic cleaning system uses a small pump that moves water through the tubing in the fountain, which helps remove any particles that may have collected in the tubing or bowl over time (such as hairballs). It also helps remove any odors from the bowl or tubing by circulating fresh oxygen through them!

4. Use Filtered Water

Another good way to prevent slime in a pet water fountain is to use filtered water instead of tap water. The chlorine present in tap water can kill off any beneficial bacteria in your pet’s water bowl, which can contribute to slime buildup and gunk formation inside of the fountain itself. You may need to experiment with different types of filters until you find one that works best for your needs.

5. Add Beneficial Bacteria

A third method for preventing slime in a pet water fountain is adding beneficial bacteria into the system itself, which will help keep gunk from forming inside of it over time.

6. Use filtered water or bottled water instead of tap water

Tap water contains chlorine and other chemicals that can cause slime build-ups in a pet water fountain. Bottled or filtered water is better for your pets because it is free of these chemicals and can help prevent slime buildup in your pet’s drinking bowl.

7. Replace the filter regularly

If you have a filter on your pet’s drinking fountain, make sure it’s clean and replaced with fresh filters as often as needed to keep slime from forming inside the bowl.

8. Use Vinegar or Baking Soda

If your pet’s water fountain has already developed a layer of slime inside it, then vinegar or baking soda may help get rid of it faster than using just soap and water alone would be able to accomplish on its own. Simply pour some vinegar into the bowl or reservoir

Conclusion: How To Prevent Slime in Pet Water Fountain 

This contributor made an effort to be transparent and to inform pet owners of different products. This lets readers know they are reading a true opinion and is helpful in preventing slime in pet water fountains. Instead of facts, this article gives opinions and suggests how to prevent slime.

Here we have described how to prevent slime in pet water fountain. You can find different pieces of filter systems online, a well-known and inexpensive way to filter any water source. There are some factors you should consider when you purchase a filter system. For example, there are many different types of filtration systems available as well. 

In order to prevent slime from growing in your pets’ fountain consider using other types of filtration units rather than just over the top ones in case it gets clogged. The final cost for this type of treatment should be minimal if you do need to replace certain business parts.

It is not difficult to keep your pet’s drinking water fountain clean with occasional care. This can be done easily in several simple steps. Slime buildup will occur in the bowl or plug if you forget. Don’t worry, slime clean-up is an easy task too.