How To Keep Fountain Water Clean and Safe For Pets?

Last updated on March 24th, 2024

Fountains are a popular home addition for pet owners, especially in the hot summer months. They come in multiple shapes and sizes and can be found in a variety of places including in-ground, outdoor, attached to ponds, or even indoor models. 

Most of these fountains will continue to operate properly through some rain but not all of them. If your fountain is exposed to dirt and debris and birds are present then your fountain will require more work to keep it operating.

Most of these fountains will continue to operate properly through some rain but not all of them. If your fountain is exposed to dirt and debris and birds are present then your fountain will require more work to keep it operating.

Owning a pet is a wonderful thing, but now that you have a dog or cat in your home, you may be wondering how can I keep my pet safe around my fountain water? Not only that, but how to keep fountain water clean and safe for pets?

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Top 18 Ways How To Keep Fountain Water Clean and Safe For Pets

Pet parents love to bring their furry friends to the park or the beach, but they may not realize that water quality is a serious issue. Even if your little guy doesn’t have an allergy to chlorine, there are other contaminants that can make him sick.

Here are 18 ways how to keep fountain water clean and safe for pets:

1. Know the signs of dehydration

If your dog is thirsty and drinking, he’s probably not dehydrated. But if he stops drinking, it could be a sign he’s getting sick or stressed out. Dogs with short muzzles (such as Boxers) and those with dental problems are more susceptible to dehydration because they can’t pant properly — making them more likely to become overheated in hot weather. If you’re taking your dog on a long walk or hike, bring along plenty of fresh water so he doesn’t get dehydrated along the way.

2. Use a non-toxic water treatment

There are several effective brands available online and at most pet stores that treat your dog’s drinking water with beneficial minerals like calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, which help promote healthy bone density in dogs while also supporting their immune systems (bonus!).

3. Install a carbon filter 

Carbon filters are one of the best ways to keep your pet’s water clean and healthy. Carbon filters remove biological contaminants like bacteria and algae from the water. These filters also remove any chlorine or chloramine that has been added to municipal tap water. You can install a carbon filter in your pet fountain by adding it inside your pump chamber or by installing it at the end of your tubing line before it reaches the pump chamber.

4. Add in activated charcoal filter 

Another great way to keep your dog’s fountain water clean is by installing an activated charcoal filter on top of the pump chamber or at the end of your tubing line before it reaches the pump chamber. Activated charcoal acts as an adsorbent for impurities like heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides etc., which can get absorbed by activated charcoal instead of contaminating your pet’s drinking water supply

5. Change your filters regularly

The main reason why pets refuse to drink from their fountains is because of the smell or taste of the water. The filter helps in cleaning up any dirt and debris from the water, thus keeping it fresh and clean. You should change your filter every 3 months or so. If you live in a dusty or dirty environment, then you need to change them more often than usual.

6. Run a pet fountain pump every day

The most common reason why many people get rid of their pet fountains is because they go dry after sometime (about a week). This happens when the pump stops working and there is no movement in the water column within the bowl. To prevent this, run the pump once every day (even if there is no water) until it starts flowing on its own again.

7. Clean the reservoir monthly

This will help prevent accumulation of minerals like lime scale and calcium carbonate deposits inside the reservoir. These minerals can build up over time and make it difficult for air bubbles to reach their destination without being blocked by mineral deposits, so they become trapped at different spots along the way instead of reaching their final destination where the pump pushes them out again into circulation. If left untreated, this problem can cause damage or even failure of your pump motor!

8. Wash your fountain well with mild soap and water weekly

Clean your fountain well with mild soap and water weekly. The fountain should be cleaned once a week, or more often if your dog drinks from it often. Rinse the fountain thoroughly after each cleaning.

9. Cleaning the water bowl

Wash your fountain well with mild soap and water weekly, then rinse thoroughly. You can use vinegar to disinfect a fountain if you’d prefer not to use soap and water. Vinegar is also great for cleaning other surfaces in your home like countertops, sinks and garbage cans. 

Spray or wipe down all surfaces of the fountain with vinegar, let sit for 10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Do not use vinegar on any parts that come into contact with pet food or water as this will damage them over time.

10. Use distilled water

Distilled water has been boiled and purified, which means it will be free of bacteria and other impurities. This is a great option for those who are looking for a way to ensure their pets get clean, safe water.

11. Add ice to the water 

Ice cubes can help keep your pet’s water cool and fresh-tasting. Plus, it will also help keep bacteria from growing in the fountain, which makes it safer for your pet.

12. Use a filter 

Filters can help remove any impurities from the water before it gets into your dog or cat’s mouth. A good option would be a carbon filter or ceramic filter because they can remove chlorine while also adding beneficial minerals back into the water.

13. Add apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

Vinegar is a great disinfectant for pets who like to drink from fountains. It also helps to keep algae from forming in the water.

14. Add some salt in the water

Salt will help keep algae growth down and make the water taste better for your pet. You can use regular table salt or get special pet-friendly salt at most pet stores.

15. Clean out the filter

Filters should be cleaned every three weeks or so. If you have hard water, you’ll need to clean it more often than that because minerals build up on the filter over time and block airflow through it. 

Filter replacement costs vary based on the size of your fountain and what kind of filter it takes (many fountains use replaceable charcoal filters), but they usually range from $10-$30 each time they need replacing depending on where you buy them from and how many filters come in each box/unit.

16. Use commercial additives

Additives are available at pet stores, home improvement centers and online that help prevent bacteria from growing in water. They also make the water taste better to pets.

17. Change the water frequently

The frequency with which you replace your fountain’s water will depend on how much your pet drinks from it. If you have an indoor cat, you may need to change the water every two days or so if he drinks a lot of it. For an outdoor dog, who drinks less often than a cat or other indoor pet, you might only need to change it once a week.

18. Use baking soda

If you don’t want to use commercial additives in your pet’s drinking fountain, try adding baking soda once a month or so instead. The baking soda will help neutralize any chlorine present in tap water as well as keep the pH level in check (which helps prevent algae growth). Also, since baking soda is non-toxic, it won’t harm your pet if he ingests some while drinking

Read Also: How To Prevent Slime in Pet Water Fountains

Conclusion: How To Keep Fountain Water Clean and Safe For Pets

In general, fountains are a great way to keep your four-legged friend hydrated in the hot summer’s months. It’s also something that allows them to play and help raise their body temperature before heading back in for the night. Here we have described how to keep fountain water clean and safe for pets. That being said it is important to be mindful of keeping it clean. There are a number of ways that you can do so. It all depends on how confident you feel in your ability to balance maintaining a proper level of cleanliness without over doing it.

It is best to avoid feeding your pet directly from the fountain. The first problem with this is that it can introduce sediment and other matter into the water. This can be damaging to their digestive system, and they likely don’t need this extra stuff in their systems anyway. In addition, outdoor fountains are constantly exposed to pollen, dirt, grime, and moisture that you wouldn’t want your pet ingesting! Instead give your pet fresh water to drink at all times clean of the harmful bacteria naturally found outside.

We hope you find this article useful, but most importantly we hope that everyone can keep their fountain water clean! For more tips and any further advice on keeping your fountain clean and safe for pets, please do not hesitate to contact us.