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Marva asked: Could you please tell me how to clean lime from a plastic petmate Le Bistro waterer? I am worried about using something like CLR as it will be used by dogs.
Here’s a simple way to clean and deodorize your pet’s bowl, even when hard water deposits make it tough. As a bonus, this method kills germs and certain bacteria to keep your pet safe without the use of harsh chemicals.
You Will Need:
- White vinegar
- Stove top
- Pot
- Cloth scouring pad
- Mild dish soap
- Water
- Rice
- Bottle brush
Steps to Remove the Lime:
- Warm white vinegar on the stove in a pot. Do not boil.
- Pour the warm vinegar into the empty water dish (and bottle if applicable) until it is above the level of the lime or hard water deposits.
- Allow it to soak for an hour or so.
- Use a cloth scouring pad to clean the dish. The build-up should come off, although it may take some effort if the deposits are thick. If you can’t reach the inside of the container, you can either use rice/crushed ice (Swirl it around to let it do the scrubbing for you.) or a bottle brush. (These can be bent to reach all the different areas.)
- Once the stains are gone, wash with a mild dish soap and warm water.
Additional Tips and Advice
- To help prevent build-up, use a clean washcloth to wipe the bowl out daily. This can be done even with standing water in an automatic waterer, as long as your hands and the cloth are both clean. If wiping the dish makes the water dirty, it’s time to refill with fresh water. If you have a regular (not automatic) pet bowl, wash it every day.
Thank you! I was cleaning with warm water & kosher salt – but the warm vinegar will also kill bacteria – much better!
Hi! This is awsome! Thank you very much. I have a question. Can I use apple Vinegar? I have a bottle left.
Hi Carolina,
Glad you’re pleased with this guide! For this purpose, you can try using apple cider vinegar, however, it’s not as acidic as white vinegar (which is what makes white vinegar work on the lime) so it make take some extra time to sit or some extra scrubbing. But you can certainly give it a try. For most other ways that white vinegar is listed as a cleaning solution, it’s not recommended to use apple vinegar as the color can cause stains on some surfaces (clothing, carpet, etc.), and since it’s not as acidic, it’s also not as strong for killing bacteria/mold/etc. Wood is one of the other exceptions where apple vinegar can be a good choice as the tannins in the apple vinegar (tannins are what makes it brown) are beneficial for wood. Good luck!