Happy National Pet Month! You love your pets; they’re like family. But let’s be honest, as much as we adore them, they can be pretty high maintenance at times, right? Having even the most chill of pets requires some upkeep around the house. Whether that’s vacuuming, cleaning up the yard, cleaning a cage, or even a litter box. One thing that is often forgotten is the impact pets can have on our plumbing systems. At Five Star Dayton Plumbing, we love our pets too, and since our job is to equip you with all the information on how to protect your plumbing system, what better time than today is there to talk about pets and plumbing safety? Let’s get into it!
Pet Grooming Matters
Keeping up with regular grooming is key to keeping your pets and home clean, and it helps keep pesky parasites like ticks and fleas at bay. But be warned, grooming your furry friends can be a bit of a challenge for your plumbing system, too. So, knowing what you can do to help alleviate the load on your plumbing system while taking care of your pet is pretty important.
Bath Time: Washing your pet at home is a great way to keep them smelling fresh on the regular and their coat looking healthy. Here’s some advice to aid in dodging any plumbing disasters during bathtime.
- Installing a hand-held showerhead can make washing your pet a breeze. Plus, grabbing an outdoor pet tub for the warmer months is always a great idea.
- Pop a drain screen over your tub or shower drain to catch stray fur before it clogs up your pipes. (These little gadgets are pretty handy to use all the time as well.)
Regular Brushing: Brushing your pets every day can really cut down on the fur and hair piling up around your house, even in your plumbing. Just be sure to pick a brush that’s right for your pet’s fur type, and try to do the grooming outdoors (if you can).
Pet Food & Pet Waste Disposal Matters
Pet Food: It’s never a good idea to toss dry kibble down your kitchen sink and try to grind it up with the garbage disposal. Dry pet food puffs up when it comes into contact with water, which can wreak havoc by way of a clog within your pipes. On top of that, when it dries back up, it can cause a severe blockage. So, the best move? Just chuck any old pet food in the trash can.
Cat Litter: Dealing with pet waste is just part of having a pet. But the way you get rid of it can really affect your plumbing if you’re following the wrong advice. Some folks think flushing kitty litter is a quick fix, but that’s actually not a good idea at all! Most kitty litters don’t dissolve in water.
Keep in mind that even cat litter that is advertised as “flushable” should not be flushed down your toilet if you want to protect the integrity of your plumbing system. This is because although flushable kitty litter is made out of biodegradable materials, the degrading process will happen over long periods of time. It’s not really an immediate or even fast process. So, in the meantime, this means your system will get clogged up with clumps of litter that have not broken down yet. It’s not really worth the risk of damaging your system and causing unpleasant plumbing disasters in your home.
Pet SAFETY & Plumbing Safety Matter
Digging Pets: Pets, especially dogs, just love to dig. It’s all fun and games in the yard, but remember, if they start digging near your house’s foundation or those buried pipes, you could be looking at some serious plumbing headaches. Plus, it might not be too safe for your furry friend either.
Toilet Drinking Pets: A dog drinking out of the toilet bowl is a classic scene in many homes. Your pet saunters over to the toilet and starts lapping up water. Now, you may not have thought anything about this in the past (besides it being a little gross), but this little habit can be dangerous. Things like toilet tabs, toilet bowl stamps, toilet bowl rim hangers, and chemical cleaners, which are all designed to keep your toilet clean and fresh, contain hazardous chemicals that can be detrimental to your pet. It’s best to keep the lid down and consider installing a child lock if it’s a persistent issue.
Taking care of a pet means juggling a bunch of responsibilities and keeping your home in check is definitely one of them. Keeping your home safe and happy for everyone living there is totally doable. Just keep in mind, a bit of prevention can save you a lot of hassle, protecting both your pet and your plumbing system!
For more home and plumbing care tips, don’t hesitate to dive into our other blog posts! Got more questions or need to book an appointment for a plumbing problem? Call Five Star Dayton Plumbing today at (937) 230-6506, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
