What’s your routine for cleaning out cat food cans?

[Margot Lane]

I am curious to know what your routines are for washing out your cat food cans. Mine is to give the can a good soak ‘n scrub, and the lid (separately and carefully) as well. I’ve read if there is food left in the can it can contaminate cardboard and make it unusable. (I have to do this anyway so bears don’t sniff out my garbage). But also, I just have a thought to lend a hand to the people whose job it is to sort the trash.

 

[arr]

As soon as the cats are done eating, I wash their bowls along with the cans and lids. I then throw the cans and lids into our tin recycling bin. In our town, we have to sort our own recycling, so we have five different bins in our garage.

 

[maggie101]

I rinse,put soap and water in an old towl,clean out the bottom and rims,finally lay it to dry on a towel to recycle

 

[Margot Lane]

FIVE! I thought I was doing pretty well with two!

 

[Margot Lane]

I rinse,put soap and water in an old towl,clean out the bottom and rims,finally lay it to dry on a towel to recycle

Do they recycle the rims too? this is complicated.

 

[maggie101]

Do they recycle the rims too? this is complicated.

By rims I mean around the top edges of the can where you can cut your finger

 

[Antonio65]

The first thing I do after emptying the content in my cats' dishes is to add some water (about 25 ml) in the empty can, shake it and stir it with a teaspoon for a few secods. This water collects most of the tiny traces left in the can, then I pour this "flavored water" to the food in the dishes. The added water is a good way to force my cat to drink more.
Then I just wash the can under the tap, a good rinse, no need to be perfectly clean.
When the aluminum gets recycled, it is melted at very high temperatures (660°C / 933°F), I guess that any tiny trace of food vanishes.
I have to admit that the kind of food I use leaves very little traces of food in the can, the lid is always perfectly clean. Rinsing and cleaning those cans is a quick process.

 

[vansX2]

I generally use 5.5 oz. Cans. An occasional 3 oz. per day. Then dispose of the empty can. So both Cats share the same meal. Having a Pet Fountain is a real plus IMO. As both boys have good tasting aerated water on demand.

 

[game misconduct]

I am curious to know what your routines are for washing out your cat food cans. Mine is to give the can a good soak ‘n scrub, and the lid (separately and carefully) as well. I’ve read if there is food left in the can it can contaminate cardboard and make it unusable. (I have to do this anyway so bears don’t sniff out my garbage). But also, I just have a thought to lend a hand to the people whose job it is to sort the trash.

yikes you need to becareful and not surprise a mommy bear and cubs raiding the trash. i think most living at the foothills here nearby use dumpsters locked and chained etc.

 

[Alldara]

I also use warm water to first rinse the cans and then pour that water into the cat's food.

Then, depending on how much time I have, I either leave to soak or wash right away. I try to get it all off as when it's hot here, we can get maggots in the recycling and garbage if not properly cared for....at least, that's what I hear are the biggest complaints. We've only had it in the compost once or twice.

 

[Robyn5678]

I toss them in the trash. I don’t rinse or scrub or clean them. My trash is picked up weekly so I’m not really worried about them

 

[ailish]

Empty can, throw in trash. Maybe a swish of water in the hot months. I don't have to worry about bears, thank gooness.

 

[badw0lf]

I don't scrub. Rinse out with water and toss it in recycling. Our county doesn't take ANY recycling in plastic bags (even if its a recycling trash bag) so what I do is use a trash bag as a liner and if my bin gets full I just dump the half-bin at my trash chute room.

Previously I didn't recycle at all so... this is an improvement lol.

 

[neely]

I rinse the cans with boiling hot water from my tea pot then discard them in the trash.