The Best Dog Bowl Mats
We all love our dogs, but they sure can be messy eaters. Whether they're creating puddles on our hardwood floors while taking a drink or leaving a trail of dog food around the living room after dinnertime, it can be frustrating to always have to clean up after our furry friends. To contain these accidents and to make clean-up easier, you need a good dog bowl mat. Made of various materials and coming in many different shapes and designs, these handy surfaces protect our homes from the inevitable spill and wipe down easily with a sponge or towel. They also come in many different colors, so you're sure to find one that suits your home. Read on to find our favorite dog bowl mats on the market today.
Hoki Found Silicone Waterproof Pet Food Mat
The ultimate protection
This dog bowl mat really is the best of the best. It’s made of non-toxic and hypoallergenic silicone. This material is both safe for your dog and great at keeping your floors clean and dry. It even has a raised outer lip to contain liquid spills. It’s built to last, and will not slide across your floors while your dog is eating or drinking. This mat is easy to clean as well, as all you need to do is wipe it down with a wet cloth. If it gets extremely messy, you can wash it in the sink or even throw it in the dishwasher. It’s flexible enough to roll up and take with you when you travel, and it even comes in a variety of fun colors.
Pros:
- The flexible rubber of this mat helps it to lay flat on virtually any surface, unlike other models that tend to curl up at the corners,
- While many other mats only sop up liquids, this one actually contains them since the material is fully waterproof.
- We generally prefer mats of this sort because the smooth silicone surface is extremely easy to wipe clean with a sponge or a rag.
Cons:
- Though it comes in a range of colors, we don’t find this mat to be very aesthetically pleasing.
Cavalier Pets Dog Bowl Mat
Like a sponge
If you’re looking for a mat that you won’t need to wipe up every time your dog takes a drink of water, this may be the one for you. It’s made with an absorbent vinyl top, and a silicone bottom so your floors remain protected. These materials allow the mat to keep liquid spills in, but also for that liquid to simply dry up instead of soaking into a cloth material and needing to be washed all the time. This dog bowl mat is easy to clean. You can wash it with soap and water in the sink or even just spray it with the hose outside. It comes in a cute paw print design and has a full refund warranty as well, so you can make your purchase with confidence.
Pros:
- We like that the woven material of this mat also creates a non-slip surface that can help keep bowls in place while our dogs eat.
- While we wouldn’t leave this for days at a time, it’s nice that we don’t need to clean this after every mealtime since the woven material seems to do a good job hiding spills.
- This can also work as a floor mat outside a doggy door.
Cons:
- It doesn’t have raised edges, so when cleaning the mat, you have to be careful not to let any liquid spill out.
Vivaglory Water And Food Feeder With Non-Spill Skid-Resistant Silicone Mat
Messy mutts
This is the perfect dog bowl mat for the messiest of eaters and drinkers. It comes with built-in bowls, so your dog will not be able to tip or move around their dishes while they eat. It comes in four sizes, with stainless steel bowls in 7 oz, 14 oz, 30 oz, or 52 oz, so there’s an option for any size pup. The mat itself is made from a skid-resistant silicone and has a raised outer edge to contain liquid spills. It even comes in multiple colors, so you can choose the shade that matches your style.
Pros:
- The bowl-mat combo is really an ingenious solution for households with dogs that like to push their bowls around while they chow down.
- The dishes and mat are easy to separate when it’s time to clean or even store them.
- We appreciate that the mat comes in a wide variety of colors, making it easy to find one that suits our home.
Cons:
- The surface area of the mat itself isn’t huge, so it may not be suitable for larger dogs.
Kitchen Basics Pet Bowl Mat
Cheap and clean
If you are looking for a simple dog bowl mat that will keep your floors clean and dry, this is a great product. It is available at a low price, but still has great reviews from its customers. This is a cloth mat with a non-skid back (though it may still slide around a little for the messier eaters). It measures 10 inches by 20 inches, which is perfect for bowls between 5 and 7 inches wide. When it gets dirty, you can simply throw it in the washing machine. It comes in a variety of fun patterns, so you can choose the one you like best.
Pros:
- We like that we can buy three or four of these mats for the same price as more expensive models.
- The four fun designs are sure to add a bit of pizazz to your home.
Cons:
- Because of the absorbent fabric, these may not be as easy to clean as rubber mats. They also likely won’t last as long.
Our Tips and Tricks
A dog bowl mat can make a huge difference in keeping your floors clean and dry while your beloved furbaby enjoys their meals. When you go to buy a dog bowl mat, you will want to think about the material you’d like, the size, and the style. If your dog often spills water, silicone is a great choice. Large dogs (or large bowls) will need a mat in a bigger size. You’ll also want to consider any special needs related to your specific dog, such as a non-slip bottom or a raised edge for large water spills. We personally prefer rubber mats because they are easier to clean and are generally more water-resistant than foam or fabric ones. Think about your preferences and your dog’s needs, and choose the mat that is right for you. Your dog (and your floors) will thank you for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which dog bowl mats are best for hardwood floors?
When you have hardwood floors, you need to be careful about liquid spills on the ground. Because of this, silicone dog bowl mats are typically the best choice as they do not let any water get through to the floor. You may also want to choose a larger mat to avoid splatters along the sides of the mat.
What if my dog likes to slid their bowl around while they eat?
Many dogs get so excited about dinner time that they slide their bowl around the house. This can make a mess, or just make their bowl hard to find for the next mealtime. The right dog bowl mat can help. Almost every mat is advertised as being “non-skid,” but the ones that have a silicone bottom will do the best job at keeping your dog’s dishes in place.
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