How to Clean a Dog Kennel

1. Start cleaning a kennel by removing the animal. NEVER leave a pet in the kennel during the cleaning process. Place the dog or cat in a separate holding area.
2. Remove feeding and water bowls, bedding and toys.
3. Clean bowls by soaking them in a diluted disinfectant solution. Rinse and dry or run through a dishwasher. Blankets and other soft bedding should be washed in a washing machine. 
4. Scoop all solid waste from the kennel and sweep up any fur or hair.
5. Rinse kennel with hot water. 
6. Dilute disinfectant and cleaning agents according to manufacturers’ instruction. Take care as improperly diluted products can corrode metal cages and hurt animals. Spray cleaning solution to all surfaces using a Kaivac Spray and Vac Machine.
7. Starting at the top, scrub the entire kennel with a stiff-bristled brush. Don’t forget the ceiling or the walls above dog height as disease can be transmitted from any unsanitized section. Pay attention to resting boards, the fronts and backs of doors, hinges, latches and any surfaces between the runs.
8. Let the solution dwell as instructed. 
9. Thoroughly rinse all surfaces with water. Using a Kaivac Spray and Vac Cleaning Machine vacuum as completely as possible using a squeegee. Fans or other ventilation can also be used. 
10. Replace clean food and water bowls, bedding and toys. The kennel is now ready for the animal.

Kennel Cleaning Protocols: A Must for Health and Safety

Dirty kennels stink. But more than just unpleasant odors, an unclean kennel poses a threat to the healthy animals boarding there. For instance, Canine parvovirus type 2, more commonly known as parvo, is highly virulent and contagious. The disease is spread from dog to dog by direct contact with feces. Poor cleaning practices increase your risks.

Kennel cough gets its name because the infection, also known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is easily spread among dogs in close quarters, like a kennel. There are viral and bacterial versions of condition. Both are spread through the airborne droplets produced by an infected dog’s sneezing and coughing. Kennel cough cleaning prevention is a good proactive strategy.

Dogs should be vaccinated for both of these diseases. However, a vaccinated pup may still contract kennel cough, just like a vaccinated person may still come down with the flu. 

Cat owners face the same risks when taking their animal to a kennel. Feline respiratory disease complex, or kennel cough in cats, may be rare but does strike cats living in crowded, unsanitary conditions. More chilling, kennel cough can be transmitted to people from their infected pets. 

The best prevention for all of these conditions is thorough kennel cleaning with a high quality kennel floor cleaner and disinfecting protocol.

Kennel Cleaning Checklist: Choose a Disinfectant Wisely

The UC Davis Koret shelter medicine website provides a list of appropriate, animal safe disinfectants, with an important caveat. ‘No matter what [disinfectant] is used, it won’t destroy all pathogens.’ They suggest changing products once a week and stress the importance of mechanical cleaning with soap and water. ‘It helps a lot.’

The site offers helpful tips on how to use kennel cleaning products:

• Disinfectants MUST be used at the correct concentration.
• Adequate dwell time is required to kill bacteria.
• Disinfectants must be applied to an already cleaned, non-porous surface, free of organic matter.
• Disinfectants and detergents can cancel each other’s actions and should not be mixed unless specifically directed by the manufacturer.
• Using kennel cleaners incorrectly is a significant hazard that has led to the harm and even death of boarded animals.