The Best Dog Kennel Cleaning System

Executive Summary (TL;DR): Brooms and mops can’t truly clean dog kennels because they dilute and spread urine and feces rather than removing them, which builds odor and spreads cross-contamination. A No-Touch Cleaning system fixes this by spraying cleaning solution, pressure-washing surfaces, and vacuuming up all the dirt, pathogens, and impurities. The result is clean, dry, fresh-smelling kennels, even in facilities with no floor drain.

Clean, fresh smelling dog kennels elevate your pet business. That’s because clean kennels are healthy kennels. They say you care about the safety of both the animals and your employees under your roof. More than just a health and safety concern, pleasantly clean kennels also boost your bottom line.

Don’t’ believe it? Just ask Blake Pilgreen, owner of The Prodigal Pooch in Defuniak Springs, Fl. Despite constant cleaning, his staff never could remove that “bacteria and dog smell.”

The results affected workers, who would often call in sick. It also impacted growth and his bottom line. “I had trouble booking potential clients,” Pilgreen admits. “People would take a tour, smile politely, say thanks, and I would never hear back.”

But fully cleaning kennels, especially those without an integrated floor drain, is nearly impossible—unless you have the right kennel cleaning equipment. Here’s the secret to impeccably clean, fresh smelling kennels.

The Challenge of Kennel Cleaning

Kennel owners are always looking for ways to make cleaning easier. Who can blame them? Cleaning up after dogs is a dirty, time-consuming, and unpleasant job. Particularly if staff just grab whatever tools are lying around.

“Using a standard broom and mop may be the first thing that comes to mind; first sweeping the floors to get the majority of bulk items off the floor (like hair), then pulling out the mop and mopping the facility,” writes Travis Hansen in this Pet Boarding and Daycare Magazine article.

This is not ideal. Sweeping and mopping don’t reliably remove biohazards, but they do dilute the mess and spread it around. This method allows urine and feces particles to build up and create nasty odors. It also creates the perfect conditions for cross-contamination as staff use the same broom and mop throughout your facility.

Plus, those ineffectual mops and brooms are a time and energy suck. Staff have to put in hours and lots of elbow grease to get any results. But even after all that effort kennels still look bad and smell worse.

Better Kennel Cleaning Equipment

The only way to truly clean these spaces is with an advanced dog kennel cleaning system. Tools, like the No-Touch Cleaning® system from Kaivac, succeed where mops and brooms fail. That’s because the No-Touch Cleaning system actually remove all the dirt, pathogens, and bio-pollutants from the environment instead of spreading the mess around. Plus, it works faster and better than other cleaning methods.

Instead of sweeping, mopping, and wiping an empty kennel, employees use the No-Touch Cleaning system to spray cleaning solution on kennel walls and floors. The tool automatically dilutes the cleaning solution so there is no worry of using too much, or too little, chemical.

Then the tool’s powerful indoor pressure washer rinses dirt and pathogens off of surfaces and onto the floor with fresh, clean water. If your kennel has an drain, workers can rinse the mess right down. If not, they can use the system’s integrated vacuum to completely suck up the mess, removing all of the dirt, germs, and odor-causing impurities. Kennels are clean, dry, fresh smelling, and ready for animals.

How No-Touch Cleaning Works in a Kennel

• Spray: Apply auto-diluted cleaning solution to kennel walls and floors, so there is no risk of using too much or too little chemical.
• Pressure wash: Rinse dirt and pathogens off surfaces with the built-in indoor pressure washer and fresh, clean water.
• Vacuum: Suck up the mess with the integrated vacuum, removing dirt, germs, and odor-causing impurities, even when there is no floor drain.

This easy-to-use technology is perfect for animal shelters, boarding kennels, veterinary clinics, and pet day care facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions: Dog Kennel Cleaning

Why don’t mops and brooms work for cleaning dog kennels?

Mops and brooms don’t reliably remove biohazards from kennels. Instead, they dilute the mess and spread urine and feces particles around, which builds up nasty odors. Sharing the same mop and broom throughout a facility also creates ideal conditions for cross-contamination between kennels.

How do you clean a dog kennel that has no floor drain?

Use a No-Touch Cleaning system with an integrated vacuum. Workers spray cleaning solution on the walls and floors, rinse surfaces with an indoor pressure washer, then vacuum up all the dirt, germs, and odor-causing impurities. This leaves kennels clean, dry, and fresh smelling with no floor drain required.

What is the best equipment for removing dog smell from kennels?

The No-Touch Cleaning system removes dog odor by physically extracting dirt, pathogens, and bio-pollutants from surfaces instead of spreading them around. It sprays cleaning solution, rinses it off with an indoor pressure washer, then vacuums the mess up, eliminating the odor-causing impurities that mopping leaves behind.

Why do clean kennels matter for a pet care business?

Clean, fresh-smelling kennels show that you care about the safety of both animals and staff, and they directly affect your bottom line. Lingering bacteria and dog smell can drive away potential clients after facility tours and increase staff sick days, hurting both business growth and employee wellbeing.

Recommended Kaivac Solutions for Dog Kennel Cleaning

• Kaivac No-Touch Cleaning® Systems — an all-in-one machine that meters cleaning chemical, pressure-washes surfaces, and vacuums up the mess, replacing brooms and mops entirely. The Kaivac 1750 and larger-capacity Kaivac 2150 are the workhorse models for kennels and animal-care facilities.
• KaiBosh™ Disinfectant — a hospital-grade disinfectant for the pathogens, germs, and “bacteria smell” that plague dog kennels.
• KaiBlooey™ Restroom Cleaner — an acid-based cleaner that breaks down the uric acid salts behind stubborn urine odor buildup on kennel floors.
• OmniFlex™ Restroom Cleaning System — a compact, modular alternative for smaller shelters, clinics, and budget-conscious pet care operations.

Protect your pet care business with the right kennel cleaning equipment. Learn more about Kaivac animal care facility cleaning tools here.