Dog Ownership is up, with 40% of American households having at least one dog. During 2020, dog ownership skyrocketed by 11% for US residents.
If you are a dog owner, you may be wondering how to start cleaning dog crates. You most likely have a crate for your dog where they can sleep or travel when necessary.
Like anything else for your dog, you must keep this space clean. Dogs are messy creatures, and you want them to have a clean and safe space.
Keep reading to find out how to go about cleaning dog crates.
Why You Need to Clean Dog Crates
When it comes to cleaning dog crates, this needs to be a priority. A dog crate can become surprisingly dirty in a short amount of time.
You don’t want your dog spending a lot of time in their own filth. They deserve to sleep and lounge in a clean environment, just like you and me.
Not cleaning a dog crate for a long time will also make the job much bigger. If you keep up on cleaning it, it shouldn’t take you too much time or effort.
Step by Step: Cleaning Dog Cages
If your dog has a crate, you should have a crate-cleaning routine. This will help you to remember to disinfect this cage regularly.
The last thing you want to do is forget about this, leaving your dog to sleep in filth. It doesn’t need to be cleaned often, but you do need to stay on top of it.
Here are the steps to follow when disinfecting crate cages for your dog.
Remove Everything
The first thing you need to do in your crate cleaning routine is remove everything. You most likely have a dog bed or some blankets in the crate for bedding.
There may also be a bowl of water or some soft toys. Make sure you remove everything and set it aside for this process.
There are a lot of odors in dog crates, so it is a good idea to wash any bedding. If your dog sheds, remove as much dog hair as you can before putting everything in the wash.
Your dog's bedding can be washed while you are cleaning its crate at the same time.
Vacuum the Crate
The next thing you want to do is take the crate outside. Bring your vacuum cleaner and start to vacuum out the inside of the crate.
If you don’t want to go to this extent, you could simply brush debris out of the crate. Or if there isn’t much loose debris, you could simply shake it out.
This will help to remove any dog hair, dust, or dirt they may have tracked into the crate. You want to do this before you start cleaning it to reduce the mess.
If your dog has had an accident in their crate, you will want to address this first.
Wash Inside and Outside
After any loose debris has been removed, start to actually wash the crate. There are a variety of crate cleaning supplies you could invest in to do this job.
But this is not necessary since soap and warm water will do just as well. Make sure you choose a mild soap, like dish soap to do this.
Add a small amount of soap to warm water and start to wash the inside and outside of the crate. If the crate is not very dirty, you could do this with a simple washcloth.
If there is some grime stuck to the crate, you may want to use a soft bristle brush. Be careful, depending on the type of crate you are cleaning.
Wire, steel, and plastic crates are very durable and not easily damaged. But if this is a wood crate, you do not want to apply too much abrasive pressure.
You could also wipe the crate down and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. This will soften up any areas so that you do not have to scrub as hard.
After the crate's cleaned, you can take a hose and rinse it off.
Air It Out
Now that the crate is cleaned, you can leave it out or dry it by hand. If it is a warm day, you could leave it in the sun to dry naturally.
Keep in mind that if this is a wood crate, you should dry it immediately. You can use a soft towel to do this, leaving it out for a few hours to make sure there’s no moisture left.
During this process, you should have been cleaning dog bedding in the wash. In a few hours, everything will be done and can be put back in its place.
How to Maintain Dog Crates
Every week you should try to maintain your dog crate. It is a good idea to fluff their bedding and wash it if it has started to develop an odor.
If you notice any marks or dirt, you can sweep the crate out or wipe it down with a cloth. It is also a good idea to clean out any excess dog hair that has been collected.
Maintaining it every week will make deep cleaning much easier. The crate won’t be as dirty, and you won’t need as much elbow grease.
How to Start Cleaning Dog Crates
If you have a dog, you need to know how to start cleaning dog crates. Dog crates are very useful, and you should have at least one for your furry friend.
You will need to make sure you keep it clean and sanitary so that they can enjoy the space.
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