Just like your home, you need to clean a dog crate to make sure it stays spotless and comfortable for your cute pet pooch.
However, it can be a real challenge trying to keep it sanitized and welcoming for your dog – in fact, they probably like it better when it is dirty and smelling like themselves.
If you have recently just bought a dog crate, whether metal or plastic, you may be wondering how to keep it clean for your dog. Once it is clean, your dog will be both happy and healthy – until it needs another clean, of course!
Fortunately, it is not difficult to clean a dog’s crate. While you may need some elbow grease, it is pretty much straightforward. In this article we shall tell you how to clean a dog crate to make the process even easier.
What Is The Best Way To Clean A Plastic Dog Crate?
If you have a small pet pooch, you may own a smaller plastic crate. You will be happier to know that these are much easier to clean than a big metal crate. Here is out to do so quickly and easily:
1. Preparing The Plastic Dog Crate
Remove everything out of the crate and take the plastic cage apart. This will make it much easier to clean.
You will also want to clean the dog’s bedding and blankets separately as you normally would. Replace any chewed toys that have seen better days too.
2. Remove Waste With Water
Use a host outside to remove any debris or dirt that is stuck to the inside of the crate. If there aren’t any, you can skip this step.
3. Clean The Inside And Outside Of The Plastic Dog Crate
Pick a cleaning product that is dog friendly that will not cause them any harm. Kennel Sol do a great crate cleaner that fights against viruses, fungi and bacteria to keep your dog happy and healthy inside their crate (if they’re not and keep escaping, read here to learn how to fix the problem).
Use this to clean the inside of the crate, but always follow the instructions on the bottle to ensure you are using it properly. Also, always make sure your dog is nowhere near by, and that where you are cleaning the crate is well ventilated.
And just a side note, never mix anything with a bleach product. It can cause a chemical reaction which can harm you and those around you.
4. Wash Away The Product
Once you have finished scrubbing and cleaning the crate, wash all the product off and dry it properly.
You will want to make sure the solution is cleaned off thoroughly before letting your dog step into the crate again. Even a dog friendly cleaning product can cause an upset tummy!
What Is The Best Way To Clean A Metal Dog Crate?
If you have a large metal crate, then you may find that cleaning it takes a little extra time compared to a plastic crate. You may also need to place it outside to clean it properly.
1. Preparing The Metal Dog Crate
Remove everything out of the dog’s metal crate and take it outside. If you have a large bathtub, this will work as well.
Just remember to open all of the windows and doors, but keep your dog (and children) away from the cleaning process. If using a bathtub, place a towel down to protect the surface.
2. Clean The Metal Crate
Either hose down the metal crate or use the showerhead to soak it. Next, use a dog friendly solution to scrub and clean the metal cage.
This may take a while, so be patient when it comes to cleaning debris and rust. In fact, you may want to use a wired brush to remove rust. It is best not to leave rust on a metal cage.
You will want to clean every single area possible to make sure all of the bacteria and dirt has gone.
4. Rinse The Metal Dog Crate
Now that you have used elbow grease to remove all of the debris and bacteria from the metal cage, you will need to rinse the cleaning solution away.
Just because they are pet friendly does not mean you will want any residue left on the metal crate. So rinse as much as you can to avoid your dog having a bad tummy.
5. Dry And Finish
Now that the dog crate has been cleaned, you will need to fully dry it before putting everything back in (see also ‘How To Assemble A Dog Crate‘). Metal wiring can be difficult to dry, so you may want to let it air dry.
This is often easier during warmer weather, but make sure you do not leave it directly in the sun. Also, use a towel to remove most of the moisture from the crate.
Why Should You Keep A Dog Crate Clean?
A dog crate should be kept clean because it is healthier for both you and your pet. While a dog is not likely to cause a mess inside their crate, accidents do happen.
For this reason, you will need to know how to clean a crate properly. Even if they haven’t had any recent accidents within their crate, you may just want to clean the crate because they have spent most days inside it.
Naturally dirt will build up, so it only makes sense to clean their crate so it is smelling nice inside the home.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, it is relatively simple to clean a dog’s crate. Doing so can ensure that it doesn’t have a build up of bacteria and debris, and also to make sure it smells much better inside the home.
A dog may be spending a couple of hours a day in a crate, or even all night, so it is only fair that they get to spend their time in a clean environment (see also ‘Is It OK To Crate Dogs All Day?‘).
So long as you follow the simple steps above, you will be able to easily clean your dog’s crate in next to no time.
