The pet care industry is growing rapidly, making for a profitable business. However, one non-negotiable part of this business is the cleaning and maintenance of the kennels. Cleaning is not one of the glamorous parts of the business, but it is an important one. You must ensure regular cleaning to ensure a healthy and hygienic environment for the animals. Installing PVC wall covering for dog kennels is a first step towards ensuring a hygienic environment. However, this blog will teach us how to maintain a hygienic kennel space. 

How do you keep a commercial kennel clean? 

Being a commercial kennel owner, you must prioritize keeping the space clean and hygienic. Pet owners will only trust you with their furry babies when they find a comfortable, hygienic, well-managed kennel. Thus, you need to be very specific, from choosing the right dog kennel walls to standardizing the cleaning process. Here are a few tips for cleaning the kennel:

• Start by removing the animals from the kennel and placing them in a holding area before beginning the cleaning process. Always ensure the animals are not present in the kennel during the cleaning. 
• Next, remove the bedding, toys, feeding, and water bowls from the kennel.
• Clean the bowls, bedding, and blankets with disinfectant solution.
• Ladle the solid waste and clean the kennel of hairs and fur. 
• After you have scooped the waste from the kennel, you need to rinse the kennel with hot water thoroughly. 
• Next, disinfect the kennel with diluted cleaning agents so that they do not damage the interior walls and surfaces. 
• Scrub the kennel from top to bottom to clean any contamination, and do not leave out the door, latches, hinges, or any surface that comes between the run. 
• Finally, rinse the kennel with clean water, dry the surfaces, and replace the bedding, toys, food, and water bowls.
• The kennel is now clean and ready for the animals.

The cleaning protocols for kennels

When kennels are dirty, they stink, and the odor makes the animals and the other occupants uncomfortable and ill. Customers will leave behind their healthy animals only when they are assured of proper care and a healthy environment. So, if you plan to scale your business and make it profitable, you must be very serious about the hygiene protocols of your kennel space. 

An example of poor hygiene standards is canine parvovirus type 2, popularly known as parvo. This contagious and highly virulent disease spreads from one dog to another from direct contact with feces. Irregular or poor cleaning practices increase the risk of the disease in a commercial kennel. 

Another contagious disease that spreads when dogs are kept in close quarters is kennel cough or canine infectious tracheobronchitis. This airborne disease spreads from the droplets when an infected dog sneezes or coughs. 

One effective strategy can be cleaning and preventing kennel cough in a commercial kennel space. PVC kennel wall panels are the ideal choice as they are easy to clean and disinfect without much effort. Additionally, as a kennel owner, you must either arrange for dog vaccination or ask the pet owners to maintain the vaccination schedules of their pets efficiently. 

Kennel cleaning checklist

Since you know how to clean the kennel and the potential disease threats in a commercial kennel, it’s time to invest in the right cleaning solutions for your kennel business. The two most essential cleaning and sanitizing agents are detergent and disinfectant. However, the key to efficient cleaning without damaging or harming the structure is the right way of using these cleaning agents. Here’s a checklist of the right cleaning practices to help maintain a clean and hygienic kennel environment.

• Using the disinfectant at the correct concentration is a prerequisite to avoid potential damage.
• When using the disinfectant, you must allow enough dwelling time to act and kill the contaminants in the kennel surface and walls.
• Always use the disinfectant on a clean, non-porous surface devoid of organic matter. 
• Never mix detergent and disinfectant for cleaning, as they will cancel each other’s actions. However, you can do so if the manufacturer advises you to do so. 
• Be aware that the incorrect use of disinfectants can harm the boarded animals, so it is recommended that you always follow the directions for use.

How often should one clean the kennel interiors? 

As mentioned, when it comes to commercial kennels, you must take cleaning very seriously. Cleaning the kennels at regular intervals will keep sickness and contamination at bay. The best way to ensure a clean and hygienic kennel space is to schedule regular cleaning of various types across the calendar. It is recommended to stick with the routine to ensure the ideal environment for the animals boarded in the kennel space. 

Design your kennel cleaning calendar with the following routine for effective and efficient cleaning processes:

Daily: Daily cleaning is essential in a kennel environment. In the daily cleaning routine, you can scoop the waste and debris, wash the feed and water bowls, and spot-clean the feces.

Weekly: For weekly clean-up, you must sanitize the kennel wall panels, floor, and ceiling with a disinfectant tested against parvo and other contagious dog diseases. Also, take the opportunity to sanitize the toys and wash the bedding and towels.

Monthly: Once a month, take your time to scrub the walls and the floor and then disinfect the place properly. Let the disinfectant work its way, rinse it off completely, and wait for everything to be relocated after the kennel is dry. 

Invest in Duramax PVC panels for easy cleaning

If you want to reduce the time and effort spent cleaning your commercial kennel, avoid installing FRP panels and choose PVC panels instead. FRP panels need wooden backer boards for installation that can absorb moisture, resulting in rotting and mold formation with water. Duramax PVC panels are the ideal choice as they are moisture-resistant and easy to clean due to their non-porous and crevice-free surface. Request a free consultation for your kennel project.