Cleaning A Soft Crate

[Weasels]

I just had a lost dog here for about 2 hours, it was terrified so I put in in a soft crate with a light blanket. I've since thrown the blanket out but wondering if there's any other cleaning I should do before I let my own dogs back in the crate? The lost dog seemed to have very dry skin and I'm not sure about its flea status. Or am I being paranoid?

Thanks

[Guest Willow]

If it were me, I would wash it down with some washing up detergent and very hot water, then rinse well, then wipe it down with a bleach soloution, rinse and leave in full sunlight to dry.

[Weasels]

Thanks Willow! I checked and bleach and direct sunlight are not recommended by the seller, but I think the detergent and drying outside in the shade might be the go :)

[becks]

i'd use an antibacterial/antifungal cleaner - i use one in the washer for the dog blankets - you might find the cover comes off your crate, some of them do, then it can go in washer with the blanket

[jr_inoz]

wipe all the surfaces over with really hot water, then pinoclean.

[Maddy]

A decent disinfectant (Equinade smells fruity and good :D ) mixed with hot water, scrub it out thoroughly. Then, a bit of F10 or the like and leave it to dry.

Personally, I'd also spray it out (after washing) with some permoxin just to be extra sure but that depends on whether or not you have cats (as permoxin can't be used around cats).

[Weasels]

Thanks Becks, Jr Inoz & HA :) Looks like I should head out and buy something to get any potential nasties out, might see what I can find tomorrow. Fortunately it's just their 'day' crate so the dogs aren't missing it too much.

After all this it would've been nice if the lost-dog owners had even noticed he was missing

[MarieEvans]

Use a decent disinfectant like those things you would use to clean your grooming equipment (if you do your own grooming). You wouldn't want your dog to get some virus or fleas just because you were nice to a little stray dog, would you?

[Weasels]

Grooming? O_o Nope sorry the kelpies and I aren't big on grooming :laugh:

Been a busy week so the crate is still zipped up in the corner waiting to be cleaned Hopefully after we have some potential buyers come through the house this arvo I will get time to head out to the shops and peruse their cleaning range!

[becks]

If you have kept it inside all this time, I would imagine anything that was in there would have escaped by now! So would just give it a quick wipe down!

[Weasels]

Thanks Becks, I was kind of hoping it would have that effect! I won't pretend that was the primary reason though, it was just good ol' fashioned procrastination

I saw the same dog loose on the street again a few days ago too. At least I know where he lives to return him now, but fortunately this time the owner appeared while I was still getting out of my car.