As a brand-new groomer, I worked at a veterinary hospital for a while. One of the first things the doctor did was show me how he wanted cages cleaned. The place where I learned to groom was a little, um, relaxed about cleaning, and I’m afraid I didn’t make a good impression on my new boss.
He took me to a cage bank and said, “Clean a cage while I watch.” Some cleaner was in a spray bottle, so I spritzed the stuff around and swiped the back, sides, and floor. The good doctor shook his head and sighed. “You left a lot of potential germs in the corners, not to mention the ceiling and, most importantly, the door.” The door? My face didn’t have an inside voice, and he saw my puzzlement. “Where does a dog face most of the time they are in a cage?” I began to see where he was headed, “Outwards?” He nodded, “They face outwards, and they spread any germs they might have all over the wire of the door. It needs to be cleaned thoroughly after every pet.” I felt pretty ignorant and made cleaning cages well a thing I learned to do from then on.
So here are some things to remember when cleaning cages between pets.
- Remember that items must be cleaned before they can be adequately disinfected. Use the pet-safe cleaner of your choice and wipe the space down to remove any hair, dander, drool, urine, feces, etc. Spray all six cage surfaces, including the three walls, the ceiling, the floor, and the cage door. Pay attention to all those little corners, too. Wipe all of the cleaner off.
- Use a quality disinfectant such as our original 256. Mix it according to the directions and repeat your previous spraying stepson all six surfaces. Since this product contains detergent, you can use it for both cleaning and disinfecting.
- Wipe all of the sprayed areas with a clean cloth.
- Make sure the cage is completely dry before putting an animal in it.
While cage cleaning is a simple job, we shouldn’t be relaxed about it. Doing it well is vital for keeping your workspace sanitary and reducing the chance of spreading contagious diseases among the pets you care for.
