One guaranteed way to put a smile on my face is to walk into my grooming studio and say, “It smells good in here.” Pet-related businesses have many reasons to smell unpleasant, and most of those reasons have four feet. Dogs come to us needing the bath we are about to provide, so they often have an unpleasant odor. And they sometimes urinate or defecate, causing a whole new level of bad scents.
Keeping grooming areas clean and disinfected is, hands down, the best way to ensure your space smells nice. There are not enough scented candles or air fresheners in the world to cover up the unpleasant smells caused by a dirty workspace.
Beyond keeping things looking and smelling fresh, we need to do our best to prevent pets from contracting illnesses from bacteria or viruses that could be spread from one animal to another. Illnesses can be spread in several ways: direct contact between pets, indirect contact such as grooming tools or the surfaces of tables, cages, or floors, and waterborne or airborne transmission.
An essential key to sanitation is to understand that “clean” does not equal “disinfected,” and you can’t correctly disinfect an area that has not been adequately cleaned.
To clean your workspace, vacuum to remove as much fur, dust, dander, and dirt as possible.Next, use the cleaner of your choice on your tables, tubs, floors, and cages. You can use a commercial cleaner or even mild detergents such as diluted dish soap. Detergent cleaners lift dirt and oils away from the surface you are working on, making it easy to wash away. Once all visible dirt has been eliminated, allow surfaces to dry, then focus on disinfecting.
There are products designed specifically for use around animals that target bacteria and viruses common to pets. One excellent choice is TP 256. This EPA-approved disinfectant formula kills canine influenza, parvovirus, and a long list of other pathogens and viruses. It contains detergent to help combat any grime your first-step cleaning missed. Bathtubs should be disinfected between pets, as should grooming tables and cages. At the end of the day, all of the above should be cleaned and disinfected, as well as the floors, countertops, tool caddies, windowsills, and walls around the grooming space.
Empty your shop vacuum and remove the trash as part of closing chores (or more frequently if they become full or smelly). Wipe both inside and outside of trash containers and the vacuum with your cleaner and disinfectant and let them air dry overnight.
Keeping your grooming space clean and disinfected is critical to making everything smell niceand preventing the transmission of bacteria and viruses to the pets in your care.