How to Treat a Dog Run with Water & Bleach

Keeping your dog run clean and sanitized will help prevent the spread of bacteria and parasites that can cause your dog to become ill. For best results, you should treat your dog run with water and bleach regularly, particularly during hot weather when parasites are most active, and after any presence of illness in your pets.

Things You'll Need

  • Water
  • Bleach
  • Garden sprayer
  • Scrub brush
  • Garden hose
  • Rubber gloves
  • Safety goggles
  • Mask
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove your dog from the dog run and secure in a location where she will not come in contact with the spray from the bleach and water mixture. To allow this mixture adequate time to evaporate and dry, it is best to perform this procedure early in the morning.

    • 2

      Remove all food dishes, bedding and toys from the dog run before sanitizing. These items can be cleansed and sanitized separately. Use regular dish soap and water to clean food dishes and wash any bedding and cloth toys with laundry soap. Hard plastic toys can also be washed with dish soap or placed in a dishwasher.

    • 3

      Using a rake or shovel, remove any fecal debris from the dog run. Fecal matter harbors a number of different parasites and bacteria and should be removed as often as possible from the run area.

    • 4

      Trim any grass that is in the dog run as low as possible. This will help to ensure the bleach and water mixture adequately coats the area to kill any bacteria or parasites that may be hiding within the tall foliage.

    • 5

      Fill a large garden sprayer with 50 percent water and 50 percent bleach. For best results, use heavy-duty bleach that is effective for use outdoors. Spray the entire run thoroughly, paying careful attention to corners and thick patches of grass.

    • 6

      Use a scrub brush to scrub the surfaces of fencing, gates, walls, housing, etc. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

    • 7

      Rinse any concrete, stone or fencing with a garden hose.

    • 8

      Allow the run to dry before returning the food dishes, accessories and dog to the pen. On a hot, sunny day, it will take approximately one to two hours to completely dry and evaporate. On colder days, or days that are less sunny, allow the pen to sit for five to six hours before returning the pet to the pen.