Keeping your facility clean and odor-free is not only important for the animal's safety but for their owner's overall satisfaction as well.

In every business in the animal care industry, there are a lot of different areas that need to be considered when cleaning like kennels, waiting rooms, staff rooms, patient rooms, and many more. With all of these different areas and cleaning challenges, some things can be overlooked. Let’s learn about the most common cleaning mistakes in the animal care industry and ways to avoid them.

Not Having Clear Cleaning Procedures

One mistake is not having clear cleaning protocols that all staff can follow and understand. If each staff member is following their own cleaning rules then, as a business, you might not be able to guarantee that all standards are met.

To ensure all of your staff is on the same page, create easy and thorough cleaning procedures for your employees. Go over the procedures with employees (don’t forget new hires), create written directions/steps, and have a specific location for all cleaning products. This will ensure all employees are on the same page, everything is organized, and that your office is clean and safe!

Keep in mind that different areas and tools may require additional cleaning procedures. Spaces, where animals are kept or seen, should be cleaned and disinfected often. If an animal is sick, then that space should be disinfected before and after the visit. Doing so will stop the spread of disease amongst the animals and staff.

Forgetting Waiting Rooms/Lobbies

The majority of businesses focus on cleaning kennels and other areas where the animals are. But, we cannot forget about their owners! Keeping customers (yes, the human customers) safe and happy should be a top priority. You should be regularly disinfecting and cleaning your lobby area as it is your customer’s first impression of the business. This includes disinfecting high-touch areas, cleaning the floors, and controlling odors.

Our Eco-Power Probiotic Floor Cleaner first removes grease and grime on the surface, then the biological additives digest dirt and grease in the grout and pores. The cleaner stays active for up to 80 hours and is re-activated when it gets wet. Plus, there is no waste! If there is leftover product after you mop, just pour it down the drain to keep drains clear.

For a quick and easy way to disinfect and clean high-touch surfaces, try our Surface Defense AQ Wipes. These wipes have 48 viruses and bacteria kill claims with a short one-minute contact time. They are perfect for wiping down countertops, chairs, doorknobs, etc. throughout the day.

Mistaking “Cleaning” for “Disinfecting”

Cleaning surfaces and tools is a good place to start, but that does not kill germs. Cleaning removes dirt, grease, etc., whereas disinfecting actually kills bacteria and viruses. Especially when working with pets, having a disinfectant that kills veterinary pathogens is important. Make sure to clean visibly dirty surfaces before disinfecting unless you have a product that does both.

Our Eco-Power All-Purpose Cleaner is truly an industrial-strength multi-purpose cleaner. It cuts through the toughest, stickiest, greasiest messes! We use biodegradable EPA Safer Choice-approved ingredients, making it safe to use on a wide range of hard surfaces. Visit our website to see all of our cleaners.

Triple Threat Defense is our ready-to-use, EPA-registered disinfectant, cleaner, deodorizer, bactericidal, virucide, tuberculocidal, mildewstat, and fungicide. It really does it all! Triple Threat is EPA-registered to kill Canine parvovirus, Feline calicivirus, Rabies virus, and many more pathogens. It removes dirt and grime as it disinfects and deodorizes, making it a one-step solution. All you need to do is spray, wait the allotted time stated on the label, and wipe. At Neutron, we offer many disinfectants that also clean! See our full list of disinfectants on our website.

Using the Right Disinfectants

Since you are working with pets, it is important that you are using disinfectants that kill veterinary pathogens as well as products that are safe to use around animals. Many of our disinfectants do both!

Additionally, make sure you are reading product labels for important product-related information. This includes how to use it and dilution ratios when applicable.   

Just Masking Odors

Masking odors does not actually resolve the issue. It will remove foul smells initially, but they will eventually return. Working with animals comes with a lot of unpleasant odors. That is why it is important to find an odor eliminator that lasts for hours. Odor elimination in your business keeps your employees and customers happy! Neutron offers industrial-strength odor-eliminating products that actually eliminate odors – not just cover them up. See all of our odor control products on our website.

There are many more cleaning challenges that come with being in the animal care industry. At Neutron, we have a product to solve every problem.

For pet stains and odors, try D-Molish Enzymatic Digester & Deodorizer. This product contains powerful bacteria that when activated by water produce enzymes that organically digest the toughest stains and odors. It’s perfect for removing organic stains and odors caused by urine, blood, vomit, and more. It can be used on tile, grout, cement, and even soft surfaces like laundry and carpet.

Check out our website to view all products that can help you and your business!