How to Clean Up Dog Poop
Dogs make great companions, but they can be notorious poop machines. Potty training is the best way to stop your four-legged friend from creating accidents in your house; however, accidents still do happen occasionally.
Cleaning up dog poop doesn’t need to be difficult or time-consuming if done in the right way. Here are nine strategies that may make the task simpler: 1. Choose an all-natural cleaner
Scoop
No one likes picking up dog poop, but it is an integral part of being a pet parent. Not only can it pose public health hazards, but its presence also pollutes our environment and water supply; so it is imperative that it is addressed immediately as delayed removal may stain surfaces or cause unpleasant odors.
Removing dog waste in your own yard is straightforward using a scooper and bags; just scoop the pile into your bag before disposing as necessary. However, cleaning up after walks or away from home is more complex – sometimes bags don’t fit the situation well or it could even be unsafe for your pup to step directly on it!
When this occurs, using a shovel or gardening tool to break up the poop into smaller pieces will make cleaning up easier, as well as reduce risk of stepping on it and contaminating the bag being held by you.
If the mess has spread onto surfaces other than grass or sand, a good way to mitigate its spread would be using a hose and dilutiated bleach to wash down the area with. This will kill bacteria and parasites while at the same time helping stop any unpleasant odors from spreading further.
If you prefer not to deal with the hassle of cleaning up after your pets on your own, or have an expansive yard, investing in a septic tank system or enzyme-based poo dissolver such as PoopBlock may be the perfect long-term solution for eliminating waste disposal costs while being environmentally friendly and saving on expensive bags or scoopers.
Wash
If an area where your dog often poops has become stained, it will need to be washed properly. To do this, soak it with a solution of two parts water to one part vinegar before using a clean cloth to scrub. If the stain persists, try applying some baking soda directly on it; after which rinse with cool water and dry with a clean towel.
Alternatively, for carpeted areas you can also use an enzyme cleaner to sanitize it and eradicate bacteria. When the poop has been cleaned away and the spot cleaned up, use an enzyme cleaner such as Kinderbean’s product with a squirt top application to saturate it with enzyme cleaner and allow it to sit overnight before vacuuming up your mess.
Once the stain is cleared up, use a deodorizer to neutralize any remaining smells from your pup’s bathroom habits – this step is especially crucial if there are young children or other pets around that could venture near that spot.
Training your pup can help prevent accidents, but accidents still happen! Cleaning up after dog poop should be taken seriously due to its contamination by germs.
Keep on top of cleaning up your dog’s messes by dedicating one trash can exclusively for dog poop. This will prevent its smell from lingering throughout your house or garage and allowing you to empty it once weekly when trash service arrives. Or use composting, adding grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, sawdust or newspaper shreds (known as “green” materials) along with carbon-rich materials (leaves, bark mulch or paper shreds) in equal proportion as “wet” materials in order to balance out nitrogen:phosphorous ratios in favor of “green” materials (grass clippings/wet materials).
Rinse
Dog poop can be unsightly to look at or step on, and can contain harmful bacteria that could spread zoonotic diseases to humans and pets alike. When you pick up after your pup from outdoors, be sure to disinfect the area afterwards with a disinfecting spray in order to kill any remaining bacteria that could still be lurking nearby and protect yourself and your family against contracting any serious infections such as Hookworms, Roundworms, Tapeworms, Parvo, Corona, Giardia, Yesinoises Salmonella and E-Coli.
If your carpeted space has carpeting, first scrape up any solid bits with a fork before applying a solution of 2 drops of dish soap mixed with 1 cup of water or vinegar directly on the stain. Gently sponge with paper towel until stain is gone – don’t rub; that could spread it further! Repeat process of sponging and blotting until stain is gone; pour baking soda on top to help deodorize spot.
Pet-safe enzyme cleaners can also help break down old poop stains by dissolving their odors. Simply spray it into the affected area, allow it to sit for 15 minutes, sponging and blotting, then repeat this step to eliminate any remaining smells – repeat as necessary until fully removed from its spot! If a stain has been in place for an extended period of time.
Once the poop has been cleaned up, dispose of it properly. This could involve starting a compost pile at home or taking it to a commercial composting facility for disposal. When composting, mix nitrogen-rich materials (like pet poop ) with carbon-rich ones like sawdust, newspaper shreddings or decayed vegetables to provide optimal conditions for healthy plant growth.
Picking up dog poop can be a tedious and smelly task for pet owners, but following these steps can minimize both mess and odors. Be sure to wear rubber gloves if possible and wash your hands immediately afterward; additionally, if there is any risk associated with touching animal waste such as potential diseases being transmitted via contact, always seek medical advice from your veterinarian immediately.
Dry
Dog poop cleanup is an integral component of responsible pet ownership. If it isn’t done regularly, decomposing feces could decompose and release bacteria into the environment that are both unhealthy for your pup and potentially harmful to humans. Also important is regular pickup so as to not accumulate in your yard and cause an unpleasant odor or other issues; making this part of daily life will make cleaning up dog poop much simpler!
As part of an effective poop pick-up plan, it is a good idea to establish a consistent schedule or routine for picking up dog waste. For instance, early morning walks might help ensure you can collect any wet dog waste before it dries, thus helping reduce odor production while also helping prevent tracking poop into the house.
Pet stores typically carry specialty poop bags for your convenience; or plastic grocery bags can do just as well – make sure the thickness of the bag encloses all feces without holes or punctures allowing leakage into other trash cans. Doubling bagging may help ensure this doesn’t occur!
If you need to clean a small area in the yard, try spraying the feces with a garden hose, which will kill flies and make it much simpler for later collection and disposal. For larger areas, larger scale fly spraying solutions such as those offered by Terminix could help stop further hatching of bugs before collecting and disposing it as required.
An enzyme poop cleaner may also be an option; these products work by literally eating up any poop that accumulates and sanitizing the area where it lies. They may be more suitable for large spaces as it takes some time for this solution to kick in; they should not be used on smaller areas due to slow work rate of their active ingredients.
If poop has left a stain on your dog’s fur, give him a bath with warm water and dog shampoo to remove any bacteria on his skin and clean away feces from his fur. A mild baby shampoo should work just as effectively; just remember to wear gloves while cleaning his entire body!
