Dog Daycare Cleaning Protocol: Daily and Weekly Checklist
A practical dog daycare cleaning protocol with a daily and weekly schedule, the clean-then-disinfect order, contact times, and kennel-safe disinfectant types.
Here's the short version. Remove the mess, scrub with detergent, rinse, apply a disinfectant, leave it wet for the time printed on the label, rinse if the label says to, and let the surface dry. In that order, every time.
The rest of this article is how to turn that into a routine your whole team can follow without thinking.
Clean first, then disinfect
Disinfectants don't work well on dirty surfaces. Urine, feces, drool and hair soak up the active ingredient, and a layer of grime shields germs underneath. So the order is:
- Pick up solids and hair. Wear gloves.
- Scrub with a detergent and water. Use a brush on porous or textured floors.
- Rinse off the soap. Some disinfectants are weakened by detergent residue.
- Apply the disinfectant at the label's dilution.
- Keep the surface visibly wet for the full contact time.
- Rinse if the label calls for it (especially on surfaces dogs lick).
- Let it dry before dogs return.
If you skip step 2, you're mostly pouring product on dirt.
Contact time is on the label
Contact time is how long a surface has to stay wet with the product for it to do its job. It's printed on the label, and it differs by product and by which germ the label claims to kill. If the floor dries sooner than that, it didn't get the full treatment. Apply more.
Read the label. Don't rely on memory, a coworker, or a number from a blog post, including this one.
Types of disinfectant used in kennels
Check the label for the claims you need, especially for the germs that matter in a dog facility. Ask your vet which ones you need to worry about in your area.
- Accelerated hydrogen peroxide. Often used in kennels and shelters. It's generally gentler on skin than some alternatives, and the manufacturer's label states the dilution and contact time.
- Potassium peroxymonosulfate. A powder you mix with water. Common in animal facilities. Follow the mixing instructions and don't make a batch that sits for days if the label says otherwise.
- Bleach (sodium hypochlorite). Cheap and widely available, but it comes with caveats. It's weakened by organic matter, so you must clean first. The right dilution depends on the product's strength, and household and commercial bleaches differ. It gives off fumes, it damages some surfaces, and it must never be mixed with ammonia or acids. Mix fresh. Only use it according to the label or your vet's instructions.
- Quaternary ammonium products. Common and useful for many surfaces, but their effectiveness varies by germ and by formula. Read the label claims.
Don't mix products together. Don't use two at once hoping for double the effect.
Daily schedule
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Open | Check floors for overnight accidents, wash water bowls |
| Throughout the day | Spot-clean accidents right away (pick up, clean, disinfect the spot) |
| Between play sessions | Pick up waste in yards, wipe down toys that got slobbered on |
| Midday | Wash and refill water bowls, empty and wipe trash bins |
| Close | Full floor clean and disinfect, kennels and runs, door handles, gates |
| Close | Launder bedding and mats that were used or soiled |
Weekly schedule
| Day or frequency | What |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Scrub drains, check for standing water or odors |
| Weekly | Deep-clean walls and fences up to dog-nose height |
| Weekly | Wash toys in the machine or by hand, replace damaged ones |
| Weekly | Clean and disinfect the laundry area, mop buckets, brushes |
| Weekly | Check ventilation, replace or clean filters per the manufacturer |
| Monthly | Review supplies: gloves, soap, labeled spray bottles, test strips if your product uses them |
Checklist for one kennel or run
- Dog removed and placed somewhere safe
- Bedding out
- Solids and hair picked up
- Scrubbed with detergent
- Rinsed
- Disinfectant applied, label dilution
- Stayed wet for the contact time
- Rinsed if label says so
- Dry before the next dog
- Initialed on the log
Little things that cause big problems
- Unlabeled spray bottles. Label every bottle with what's in it and the date you mixed it.
- Dirty mops. A mop that's been sitting wet spreads germs around. Wash and dry mop heads daily.
- Shared bowls and toys. Wash between dogs, especially if you have any reason to suspect illness.
- Rushed drying. Wet floors are slippery and dogs lick them. Leave time.
- Forgetting the high-touch spots: gate latches, door handles, leashes, the check-in counter, the pen you hand to owners.
Keep a log
A simple sign-off sheet by the door protects you. Who cleaned what, what product, what time. If a case of kennel cough or something worse goes around, a log helps you and your vet rule out cleaning gaps. See our kennel cough guide for how that situation usually plays out. Insurers may also ask what your routine looks like (more on that in the insurance article).
When illness is in the building
If a dog shows signs of a contagious illness, call your vet and ask what to do about cleaning. The right product and routine depend on what you're dealing with. Some germs are tougher than others, and the label's claims matter more than ever.
Last point: follow the label. It's the legal instruction for the product, and it's usually more specific than any general guide. Keep the safety data sheets for each product where staff can find them.
