Steam Cleaning a Boarding Kennel

There are many articles available that give you step-by-step instructions on cleaning a professional boarding kennel. The best advice these articles give you is to separate the cleaning process into the age or condition of the dog, such as, puppy, adult dog and sick or injured dogs. This is not only a good idea when cleaning it is also a good idea at all boarding times.

However, all of the articles I have read make the same mistake...they tell you what chemical-based cleaners to use and in what proportion to water. The problem with this is that some dogs, actual quite a few, can be harmed by the very chemical-based cleaners you are using to clean their kennel. In addition, any allergies suffered by the people cleaning the kennels can be adversely effected by these cleaners.

There is an alternative to chemical-based cleaners. That alternative is cleaning with only water. Doesn't sound like that would work does it? Well, it will work just fine if you incorporate a steam cleaner into your cleaning regimen. Steam cleaners use only normal tap water heated to temperatures of at least 212 F. The water in most steam cleaners is heated to temperatures from 230 F to 325 F. This insures that the steam vapor kills all fleas, flea larvae, bacteria, germs, mold and mildew in and around the kennel. There is one brand of steam clean, the Ladybug steam cleaners equipped with TANCS, that will even clean up after a dog with parvovirus. You can find the test results for the Ladybug steam cleaners on the author's web site.

When cleaning a professional boarding kennel I recommend using a two-step cleaning process that includes both a pressure washer and a steam cleaner. The pressure washer can use either cold or hot water and can be powered by either gas or electricity. It does not matter if the pressure washer uses cold or hot water because the steam cleaner will provide the heat needed to sanitize and disinfect the area being cleaned. However, I do recommend an industrial electric pressure washer because it is quieter than a gas pressure washer and much more environmentally friendly.

The first thing you should do is to makes sure the dog is removed far enough from the kennel to not be in the way while cleaning. Once the dog is removed start the industrial electric pressure washer and begin moving the debris and waste to one corner of the kennel where it can be scooped up and removed. Depending on the type of materials the walls are made of, perhaps concrete or something similar, I would recommend thoroughly washing them down with the pressure washer removing any lose particles that may have found their way to the walls.


To save time make sure that the steam cleaner is plugged in and heating while you are cleaning with the pressure washer. Once you have completed your cleaning with the pressure washer it is time to turn to the steam cleaner. For this article we will assume you are using the Ladybug steam cleaner Equipped with TANCS.

To begin cleaning with the steam cleaner I would recommend you use the rectangle brush and start by steam cleaning the walls and ceiling of the kennel. The next step would be to steam clean the floor of the kennel. Go over both surfaces thoroughly not missing any spots on either the walls or the floor to be certain you are eliminating all fleas, flea larvae, bacteria, germs, mold and mildew in and around the kennel.

Once you have completely cleaned the walls and the floor with the rectangle brush I recommend that you remove the rectangle brush and replace it with one of the small round brushes. The 30 mm brash brush is good if the kennel is a typical concrete kennel. With the 30 mm round brass brush you now want to thoroughly steam clean all of the corners in the kennel where the walls meet and where the walls meet the floor and ceiling. These are grounds where nasty little things can gather and grow and eventually have a negative effect on the dog that occupies the kennel.

After completing your cleaning with the steam cleaner the kennel may still be somewhat wet. This wetness is not from the steam cleaner since the steam vapor is only about 5% water. The wetness is left over from using the pressure washer. If there are any puddles of water you may want to sweep them out with a broom and then allow some time - depending on the weather perhaps 5 to 15 minutes - for the kennel to dry before putting the dog back.

One person should be able to clean a single kennel in approximately 10 to 15 minutes while two people - one using the pressure washer and one following on with the steam cleaner - should be able to finish in half that time. Once completed, a kennel cleaned in this manner would be clean enough for the dog's owner to sleep in, let alone the dog.

High Pressure Washer MK-VH112