Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures
Keeping animals’ environments clean and free of germs is essential to their health and well-being. Follow these steps to make sure your cleaning practices are effective in keeping your animals healthy and happy. Cleaning Process Perform ALL steps to thoroughly clean and sanitize: 1. Physically remove gross contamination and organic material (visible dirt, grime, or feces). This is the most important step! Soap and disinfectants will only clean the top layer of dirt on a surface, not what lies beneath.
Sanitization Methods There are many ways to effectively sanitize animal facilities. Talk with your veterinarian to choose the right option(s) for you: ● Washing with appropriate detergent and disinfectant solutions ● Washing with hot water (at least 180° F or 82.2° C) and soap or detergent (as most dishwasher or cage washer machines do) ● Live steam under pressure (at least 225° F or 107.2° C) What’s in a Word? While these terms are often used interchange- ably, they refer to different degrees of cleanliness: Cleaning simply means removing gross (visible) dirt from an object or surface. Decontamination is a broad term for making an object safe to handle. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on an object or surface but doesn’t get rid of them all. Disinfection removes most ‘live’ germs like bacteria and viruses. It may not kill cysts or spores that, under the right conditions, can mature and cause infections. Sterilization kills or deactivates all micro- organisms including bacteria, viruses, cysts, and spores.
DID YOU KNOW? Rust, chew, or scratch damage, and permeable surfaces like bare wood, unsealed concrete, foam, or fabric prevent thorough disinfection. Solid or liquid matter that contains germs can “hide” in tiny cracks and crevices where the soap and disinfectants cannot reach. Allow proper cleaning and sanitization by removing, repairing, or replacing these surfaces frequently. PRACTICAL TIP Disinfectants need sufficient contact time , or time in contact with an object or surface, to effectively kill germs. A product’s contact time is printed on the manufacturer’s label. Be sure to allow the full contact time to elapse before rinsing or wiping the disinfectant away.
Physically remove gross contamination and organic material 2. Use detergent (soap) and water to thoroughly clean surfaces of invisible dirt; rinse away all soap suds. 3. Apply disinfectant or sanitizing method (top right), following all product label instructions including contact time . 4. Thoroughly rinse or wipe away disinfectant. 5. Squeegee or dry surfaces before allowing animals back in.
Be sure your cleaning products are effective by carefully following all label instructions for mixing, diluting, and storage.
Learn more at www.aphis.usda.gov/animalwelfare/aids The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Animal Care APHIS-23-016 • Revised November 2023
Missouri Pet Breeders Association | Page 20
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