Cleaning & Sanitation for Animal Shelters

a shelter worker stands on a stool to clean the glass window of a cat enclosure

Sanitation plays a critical role in preventing the spread of infectious disease and keeping animals healthy in animal shelters and foster homes.

We offer a wealth of resources, including sanitation protocols, as well as information regarding product selection and appropriate dilution; videos showing how to spot clean a kennel; and a Sanitation Decision Tree to help staff determine the best course of action based on risk level of animal population housed. These tips, plus a host of downloads, will help your shelter keep disease at bay.

In this section

Cleaners and Disinfectants in Animal Shelters

Learn best practices and products for maintaining a clean environment to protect the health of the animals in your care.

How-To Guides for Animal Shelter Cleaning

Equip your staff and volunteers with these easy-to-follow guides for many common shelter cleaning procedures.

two shelter staff clean the kennel floor and walls

Job Aid Downloads

Sanitation for Disease Prevention in Animal Shelters

Cleaning and disinfection are crucial in preventing the spread of infectious disease. Learn how to effectively sanitize with these easy guidelines.

Videos

Cleaning and Disinfecting Dog and Cat Transport Crates and Vehicles

Watch these how-to videos for helpful tips on sanitizing crates and vehicles used to transport shelter animals.

Job Aid Downloads

Do’s and Don’ts for Extending and Replacing Disinfectants

Running low on disinfectant or can’t find your go-to? Try these tips to extend or replace your regular disinfectants.

a white and black cat sits on the floor in a cat room looking at camera

Job Aid Downloads

Sanitation for Group Cat Rooms

Proper cleaning and disinfection is critical to shelter disease control and should occur on a regular basis in group cat rooms.

Tips

Give Foot Baths The Boot

Foot baths may seem like a good idea, but this resource explains why they can often cause more problems than they solve -- and what to do instead.

Examples from the Field

DIY Disposable Litter Boxes

Learn how one shelter makes kennel cleaning easier (and saves money!) using recycled cardboard boxes.