How to Clean a Dog Crate Properly (UK Guide)

Quick Answer

Dog crates accumulate urine, saliva, fur and food residue that become a bacterial source within a few weeks. Wipe down weekly, deep clean monthly, and wash bedding at 60°C with an enzyme detergent. Use enzyme cleaners rather than bleach — bleach residue irritates paws and skin, even after rinsing.

Further reading: NHS — allergies overview · UKHSA — sodium hypochlorite (bleach) safety

Why Dog Crates Need Regular Cleaning

A crate is a small, enclosed space your dog breathes, drools and sheds into every day. Left alone, that mixture stops being cosy and starts being a problem.

The obvious issue is odour. Urine from overnight accidents, traces of faeces and dried saliva all break down into ammonia and sulphur compounds that cling to plastic trays and wire joints. You stop noticing after a few days; visitors do not.

The less obvious issue is health. Damp bedding and biofilm on tray corners are a reasonable home for the bacteria behind kennel cough, as well as yeast and mould in humid rooms. Flea eggs happily drop off a dog and wait in fabric bedding for weeks. Dogs with sensitive skin, puppies and seniors all react faster to a dirty crate than a healthy adult dog will.

None of this needs a dramatic fix. It needs a routine.

How Often to Clean a Crate

• Daily: shake out loose fur and crumbs, bin any soiled puppy pads, check bedding for damp patches.
• Weekly: wipe down bars, tray and door with a pet-safe cleaner. Wash soft bedding.
• Monthly: full deep clean — disassemble, wash, enzyme soak, rinse, dry.
• Quarterly: strip the tray and base completely, check for hidden biofilm, cracks or rust on wire crates.

If you have a puppy still toilet training, a senior dog with occasional accidents, or more than one dog sharing space, move weekly jobs to every few days and deep clean fortnightly.

Weekly Wipe-Down Routine

Ten minutes, once a week. Keep it simple or you will skip it.

1. Take the dog out of the room — cleaning products and curious noses do not mix.
2. Remove bedding, toys and bowls. Shake bedding outside.
3. Lift the tray out and tip loose fur and crumbs into the bin.
4. Spray an enzyme cleaner or a diluted pet-safe washing-up liquid solution across the tray, bars and door.
5. Wipe with a microfibre cloth, paying attention to corners where the tray meets the frame.
6. Rinse the tray with clean water and dry it with a fresh cloth.
7. Put clean bedding in. Done.

For a quick freshen-up between weekly cleans, a dilute white vinegar spray (one part vinegar to four parts water) deals with mild smells without leaving residue.

Monthly Deep Clean: Step-by-Step

Disassemble the crate

Fold down wire panels, lift the tray out fully, remove the door if it unclips, and take off any covers. You want every surface accessible — crate smells nearly always hide in the seams you normally skip.

Wash bedding (60°C, enzyme detergent)

Most dog bedding and crate mats can handle a 60°C wash, which is the temperature needed to deal with bacteria, dust mites and flea eggs. Check the label first. Use an enzyme-based detergent rather than standard biological powder — enzymes break down protein stains (urine, saliva, food) at their source. Tumble dry on high if the fabric allows; heat finishes what the wash started.

Washing dog bedding regularly puts a lot of fur and protein residue through your machine, and that residue transfers to the rest of your laundry if the machine itself is not maintained. A monthly run with a washing machine cleaner made for pet homes, such as viblii’s Pet Formula, keeps the drum, filter and seal free of build-up.

Hose down wire or plastic crates outdoors

If the weather allows, take wire and plastic crates into the garden and hose them off. A stiff brush works loose hair stuck to joints and hinges. Avoid pressure washers on plastic — they can score the surface and give bacteria more places to hide.

Enzyme soak the tray or base

Trays collect the worst of it. Fill with warm water, add an enzyme cleaner at the dilution on the bottle, and leave for 15 to 20 minutes. Enzymes need time to work; scrubbing early just spreads residue around.

Rinse thoroughly (critical for paw safety)

This is the step people rush. Any cleaner left on the crate will be in direct contact with paws, skin and sometimes mouths for hours at a time. Rinse every surface with clean water at least twice, wipe with a fresh cloth, then rinse once more. If you can still smell the cleaner, keep going.

Dry fully before reassembly

Damp metal rusts, damp plastic grows mould, and damp bedding puts you back where you started. Air dry in sunlight if possible, or towel dry and leave overnight in a well-ventilated room before putting the crate back together.

Cleaning Different Crate Types

Wire crates

The easiest to clean. Bars wipe down in minutes, trays lift out, and the whole thing folds flat for a proper wash. Pay attention to the joints where the bars meet — fur and dust knit together there and are easy to miss.

Plastic crates

Moderate effort. Smooth walls wipe clean easily, but the door mechanism and ventilation holes collect hair. An old toothbrush handles both. Plastic holds smells if you use harsh chemicals, so stick to enzyme cleaners and a diluted vinegar rinse.

Fabric or mesh crates

The hardest. Most are not machine washable as a whole unit. Vacuum thoroughly, spot clean stains with an enzyme cleaner, then wipe the fabric down with a damp cloth and a mild pet-safe detergent. Air dry completely — fabric crates mildew quickly. Replace them every one to two years; once odour sets into the fabric, no amount of cleaning pulls it back out.

Wooden crates

The most porous, and the least forgiving. Never soak wood. Wipe with a damp cloth and a small amount of pet-safe cleaner, dry immediately, and re-seal annually with a non-toxic finish if the manufacturer recommends it. Accidents on an unsealed wooden crate soak in and stay.

Dealing with Persistent Crate Smell

If you are cleaning weekly and the crate still smells, one of three things is usually going on.

The bedding has reached end of life. Old dog beds hold odour in the foam core even when the cover washes clean. If the smell comes back within a day of a fresh wash, replace the bedding.

The tray has biofilm in the corners. Biofilm is a thin, slippery layer of bacteria that clings to plastic and shrugs off standard cleaners. Soak the tray overnight in an enzyme solution, then scrub with a non-abrasive brush. If the smell persists after two deep cleans, replace the tray.

The smell is coming from somewhere else. Carpet and flooring under the crate absorb accidents and drips. Move the crate, check the floor underneath, and treat that area separately. Our guide to pet smells in the home covers this in detail.

For anything involving products, the usual rule applies: pet-safe, rinsable, and no bleach. Our notes on safe cleaning products for pet owners go through what to look for on a label.

The Kennel Club has sensible guidance on crate training and hygiene that is worth reading if you are new to crating.

Related Reading

• Complete Guide to Pet Smells in the Home
• How to Wash Dog Beds
• Safe Cleaning Products for Pet Owners

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put my dog’s crate bedding in the washing machine?

Yes, provided the label allows it. Wash at 60°C with an enzyme detergent to deal with bacteria, urine protein and flea eggs. Shake loose fur off before it goes in, and keep the machine itself maintained — fur and protein residue build up in the drum and transfer to other laundry.

What’s the safest cleaner for a dog crate?

An enzyme-based pet cleaner, rinsed thoroughly. Enzymes break down urine, saliva and food residue rather than masking them, and they do not leave the skin-irritating residue that disinfectants and bleach can.

How do I stop crate smells from coming back?

Wipe down weekly, deep clean monthly, replace bedding when washing stops shifting the smell, and check the floor underneath the crate. Persistent odour usually means either the bedding or the tray has reached end of life.

Should I use bleach on a dog crate?

No. Bleach residue irritates paws, skin and airways, and dogs spend hours in direct contact with every crate surface. Enzyme cleaners do the same job safely when properly rinsed.

How do I clean a fabric or soft-sided crate?

Vacuum thoroughly, spot clean with an enzyme cleaner, wipe the fabric with a damp cloth and mild pet-safe detergent, then air dry fully before reuse. Fabric crates are harder to deodorise than wire or plastic, so plan to replace them every one to two years.