How to Clean a Dog Crate Safely, Material by Material
A dog crate can look clean while moisture, cleaner residue, or accident odor remains under the tray, around wire joints, inside foam, or beneath the crate itself.
To clean a dog crate safely, remove the dog, take out the tray, bedding, and accessories, remove loose debris, clean each component according to its material and care instructions, follow the cleaning-product label for rinsing, and let every part dry fully before rebuilding. No single cleaner, method, drying time, or schedule is right for every crate.
The practical rule is simple: disassemble, trace the soil, clean material by material, then rebuild only after a full inspection.
What Is the Safest Way to Clean a Dog Crate?
The safest general approach is a six-step sequence that keeps the dog away from the work area and treats the crate as a collection of different materials.
- Move the dog to a clean, secure area. Remove food, water, treats, toys, and anything else the dog might lick or chew.
- Disassemble every removable component. Take out the crate tray or pan, bedding, pad, removable cover, divider, bowls, clips, and crate cover.
- Remove loose debris before adding liquid. Vacuum, sweep, shake out, or lift away hair, kibble, dirt, feces, and other visible material using a method that will not spread it.
- Clean each component according to its material. A hard plastic tray, coated wire frame, fabric cover, foam insert, and rubber accessory may require different cleaners, tools, temperatures, and drying methods.
- Rinse whenever the applicable directions require it. The crate manual, textile care label, accessory instructions, and cleaning-product label together determine whether rinsing is required.
- Dry and inspect every part before rebuilding. Check undersides, joints, seams, bedding fill, clips, floor protectors, and the floor beneath the crate. If any area is damp, visibly soiled, sticky, strongly scented, or still carrying the accident odor, the crate is not ready.
This order matters. Applying cleaner before removing hair and organic debris can make soil harder to find. Cleaning the assembled crate can leave liquid trapped at joints or under the tray. Rebuilding while bedding is damp can return moisture to an otherwise dry frame.
What Should You Check Before Cleaning?
Before you wet the crate, locate the instructions that govern each component. This short preparation step prevents many of the problems owners face later: damaged coatings, misshapen trays, soaked foam, cleaner residue, and bedding that cannot be dried as expected.
Look for:
- The crate manufacturer’s manual or care page
- A molded or printed label on the tray or shell
- The bedding or crate-pad care tag
- Separate directions for a removable cover and internal fill
- Care instructions for bowls, clips, covers, mats, or rubber feet
- The cleaning product’s current use directions
- Required dilution, contact time, rinsing, ventilation, and protective equipment
- Restrictions involving bleach, heat, machine washing, tumble drying, abrasives, or direct sunlight
If a label is missing, search by the exact manufacturer, product name, and model number. A general article about plastic or wire crates should not override instructions for the crate in front of you.
The pet-safe home materials guide can help you separate questions about fabric, foam, plastic, fragrance, residue, and washability. For broad claims such as “pet-safe,” “natural,” or “non-toxic,” use the guide to reading pet-product label claims to find the actual surface, species, preparation, rinse, and use directions behind the marketing language.
Prepare the cleaning area
Keep the dog away until the work is finished and all re-entry conditions have been met. If you are using a cleaner that calls for ventilation, protective eyewear, gloves, protective clothing, or another precaution, set those up before opening or mixing the product.
For larger pet items, the CDC pet-supply cleaning and disinfection guidance recommends a dedicated pet wash tub, laundry sink, or bathtub rather than a kitchen food-preparation sink. Clean and disinfect an indoor tub or sink after use. If you work outdoors, follow the cleaning-product label and local requirements for runoff and disposal rather than allowing wash water or disinfectant to drain indiscriminately.
Set up separate places for:
- Dirty parts waiting to be cleaned
- Clean parts waiting to dry
- Waste and disposable cleanup material
- Laundry that must stay separate from dry crate components
- Product labels or instructions you need to keep visible
This separation prevents a clean tray from being placed back on a contaminated floor or a freshly washed cover from picking up debris from the original accident area.
Why Can’t You Use One Cleaner on the Entire Crate?
One cleaner cannot be assumed to work across the entire crate because the tray, wire coating, plastic shell, textile cover, foam fill, and accessories may have different compatibility limits.
Consider the differences:
| Crate component | What makes it different | Direction that controls |
|---|---|---|
| Removable tray or pan | Hard surface, raised rim, textured areas, underside, possible plastic sensitivity | Crate manual and cleaner label |
| Coated wire bars | Coating can be scratched, worn, chipped, or rusted; liquid can collect at joints | Crate manual and cleaner label |
| Molded-plastic shell | Resin, finish, vents, door hardware, seams, and fasteners vary by model | Exact model instructions |
| Fabric cover | May have washable fabric, waterproof backing, zippers, or coatings | Sewn-in care label |
| Foam or internal fill | Can retain liquid deep inside and may not tolerate machine washing or heat | Product-specific care instructions |
| Bowls, clips, rubber feet, and toys | Different materials and different contact with food or the dog’s mouth | Accessory instructions |
| Floor beneath the crate | Could be sealed flooring, carpet, wood, laminate, tile, or a protective mat | Flooring and cleaner directions |
Official instructions show why material-specific care is more than a technicality. For the MidWest folding crates covered by its manual, the manufacturer permits removal of the plastic pan and calls for mild, non-abrasive cleaners and water on the crate finish and pan. It warns against coarse or abrasive scrubbing and extended direct-sun exposure for the pan. Those instructions apply to the covered models, not every wire coating or plastic tray. See the MidWest iCrate usage and maintenance manual.
The same caution applies to cleaning tools. A stiff brush, scouring pad, scraper, steam device, pressure washer, or very hot water may seem efficient, but compatibility cannot be assumed. Scratching a coated bar or roughening a plastic surface can create areas that are harder to inspect and clean later.
For a wider look at how construction changes care requirements, see the guide to safer pet-product materials.
Which Cleaning Route Fits the Material and Mess?
Choose the route by answering two questions: What material is dirty, and what type of soil is present? The answer determines the next step.
Use this decision guide:
If you have loose hair, crumbs, or dry dirt
Start with dry removal. Vacuum or sweep around the crate, shake out compatible textiles outdoors if appropriate, and lift debris from the tray and wire joints. Then clean only the components that remain visibly dirty or carry odor.
If you have ordinary grime on a hard surface
Check the manufacturer’s instructions. Use a compatible cleaner and non-damaging tool, clean the entire affected surface, follow any rinse direction, and dry the underside and edges as carefully as the visible top.
If urine reached the tray or bars
Remove absorbent bedding first so it does not transfer liquid to other components. Blot or lift liquid without pushing it into joints. Inspect the tray’s underside, wire feet, nearby wall, baseboard, floor protector, and flooring. Clean each affected material under its own instructions.
If feces, diarrhea, or vomit is present
Treat it as an accident cleanup rather than routine dusting. Isolate the area, remove bulk material, prevent tracking, clean away visible soil, and then decide whether a compatible disinfectant or veterinary guidance is needed.
If the bedding is wet
Separate the cover, liner, and fill only if the product is designed to come apart. Read the care instructions for every layer. Do not place an entire foam-filled pad in a washer because its cover is machine washable.
If odor remains after cleaning
Stop adding fragrance and trace the source. Recheck the tray rim and underside, wire joints, bedding fill, crate cover, floor beneath the crate, wall, and nearby soft furnishings. Persistent odor usually means the affected material or location has not yet been identified, fully cleaned, rinsed as required, or completely dried.
This material-and-soil decision is the central checkpoint. Do not let the cleaner you already own determine the method. Let the component, soil, and directions determine whether that cleaner belongs in the process.
How Do You Clean Each Hard Crate Component?
Clean hard components after loose debris has been removed and after you have confirmed which products and tools the manufacturer permits.
Removable plastic tray or crate pan
Slide or disengage the tray according to the crate instructions. Avoid forcing a warped, cracked, or jammed tray past latches or wire edges.
- Remove hair, crumbs, and loose dirt.
- Inspect the top, raised rim, corners, textured areas, underside, and any groove where the tray rests against the frame.
- Apply the manufacturer-approved cleaning method.
- Use a non-abrasive cloth, sponge, or brush if the instructions permit it.
- Rinse if the crate instructions or cleaner label require rinsing.
- Drain the tray at several angles so water does not remain in the rim or molded channels.
- Dry both sides and inspect for cracks, sharp edges, deformation, or retained odor.
Do not assume that hotter water, stronger cleaner, prolonged soaking, or extended sunlight will improve the result. Plastic formulations and tray designs vary. The MidWest manual, for example, warns that extended direct-sun exposure may warp or damage the covered pan, but that warning does not provide a universal drying rule for every plastic tray.
If a tray has deep scratches, cracks, a rough chewed edge, or a shape that no longer sits flat, cleaning may not resolve the underlying condition. A damaged tray can trap soil or create a physical hazard, so check the manufacturer’s replacement options.
Coated wire bars, doors, latches, and joints
Wire crates require more than wiping the most visible bars. Hair and liquid can collect where bars cross, where panels fold, around door hinges, beneath latches, and at the feet.
Work from the upper bars down so loosened material does not fall onto a finished lower section. Clean:
- Horizontal and vertical bars
- Welded intersections
- Folding joints and panel connections
- Door edges and hinge points
- Latches and handles
- Divider-panel hooks
- Lower perimeter wire
- Feet or floor-contact points
- The channel or supports beneath the tray
Use only a tool and cleaner compatible with the verified finish. Abrasive pads and aggressive scraping can damage some coatings. If the finish is chipped, flaking, bubbling, or rusted, do not treat the area as ordinary grime. Inspect the extent of the damage and ask the manufacturer whether the panel or crate should be replaced.
After rinsing, if required, inspect joints from more than one angle. Water droplets can cling beneath horizontal bars and inside narrow connections even when the front surface looks dry.
Molded-plastic crate shell
Molded-plastic travel crates can include a shell, vents, recessed handles, metal doors, plastic fasteners, and seams joining two halves. Because model-specific compatibility varies, the exact crate manual should control the cleaner, water temperature, tools, and disassembly method.
A conservative workflow is to:
- Remove loose debris.
- Separate removable parts only as the manufacturer permits.
- Clean each confirmed hard surface with a compatible method.
- Keep liquid from collecting in vents, fastener recesses, handles, and shell seams.
- Rinse according to the cleaner and crate directions.
- Dry the shell in an orientation that allows trapped water to drain.
- Reinspect the door attachment points and internal seams.
Do not infer that instructions for a removable wire-crate pan also apply to a molded-plastic shell. They may be different plastics with different hardware and construction.
Bowls, clips, dividers, covers, and other accessories
Remove accessories before cleaning the frame. A bowl attached to the bars can shield soil behind its bracket. A fabric crate cover can absorb moisture from a damp frame. Rubber feet can hold liquid against the flooring.
Treat each accessory as its own item:
- Follow food-contact directions for bowls.
- Check whether clips or brackets have hidden channels.
- Inspect divider hooks for debris and coating damage.
- Wash fabric covers only under their textile instructions.
- Check rubber or silicone parts for cracking or tackiness.
- Clean compatible toys separately from the crate.
- Replace damaged pieces that cannot be cleaned or used as intended.
The pet-home cleaning checklist by room provides a useful follow-up for cleaner storage, ventilation, residue, wet surfaces, and pet access.
Floor, mat, wall, and area around the crate
A cleaned crate can be returned to a contaminated location if the surrounding area is ignored. Move the crate and inspect the full footprint.
Urine can travel under a tray, through wire spacing, over the edge of a protective mat, or along a floor seam. Vomit or diarrhea can be transferred by paws, towels, shoes, or cleanup tools. Hair and food can collect against the wall behind the crate.
Clean the floor, protective mat, baseboard, and nearby wall according to their own material directions. Do not assume that a product approved for a hard crate surface is suitable for carpet, sealed wood, laminate, painted drywall, or natural stone.
How Do You Wash Dog Crate Bedding?
Wash crate bedding according to the care label for its exact construction. A removable cover may be machine washable while the internal foam, waterproof liner, bolster, or fill requires spot cleaning, hand washing, line drying, or no washing at all.
Start by identifying what you have:
- A flat textile pad with no removable fill
- A removable fabric cover over foam
- Loose fiber fill
- A waterproof or water-resistant liner
- A bolster with several types of fill
- A heating or cooling insert
- A crate mat with a bonded backing
- A separate blanket or towel
Check every label before separating the components. Some covers are intended to be removed; other zippers exist for manufacturing rather than routine access.
The care differences documented by manufacturers are significant. Under the Diggs Snooz crate-pad care instructions, the fabric cover can be machine washed in cold water on a gentle cycle, while the foam pad must be spot cleaned with warm water and cannot be machine washed. Neither component should be tumble dried, and both must air dry fully before reassembly.
Kuranda’s instructions take a different route for different products within its own range. Several named pads and accessories allow cold machine washing and low tumble drying, while the Ballistic Crate Pad requires spot cleaning or hand washing with mild detergent, line drying, and no bleach. The Kuranda pad and accessory care guidance illustrates why “washable dog bed” is not a complete set of laundry directions.
A care-label-led bedding workflow
- Remove loose hair and debris before wet cleaning.
- Separate only the components designed to be separated.
- Pretreat or spot clean only if the care label and product directions allow it.
- Select the stated wash method, water temperature, and cycle.
- Use only permitted additives.
- Run any required rinse process.
- Dry by the stated method.
- Check the deepest and slowest-drying areas before reassembly.
For more detail, use the dog-bed cleaning and maintenance guide.
Check the fill, not just the cover
A dry cover does not prove that the fill beneath it is dry. Press several areas with a clean, dry towel. Check corners, seams, bolsters, the center of thick foam, and any waterproof layer that may have trapped liquid.
If urine, vomit, or diarrhea reached internal foam or fill, surface cleaning may leave moisture and odor deeper in the construction. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for internal contamination. If the fill cannot be cleaned as directed, remains wet, has exposed foam, or retains the accident odor, replacement may be more practical than repeated soaking.
The guide to foam, fabric, and pet-furniture materials offers more context for exposed fill, ventilation, retained odor, and unsupported chemical claims.
If you need a replacement designed for flat placement in a crate, the Cozy & Washable Pet Training & Sleeping Pad is a reusable flannel option whose directions call for measuring the space, washing after use, and drying it fully before returning it to the crate. Its care directions still apply to that product alone.
Should You Rinse a Dog Crate After Cleaning?
Rinse the crate whenever the crate manual or cleaning-product label requires rinsing. If both provide directions, follow the complete set of compatible requirements rather than assuming that wiping until the surface looks clear is enough.
Rinsing may serve several purposes:
- Removing loosened soil
- Removing soap or detergent
- Removing a product that is not intended to remain on the surface
- Completing a disinfectant-label process
- Preventing residue from transferring to paws, fur, bedding, food bowls, or chewable accessories
A “no-rinse” statement must come from the applicable product directions and use condition. It should not be inferred from a spray format, fragrance, “natural” claim, or the word “pet” on the front label.
Rinsing also does not replace other instructions. A product may require pre-cleaning, a specific dilution, a stated wet contact time, ventilation, protective equipment, a water rinse, complete drying, or a longer exclusion period. Complete every applicable step.
Why disinfectant directions are product-specific
How Do You Clean a Dog Crate After Urine, Diarrhea, or Vomit?
For a crate accident, remove the dog, contain the affected area, lift away bulk material, clean visible soil, and then apply any compatible disinfection process required by the situation or advised by a veterinarian.
Immediate accident response
- Move the dog away from the crate and prevent other pets or children from entering the area.
- Remove bedding without dragging the contaminated side over clean flooring.
- Lift solid material and absorb pooled liquid.
- Place dirty laundry, reusable tools, and waste in separate locations.
- Check how far the contamination traveled.
- Clean visible soil from each affected component.
- Disinfect only with a product that is suitable for the intended organism, surface, and use.
- Complete all rinse, ventilation, drying, and exclusion directions.
- Clean the wash area and reusable tools.
- Wash your hands after the cleanup.
Trace the accident beyond the obvious center of the tray. Inspect the tray underside, perimeter wire, door threshold, feet, floor mat, flooring, wall, baseboard, bedding fill, crate cover, and any towel used during cleanup.
Cleaning must come before disinfection
Organic soil can interfere with some disinfection processes. That is one reason product labels commonly require removal of droppings and other visible material before the disinfectant is applied.
Do not assume every stomach or bowel accident has the same cause
Diarrhea and vomiting can result from dietary changes, stress, parasites, infection, toxins, medication, or other medical problems. You cannot identify the cause from crate odor or appearance alone.
Contact a veterinarian promptly if the dog seems seriously unwell, is rapidly worsening, may have swallowed a toxin or foreign object, or has other urgent symptoms. Cornell’s veterinary guidance for canine diarrhea lists lack of appetite, lethargy, black or tarry stool, associated vomiting, and failure to resolve within 48 to 72 hours as reasons to seek veterinary care. Puppies, older dogs, small dogs, medically fragile dogs, or dogs with severe symptoms may need help sooner.
Cleaning the crate does not replace care for the dog. Repeated accidents may also signal that the crate schedule, medical condition, diet, stress level, or access to outdoor elimination needs attention.
Follow disease-specific instructions when a diagnosis is known
If a veterinarian diagnoses or suspects an infectious condition, ask what should be cleaned, which disinfectant claims are relevant, how often the process should be repeated, and whether porous items need special handling or replacement.
For a pet being treated for Giardia, the CDC Giardia cleaning guidance for pets advises regular cleaning and disinfection of crates, bedding, bowls, toys, and floors, daily if possible during medication, and continuing until a few days after the final dose. That schedule is specific to Giardia; it is not a universal rule for every episode of diarrhea.
Suspected canine parvovirus also calls for prompt veterinary guidance and a disinfectant carrying an applicable current label claim. Do not substitute a fragrance product, ordinary household cleaner, or unverified homemade mixture for a pathogen-specific process.
Why Does the Crate Still Smell Like Urine After Cleaning?
Persistent urine odor usually means contamination or moisture remains somewhere in the crate system. Repeatedly spraying the visible tray can miss the underside, wire joints, flooring, bedding fill, or another porous material.
Use an odor-source trace:
| Where the odor is strongest | Recheck | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| At the tray center | Texture, scratches, residue, incomplete rinse | Reclean under the tray and cleaner directions |
| At the tray edge | Raised rim, molded channel, contact point with wire | Clean and drain the entire perimeter |
| Beneath the crate | Floor mat, flooring seams, baseboard, wall | Use the correct method for that separate material |
| At the wire frame | Lower bars, welds, joints, feet, door threshold | Inspect from several angles and clean compatible areas |
| At the bedding surface | Cover seams, zipper, backing | Follow the textile care label |
| Inside thick bedding | Foam, fill, liner, bolster | Follow internal-component directions or consider replacement |
| Only after rebuilding | Damp contact between parts | Disassemble and dry every component again |
| Throughout the room | Nearby rug, curtain, furniture, cleanup tools | Expand the inspection outside the crate footprint |
A stronger fragrance can make the room smell different without proving that the source has been removed. There is no well-supported universal formula that can be assumed to remove urine odor from every tray, coating, shell, foam, textile, and floor.
If you choose an odor-removal product, confirm:
- The intended surface and material
- Whether the product is for cleaning, odor treatment, disinfection, or some combination
- Required preparation and application
- Whether the area must stay wet for a stated period
- Whether rinsing is required
- Ventilation and pet-exclusion directions
- Whether the product is compatible with other cleaners already used
Do not add a second product over an unidentified residue. If you are unsure what was used first, stop, ventilate the area as directed, and consult the product manufacturer rather than experimenting with combinations.
Never Mix Cleaning Products Unless the Labels Explicitly Permit It
Do not mix bleach with ammonia, acids, vinegar, or other cleaners. Do not combine two disinfectants, add fragrance to a prepared solution, or layer products in the hope that the mixture will work faster.
Mixing products can create hazardous reactions, increase exposure, damage materials, or make it impossible to follow either label correctly. Even when an immediate reaction is not obvious, one product can alter the other product’s concentration or performance.
Use one documented process at a time:
- Identify the product already on the surface.
- Complete its rinse or removal directions.
- Ventilate as required.
- Let the component reach the stated condition.
- Start another process only if the directions permit it.
Terms such as “pet-safe,” “green,” “gentle,” or “non-toxic” do not waive dilution, rinsing, protective-equipment, storage, or exclusion instructions. The meaningful question is not whether the front label sounds reassuring. It is whether the complete directions cover the exact surface, task, and household use.
How Do You Dry a Dog Crate After Cleaning?
Dry every component until no moisture remains in seams, joints, undersides, fill, or contact points. There is no universal number of minutes or hours because drying depends on the material, thickness, airflow, humidity, wash method, and care-label restrictions.
Start by removing excess water in a way the material permits. Wipe hard surfaces with a clean towel or allow them to drain. Rotate trays and shells so molded channels do not hold water. Open doors and separate removable parts to improve airflow.
For textiles, use only the drying method on the care label. Do not raise the dryer temperature to speed the process if the item calls for low heat, line drying, or air drying. High heat can affect foam, waterproof backing, adhesives, coatings, seams, or fit.
The dry-before-return check
A component is not ready merely because its most visible surface feels dry. Check:
- The top and underside of the tray
- Raised tray rims and molded channels
- Wire joints, hinges, latches, and feet
- Shell seams, vents, and handle recesses
- Both sides of floor mats
- Zippers, piping, folds, and cover seams
- Foam or fill beneath the cover
- Thick bolsters and corners
- Bowl brackets and accessory clips
- The flooring under the crate
Press a dry towel against suspect areas. If the towel picks up moisture, continue drying. Smell the item at close range without adding fragrance. A damp, sour, chemical, or persistent accident odor calls for another inspection.
Do not return the dog merely because a timer has expired. A surface that feels dry may still require rinsing, ventilation, or a longer exclusion period under the product label.
How Often Should You Clean a Dog Crate?
Clean the crate whenever it is visibly dirty, smells bad, contains damp bedding, or has been involved in an accident. A routine schedule helps, but condition-based cleaning takes priority over the calendar.
The CDC offers a general example of cleaning pet beds, blankets, and habitats weekly and more often when they look dirty or smell bad. Treat that as a starting point, not a promise that weekly cleaning is enough for every household.
Daily or frequent checks can be brief:
- Remove shed hair and food debris.
- Check the tray for dampness or residue.
- Inspect bedding for wet spots, odor, torn fabric, or exposed fill.
- Wipe up fresh spills under the applicable directions.
- Check the floor beneath the crate.
- Confirm bowls and accessories are clean.
- Look for coating damage, rust, cracks, or sharp edges.
Clean more often during house-training, illness, shedding, wet weather, or any period of repeated accidents. A crate used for travel or recovery may also require a different schedule.
Once the crate is clean, rebuilding a comfortable crate resting area can help you review bedding fit, airflow, cover placement, and the dog’s day-to-day comfort.
Final Dry-Before-Return Inspection
The crate is ready to rebuild only when every component has passed three checks: clean, direction-compliant, and fully dry.
Before returning the dog:
- Inspect the tray top, rim, and underside.
- Check every lower bar, joint, latch, hinge, and foot.
- Check shell seams and vents.
- Confirm cleaner residue has been rinsed away where required.
- Confirm all ventilation or exclusion directions have been completed.
- Press bedding seams, fill, foam, and bolsters for retained moisture.
- Inspect bowls, clips, mats, dividers, and covers.
- Smell the tray, bedding, and floor separately.
- Check the floor and wall around the crate.
- Rebuild the crate according to its assembly instructions.
- Confirm the tray sits flat and the doors and latches work normally.
If any part is damp, damaged, sticky, heavily scented, or still smells like the accident, pause and identify the cause. The fastest route back to a usable crate is a complete inspection, not rebuilding early and repeating the entire job later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I use to clean a dog crate?
Use a cleaner and tool permitted by the exact crate or component instructions. Some wire-crate manuals call for mild, non-abrasive cleaners and water, but that does not establish a universal cleaner for every wire coating, molded shell, tray, textile, foam, or accessory.
If the crate has no instructions, use applicable public-health fallback guidance cautiously and do not override known material restrictions. For any disinfectant, follow the complete current label.
Should I rinse a dog crate after cleaning?
Yes, if the crate instructions or cleaner label requires rinsing. Rinsing may remove soil, soap, detergent, or disinfectant residue. A dry surface is not automatically ready for the dog if a rinse, ventilation period, or other re-entry condition has not been completed.
Can I clean a dog crate with a pressure washer or steam cleaner?
Only if the crate manufacturer explicitly permits that technique. High pressure or heat may affect coatings, joints, plastic, fasteners, labels, or attached materials. Without verified model-specific approval, use the documented manual method.
Can I put a dog crate pad in the washing machine?
Only if the care label permits machine washing for that exact component. A removable cover may be machine washable while the foam or internal fill is not. Check whether the cover, liner, and fill have separate instructions.
Can my dog return to the crate if a cleaner smell remains?
Do not use fragrance as the readiness test. Confirm that required rinsing, ventilation, drying, and exclusion directions are complete. If a strong cleaner odor remains, keep the dog away and consult the product directions or manufacturer before use.
