Beginner

Empty kennel cleaning

The easiest kind of kennel cleaning is when a cat gets boxed up and leaves the kennel - and someone hangs a “Dirty” sticker on the kennel.

1. Remove everything from the kennel. Dump the food, water, and litter. (Water to the sink pls, why would you even think of dumping it in the trash can)
2. Take everything else: the water bowls, toys, linen - and yeet them into the green roller bin in OH. The weirdest part is that the “green” indicates dirty. Think of moldy cheese if it helps.
3. Spray the kennel with the cleaning juice. I close the kennel door and spray it from outside so the rails catch some of the spray.
4. Wait for 5 minutes, put on gloves. Take a paper towel and wipe down the whole kennel. You’re doing this to ensure the cleaning juice reaches every nook and cranny. Also do take the 5 mins, I’ve heard volunteers say, “Damn she was quick, did she actually let the kennel soak for 5 mins?” Speed is not your friend.
5. Def be careful about edge-cases (can you tell I’m a programmer) such as the underneath of the shelves or the round portals separating kennels - those tend to catch a lot of cat hairs.
6. Did you remember to wipe down the rails too?

Finally, flip the “Dirty” sticker to the “Clean” side. Remember to do this last because it is better to err on the side of caution. Worst case, kennel gets cleaned twice!

Kennel setup

Make sure the food and water’s away from the litter. Cats are famously lacking at organizational skills. We don’t want their litter to end up in their food.

Advanced

Group room cleaning

Taking out the trash

Occupied kennel cleaning

Honestly, the best way to truly learn all of this is to sign up for a morning cleaning shift. The volunteers who do these shifts are incredibly helpful and great at what they do. Once you see it in action, it's pretty hard to forget how everything works.

These advanced cleanings are hard work, but they are absolutely crucial to the shelter’s operations. Seven blessings upon you if you decide to pick this up. 🫡

The best time to do them is before the shelter opens to the public, usually before 11 am, to get the place ready to welcome visitors. You might not know this yet, but cats are better behaved on a full stomach 😉 Morning cleaning makes sure they get a fresh supply of food and water, which makes a huge difference in their day.