BLEACH WARNING!!!!! Bleach as a kennel cleaner. - Page 1

eichenluft said:

"and the fact that when I use bleach (always diluted in water) on the indoor runs, my eyes water/nose burns - which means it must really bother the dogs until it's dried."

Many people don't realize this, but spraying bleach (even diluted!) on urine (ammonia) creates a very hazardous CHLORINE GAS, which can be fatal to humans AND dogs (and is what causes your eyes to water and sting, and cause you to have problems breathing!)  Chlorine gas was first used as a weapon in World War I by Germany on April 22, 1915 in the Second Battle of Ypres, killing approximately 6000 soldiers due to asphyxiation due to the destruction of the respiratory tissues. .ALWAYS remove your dogs from the area until it is completely dried and only use bleach (even diluted bleach) in OPEN and WELL VENTILATED areas, because short of wearing a gas mask, regular HEPA masks typically only filter particulate matter and wouldn't do you much, if any, good.

Just thought I would share and maybe save a life!  :)

-Melanie

Actually, when diluted properly (1:32) bleach is an excellent kennel disinfectant & will not react with the urine.  Of course, the kennel should be dry before dogs are put back in.

Thanks Melanie......we use bleach and sometimes I comment to my husband that it's bothering my eyes.

The dogs are always outside fortunately when we clean indoors.......it is great however...OUTSIDE in the kennel runs, ...for us..

Robin

sueincc,

Yes, bleach used on a 1:32 ratio (one part bleach, 32 parts water) is a good DISINFECTANT. It is NOT a good SANTIZER to get rid of bacteria at that ratio.

Since we're talking bleach, here are some more specifics!

In order for bleach to be a SANITIZER, bleach must be used in temperatures of 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This is due to the chlorine in the bleach breaking down thermally (at higher temperatures) before it has a chance to sanitize (why you don't want to use it in HOT water or on HOT concrete dog runs to SANITIZE (yes, I keep adding emphasis on that word). This being said, if you DO use it outside, use it early in the morning or later in the evening when the temperature is cooler.

When using bleach diluted with water, a fresh solution must be made each day

To SANITIZE, a 1:10 solution of bleach to water should be used.

13 fluid ounces of bleach to 1 gallon of water, 1/4 Cup (2 fluid ounces) per 1 pint of water.

Always add the bleach TO the water, not vice versa, to avoid burns from splashes of highly concentrated chlorine bleach.

Hope this is helpful.

-Melanie

Very true, Melanie, however; I think the only difference between the two is disinfectants kill bacteria in 10 minutes versus 30 seconds for bacteria to be killed by sanitizing?

http://www.cmmonline.com/sidebar.asp?IndexID=6633499&Number=2

muahaha, perhaps I got the wording backwards!!!  lol  I'll have to actually spend some time and look it up (I may have a Lysol bottle in the kitchen to read!)

My point remains.  :)

Thanks for the heads-up!

-Melanie

It is always best to clean the kennel with your regular cleaner ( I like fabulosa) and scrub, then rinse. squeegee off the excess water then spray the kennel with the 10:1 bleach water, Allow to airdry before returning dogs to it. Bleach cannot break thru the biofilm from urine and feces therefore cannot remove odors or kill bacteria without prior cleaning.

ODO BAN is what we use in the shelter....  It does not "Irritate" bronchial function in the dogs like the bleach was !!  

Odo Ban is Virusidal, antibacterial, antifungal, and lord knows what else,  We love it, and with 30 kennels front and backs to clean ='s basically 60 kennels 1 gallon lasts us a week. 

it has a great smell and NO ill effects on surfaces or animals. 

Bleach is corrosive, and we found the dogs coats were effected, feet were irritated, and they're bronchial system almost always inflamed even with excellent ventalation.

EchoMeadows and Yellow Rose,

Please look at this. You both have reproductive animals, yes?  Regarding ODO BAN:

I investigated this when I was looking for a product to clean with (other than bleach, due to the issues of chlorine gas, but decided that as long as I use it outdoors, it's a great thing. I am currently going to do some more research and see if there is something that could be just as good (such as the pine sol that molly suggested)

http://www.cleancontrol.com/OdoBanRetail/msds/odoban/11001OdoBan3_17_06.pdf
Read SECTION 2 "Composition/ Information on ingredients"  Note the ingredient "isopropanol"

Okay, now go to this link: http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924412 (the MSDS sheet for isopropanol)
Read SECTION 3 "Hazardous Identification"

taken as an excerpt: "...

DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY: Classified Reproductive system/toxin/female, Development toxin [POSSIBLE].

The substance may be toxic to kidneys, liver, skin, central nervous system (CNS).

Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage."

Lastly, check out this link: http://catiators.ocicat.com/odobanwarning.htm

Given this information, I would say for any animals who are used for breeding, ODO BAN could possibly be a bad idea.

For a shelter who spays/neuters I think it's probably a non-issue.

Just thought I would share...

-Melanie