How to Clean a Dog Crate: Step by Step, Plus Accidents and Odor

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A clean crate is more pleasant for your dog and for you, and after an accident it matters even more: a smell you cannot notice can draw a dog back to the same spot. This page covers how often to clean a dog crate, a step-by-step routine for wire, plastic and soft crates, how to deal with urine, poop and vomit, which cleaners to use and avoid, and what to do if your dog keeps soiling the crate.

The short answer: take your dog out, remove and wash the bedding, wipe or wash the crate and tray with mild soap and warm water, rinse, and let everything dry completely before your dog goes back in. Use an enzymatic cleaner on urine, poop or vomit, and avoid ammonia. If your dog keeps having accidents in the crate, see your vet.

How we wrote this: the cleaning and safety advice comes from the CDC, the ASPCA, Humane World for Animals, the AKC, PetMD and the Humane Society of Missouri, with crate care tips from the crate makers Petmate and Diggs, all linked where they are used and checked on 29 October 2026. Product notes come from the makers’ pages and expert picks reported by NBC Select and BestReviews. We did not test these cleaners ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

How often to clean a dog crate

The CDC says to clean pet beds and habitats every week. Crate maker Diggs suggests a deep clean at least once a month with more frequent spot cleaning. Our view: clean any accident right away, wash the bedding and wipe the tray weekly, and give the whole crate a deep clean every few weeks, or right away after illness.

What you need

• Mild dish soap or a pet-safe cleaner, warm water, a sponge or soft brush and old towels or paper towels.
• An enzymatic stain and odor cleaner for urine, poop or vomit (see our picks below).
• Gloves, and a hose or bathtub for washing a wire crate or plastic kennel.

Step by step: a routine deep clean

1. Take your dog out and keep them in another room until you finish; Diggs and the CDC both say to keep pets away from where you are cleaning.
2. Remove the bedding, toys and tray. Throw away any waste and loose debris.
3. Wash the bedding according to its care label. Humane World for Animals suggests adding a one pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent for washables that smell of urine. Our guide on how to wash a dog bed has more detail.
4. Wash the crate and tray. The CDC says to wash pet items with soap or detergent and warm water, scrub with a sponge or brush, and rinse. Petmate says to rinse the crate first to remove dirt, then clean it, and rinse again.
5. Treat any accident spots with an enzymatic cleaner, following the label (see below).
6. Rinse well and dry completely. Petmate says to soak up water with paper towels first, then let the crate air dry thoroughly in a well-ventilated spot. Diggs says to rinse and dry everything before your pet goes back in. Our view: drying a wire crate well also helps keep it from rusting.
7. Put it back together with fresh bedding once everything is dry.

Wire, plastic and soft crates

• Wire crates: slide out the plastic tray and wash it separately. You can wipe the wire down, or wash the crate outside with a hose and let it dry fully.
• Plastic kennels and carriers: take the door off if your kennel allows it, then wash the shell inside and out with soapy water, paying attention to the vents and corners, and rinse.
• Soft-sided crates: check the maker’s label before soaking or machine washing. Many soft crates are wipe clean only: spot clean the fabric and frame with a damp cloth and let the fabric dry before folding it away.

Choosing a crate? Our best dog crate guide covers wire, plastic and soft crates, and the dog crate size chart helps you pick the right size.

Cleaning urine, poop and vomit

Remove as much of the mess as you can first, blotting liquid with paper towels rather than rubbing; PetMD says rubbing can spread urine through fabric. Then use an enzymatic cleaner. A veterinarian writing for PetMD explains that an enzymatic cleaner destroys the proteins and enzymes in dog urine, which helps get rid of the smell and decreases the chance your dog goes in the same spot again. Humane World for Animals says that as long as your pet can smell their own scent, they may keep returning to the accident zone.

Follow the cleaner’s label for how long to leave it on, and test it on a hidden area of fabric first. Do not use a steam cleaner on urine in fabric: Humane World says the heat can permanently set the stain and odor.

Cleaners to use and to avoid

• Everyday cleaning: mild soap and warm water, rinsed off well.
• Accidents: an enzymatic stain and odor cleaner, used as the label directs. Our best enzyme cleaner for pet urine guide compares three.
• Avoid ammonia. Humane World says to avoid ammonia and vinegar on accident spots, because strong chemical odors can encourage your pet to mark the area again. Petmate says to look for products free from ammonia, bleach and phenols.
• Disinfecting after illness: the ASPCA says diluted bleach can be used safely on kennels as long as it is diluted, thoroughly rinsed and the bleach smell has gone before your pet goes back. The CDC’s mix is 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water, left on for at least 10 minutes, then rinsed and dried. Ask your vet what to use if your dog was sick.
• Never mix cleaners. The CDC warns that bleach mixed with ammonia can produce toxic gases, and Petmate says never combine vinegar with hydrogen peroxide.
• Keep your dog out until it is dry. The ASPCA says most enzyme cleaners can cause mild stomach upset, so let them dry before your dog is back in the area, and store all cleaners out of reach (ASPCA).

Our picks: enzymatic cleaners

Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator

Best for crates and bedding. Rocco & Roxie lists travel crates, kennels, carriers and pet bedding among its uses, and says to leave it on new stains for 30 to 60 minutes before blotting, or treat laundry 30 minutes before washing. NBC Select lists it as a pick recommended by two cleaning experts, and BestReviews named it its top pet urine eliminator. It contains fragrance, and the maker says not to use it in a steam cleaner.

Nature’s Miracle Stain and Odor Remover for Dogs

Quicker spot treatment. Nature’s Miracle says to spray, wait 10 minutes and blot, and lists carpets, hard floors, furniture and fabrics as surfaces, but not untreated hardwood, leather, suede, silk or wool. Its label says it is harmful if swallowed, not to apply it on your pet, and to keep people and pets off treated areas until dry. A cleaning business owner recommended it for stubborn dog stains in NBC Select’s roundup.

If your dog keeps soiling the crate

Cleaning removes the smell, but repeated accidents usually have a cause. The AKC says that if your dog is regularly having accidents in their crate, it is a good idea to see the vet for a check-up, since a urinary tract infection or other illness can stop a dog holding their bladder, and a dog who finds the crate stressful may not relax enough to hold it. It also says a crate should be just big enough for your dog to turn around and lie down. Never punish crate accidents: the AKC says punishment can increase anxiety and make the problem worse, and the Humane Society of Missouri says to talk to your vet first to rule out medical problems. If your dog panics when left alone, read should you crate a dog with separation anxiety, and for puppies see how to crate train a puppy.

FAQ

Can I use bleach to clean a dog crate?

Only diluted and only when you need to disinfect, for example after illness. The ASPCA says diluted bleach is safe on kennels if it is thoroughly rinsed and the smell has gone before your dog goes back in. For routine cleaning, soap and water is enough.

Can I use vinegar?

For a general wipe-down, Petmate suggests a mix of dish detergent, white vinegar and water. On urine spots, Humane World advises against vinegar and ammonia because strong odors can encourage marking; use an enzymatic cleaner instead.

How do I get the urine smell out of a crate tray?

Wash the tray with soap and warm water, then treat it with an enzymatic cleaner following the label, rinse, and let it dry fully. Our view: if a plastic tray is cracked or still smells after a few cleans, a replacement tray from the crate’s maker is worth considering.

How long should the crate dry before my dog goes back in?

Until it is completely dry and any cleaner smell has gone. The CDC says to let items dry completely before your pet uses them.