Monday 15th March, 2021
Spring is a great time for starting fresh, and with that comes the annual big clean. Cleaning your stable is a big job no matter how you look at it, but if you tackle it in a day and break it down into steps, it doesn’t have to feel impossible.
Before you actually start the cleaning process, you’ll need a blank canvas to work from. Take everything out of the stable, from the rubber matting to the bedding. This will help you clean everything thoroughly without having to work around stable fixtures. Then you can crack on!
If you start with the floors and work up to the ceilings, you risk knocking cobwebs, dust and dirt directly down from the ceiling back onto the floor you’ve just cleaned. Give the ceilings and rafters a sweep or a hoover, and work your way down the walls to catch any dust and grime. Then sweep the floors thoroughly, getting into all the nooks and crannies.
After you’ve got rid of dust and debris, you can disinfect and hose down the walls and floor. There are disinfectants available although a warm water and bleach mixture will work just fine. Make sure you rinse well after disinfecting and allow time for everything to dry properly to avoid mould and damp, otherwise cleaning your stable will have all been for nothing!
After hosing everything down, your windows are probably going to be super streaky. You could use a window cleaning chemical but some scrubbing will still be necessary and there will be more nasty chemicals involved. A little elbow grease and white vinegar will do wonders here instead. Get in there with a microfiber cloth for a streakless finish.
The worst part of a big stable clean is scrubbing down the rubber matting. It can get truly disgusting, so tackling this regularly as part of cleaning your stable is a good idea. If you take it out of the stable and hose it down before and after scrubbing, you’ll cut your work in half. Hosing down with a pressure washer will do most of it for you, so whilst they can be pretty pricey it might be worth investing in one.
Whilst you’re putting in some time scrubbing, make sure you scrub out buckets and feeders thoroughly. If using bleach, make sure everything is rinsed completely.
Before putting everything back in the stable, repaint your stable interiors with an antibacterial paint. Antibacterial paints will help stop the spread of bacteria and help create a healthy environment free from mould and germs. Stable Shield is a great option but there are plenty of antibacterial paints for stables so the choice is yours!
When the paint has dried it’s time to put it all back in the stable! Make sure everything is fully clean and rinsed down and dry, and you’re good to go!
If your stables are run down, old and neglected it might be time for a new structure. Old and badly maintained stables can become incredibly difficult to keep clean, so sometimes it’s time to throw in the towel and start over. Contact us here at Vale Stables for bespoke stable design and installation. Give you and your horses a shiny new stable today!
