Disinfecting a deck

[mslaney 14]

Hi,

I have 3 dogs that don't care whether or not anything in my house has bite marks in it. Therefore, we usually keep them outside on our deck when we're not home. However, they've learned that they are going to be there a while and regularly relieve themselves (1 and 2) on the deck.

I have a couple of questions:

1. It's really nasty out there right now from the twos. What is the most stringent way to disinfect the deck without damaging the wood?

2. I'm broke right now so they will probably continue to occupy the deck for a while since I can't buy kennels. Are there any relatively inexpensive treatments I need to or could do in order to prevent long term damage to the deck?

Thanks,

Matthew

[Celeste 341]

Let's look at the lesser of two evils......poop, bacteria, who knows what's growing in that - or bleach. Somehow I think you'll do less damage with your bottle of bleach than they're doing with their backsides!

Why can't they stay in the grass?

[James 625]

Don't let them do it! Rent a Doggy Porta Duty or put on some Doggy Diapers on!. Change'em when you get home?I had a customer who let there dogs POOP all winter on the deck and I had a customer who let there dogs POOP around there Pool cement all winter. Beyond Gross! Notice I said ; had!

TRAIN THEM !!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Moved to the DIY area....

Good luck.

Beth

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

p.s. Pet Dog Waste Removal and Pooper Scooper Service once you get it clean....

[plainpainter 217]

You are in tennessee - so right now it's still moderate weather down there. So I am assuming this isn't from letting them go during the winter months - why do you allow your dogs to do this? And you actually let this accumulate more than a day? EWwwwwwwwww!

[PressurePros 249]

A sodium percarbonate or a bleach treatment will disinfect your deck. These cleaning chemicals will also cause discoloration in those spots.

[mslaney 14]

To those who complained about my question: one of them is a puppy and one of them was rescued from someone who locked her in a kennel for 12 hours at a time so that she became accustomed to just pooping on herself. So, the training is going, but going slowly.

I thought about bleach, but I wanted to be sure it wouldn't do serious damage to the wood. Can I just use the regular bleach from the laundry aisle?

[James 625]

It's OK a couple of times but after a while it gets out of control? put some plywood down that you can throw out after a while ?

[CraftonHill 14]

Dawn antibacterial dish washing liquid and warm water (Add a cup of bleach if it is really bad) and a roofers broom or any push broom will do the trick. At the most you are looking at spending $15.00 and it won't damage the stain. However, dog urine will discolor the stain and break it down too. You need to clean it nightly. I actually own a deck staining company but ended up in a similar situation with a rescue puppy myself. Also, there is a house hold cleaner (CHEAP) called Fabuloso found at just about any Wal-Mart, etc. It has a very strong clean smell and you can add that to the mix as well to take care of any odors from the dirty water being rinsed off the deck. You will be fine.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

It's OK a couple of times but after a while it gets out of control? put some plywood down that you can throw out after a while ?

I like Jim's idea.

Beth

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

My responses in blue:

Hi,

I have 3 dogs that don't care whether or not anything in my house has bite marks in it. Therefore, we usually keep them outside on our deck when we're not home. However, they've learned that they are going to be there a while and regularly relieve themselves (1 and 2) on the deck.

I have a couple of questions:

1. It's really nasty out there right now from the twos. What is the most stringent way to disinfect the deck without damaging the wood?

Bleach (chlorine or percarbonate based) will provide only a temporary solution to the problem which for the most part is the visible signs of the pets excrement. The only way to get rid of the odor and stains associated with urine is enzymes. Check with your local janitorial supply company for a product suitable for eliminating pet urine.

2. I'm broke right now so they will probably continue to occupy the deck for a while since I can't buy kennels. Are there any relatively inexpensive treatments I need to or could do in order to prevent long term damage to the deck?

I can understand your monetary situation. If your yard does not provide enough room for the pets to conduct their business on then you are looking at a tough problem. Placing a barrier on the deck only compounds the problem because you now have another item to dispose of afterwards and the problem is still going to be present until you train the dogs to go in a specific place and limit the contamination area.

Thanks,

Matthew

Here's another school of thought and it has to do with being practical and not trying to be fecicious...Since you are broke have you thought about giving the pets to another home until your finances improve to support them? The money you could save on food alone would be significant enough to help in other areas and by eliminating the source of the continuous contamination you will also save yourself a great deal of money later by not having to replace the decking.

my .02

Rod!~

[RPetry 564]

My responses in blue:

Here's another school of thought and it has to do with being practical and not trying to be fecicious...Since you are broke have you thought about giving the pets to another home until your finances improve to support them? The money you could save on food alone would be significant enough to help in other areas and by eliminating the source of the continuous contamination you will also save yourself a great deal of money later by not having to replace the decking.

my .02

Rod!~

Rod,

You must not be a dog person. Matthew is rescuing dogs from a terrible fate.

In lieu of kennels, which are quite expensive, try partitioning off a section of your house. We have two pups that are kept in a tiled kitchen - family room area. Baby gates work well.

Most pups are housebroken very quickly if closely supervised for a week or so.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Dog, cat, it doesn't matter. My suggestion would be the same.

If one can't afford them, I offered an alternate to continuing to damage the property.

Rescue animals need attention and lots of it in order to be successful. Money is another requisite in order to make sure the animals are medically cared for. Keeping them outside for 8-10 hours a day in an unhealthy environment is not good for them either.

I am sure that Mathew understands this and is part of the reason for his inquiry here.

My concern is for the deck that he has mentioned which as we all know can be expensive to maintain in itself. Add to that the defecation and urination which creates a bio-hazard to all the inhabitants is leading to an expensive remedy.

He needs to either eliminate the problem or locate them to another area where they can do their business. The bigger the dog the more space they need to run and release their energy. Mathew may not have that and that is why I make the suggestions I do.

Rod!~

[James 625]

A new method for people who can't be home all day is getting a Doggy Bag! A Colostomy for your Fido ! Just change the bag when you get home ??

Edited November 28, 2008 by James

[larryh 65]

Wash the deck with soapy water and rinse with Max Quat a quantenary ammonia product. This will clean, disinfect and deodorize, and not harm the surface.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Missed this one..... so but yea quat would be better.. goto a bulk type supply store and get industrial strength Lysol.

And the thing of them relieving their self on deck is all about training..

Just like humans animals don't usually like to crap where they eat, sleep, and live.

What some do is to put out clear milk jugs of clean water. This tricks them and they won't do it where they think they drink.

[Joe Ortiz 14]

Cheap way:(1) Put your dog in a rest room in your house.(2) when you are home take them out every 20min. to walk or use the R.R. most pups / dogs will learn in about 4-7 days. theres a reason you rescued that dog! keep it happy

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Joe, Some would be amazed at what damage a dog can do even from within a restroom. One time I tried this with a dog that was way senstive to fireworks. The thing ate the door and was able to get its claws underneith enough to destroy a couple feet of carpet. Same dog from hell jumped throughtruck campershell window, ate a garage doorjam and house sheetrock to get into house, and destroyed dryer vent that left things rather bloody. Some dogs just don't belong unattended, in a house, or in the city even. Some dogs need lots of walking and companionship. Their bred to do things. A crapper should be easy enough to fix though.

Edited December 5, 2008 by MMI Enterprises