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Cleaning Your Horse Trailer

Maintaining your horse trailer is the key to ensuring it’s ready whenever you need it. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting your horse trailer protects your animals and extends the life of your equipment.

Manure, urine, and dirt left to sit inside a horse trailer can eat away at floorboards, metal, and other surfaces. A dirty trailer creates an unhealthy environment for your horses. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting your trailer can help prevent or contain a contagious disease outbreak.

Unfortunately, respiratory problems are common in horses. Transporting them in a clean trailer minimizes exposure to viruses and other irritants. Urine on trailer floors increases the ammonia in the air and, when combined with dust, can create an unhealthy respiratory environment, especially on longer trips.

Depending on how often you use your horse trailer and how many animals you transport, expect to thoroughly clean and disinfect your trailer several times each season. Keeping a regular maintenance schedule helps reduce the time and effort it takes to deep clean a trailer as it helps minimize stubborn build-up.

Routine Cleaning

Following these three steps after each trip will protect your horses and make deep cleaning easier.

  1. Remove all bedding and hay to discourage rodents and other animals from nesting.
  2. Remove the mats and sweep the floor and ramp. Pay attention to corners and hinges where dirt and debris are likely to collect.
  3. Spray the walls and floors with water using a high-pressure water nozzle. Focus on visibly soiled areas, and keep spraying until all manure and urine residue is gone. Let the inside of the trailer thoroughly air dry before replacing the mats.

 

trailer painting

Deep Cleaning

It’s not the most exciting part of owning a horse, but deep cleaning your trailer is essential for keeping your horses healthy, safe, and secure. How often your trailer needs a deep cleaning will depend on the amount of use it receives.

If you haul multiple horses or horses that belong to others, it’s essential to clean and disinfect the trailer after each trip. Sanitizing the trailer can help prevent the transfer of diseases between horses. It also eliminates fungus that can cause respiratory distress in some animals.

The most critical element that needs regular attention is trailer floors. Weak or rotten floors can be a safety hazard for your horses. Frequent exposure to horse urine and manure causes floors to deteriorate, so keeping them clean is essential.

To deep clean your trailer, follow these steps:

  1. Every time you use your trailer, remove wet bedding and manure as soon as possible.
  2. Remove everything inside the trailer, including rubber mats, extra hay, bedding, and equipment.
  3. After you remove everything, sweep up any remaining debris.
  4. Using a hose or pressure washer, rinse all interior surfaces, including the ceiling, stall dividers, and floors.
  5. Scrub the interior using a soft-bristled brush and soap, removing any debris not removed by the initial rinse. Allow all surfaces to dry.
  6. To disinfect your trailer, use a mixture of one part bleach and ten parts water. Apply the bleach-water mixture to the floor’s surface and let it soak for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.
  7. Thoroughly rinse the trailer from top to bottom and air dry. Dying is an essential part of the cleaning process. Not allowing your trailer to dry completely can lead to the formation of mold and mildew.
  8. Once the trailer is dry, replace the mats and other accessories.

Remember to wear protective clothing, eye protection, and a respiratory mask when cleaning your trailer. It’s also essential to thoroughly clean equipment, including mats, before returning them to the trailer.

Exterior Cleaning

Don’t forget the outside of your trailer. Washing and waxing the exterior several times a year extends the lifespan of your trailer. A thorough exterior cleaning also gives you a chance to inspect hinges, latches, windows, and other components for damage or wear and tear.

 

trailer 1C

The Importance of Regular Maintenance

Regular maintenance protects your equipment and the health and safety of your horses. Deep cleaning throughout the season and before storing your trailer can make a big difference in the longevity of your trailer. Removing the mats and thoroughly cleaning the floor should be done more often, as acids in urine and manure can eat through metal and wood over time.

Reap the Benefits of Professional Power Washing Services

Keeping a horse trailer clean can be messy, back-breaking work. It’s impossible to get the level of deep cleaning that you need, and your horses deserve without the right equipment and plenty of time. Hiring a reputable company to handle the job may be the ideal solution.

If you don’t have the time or facilities to take care of trailer maintenance on your own, contact Adam Roe Painting. Adam and Risa Roe are horse enthusiasts and understand the need for clean, safe horse trailers. They offer power washing services in the Treasure Valley Area.

Horse Trailers:2 horse –  $80 exterior, $10 interior3 horse –  $100 exterior, $15 interior4 horse –  $125 exterior, $20 interiorFor trailers with living quarters, add $10 for the exterior

Since 1985, Adam Roe Painting has provided the highest quality results and best customer service in the industry. We offer a residential exterior warranty of 5 years and a one-year warranty on commercial and industrial projects. We also provide trailer painting services.

Contact us online or call (208) 323-8443 to discuss your project.