Cleaning Your Horse Trailer
Your horse trailer does the important work of keeping your animals safe during transport. Cleaning your horse trailer after each use helps your precious cargo stay healthy and happy. Learn how to maintain a squeaky clean trailer with this step-by-step guide from Lone Star Trailers.
Looking for a new horse trailer? Look no further than Lone Star Trailers. We have a great selection of new and used models in stock at our dealership in Lacy Lakeview, TX, just outside Waco.
Getting Started
You should ideally clean your horse trailer within 24 hours after transporting any animal, and it’s especially critical after transporting a sick animal. If you suspect your horse of carrying an illness, make sure to avoid using a pressure washer, which could spread infection.
Always wear protective clothing and gloves during cleaning. Your cleaning supply kit should also include a stiff brush, a broom, a vacuum cleaner, a foaming agent, and a jug of bleach solution or other disinfectant product. Before you begin, remove all items like hay-nets and floor mats. These are best cleaned separately. You may also want to remove any dividers before cleaning. Finally, sweep any feed and manure off the floor of your trailer.
Cleaning Process
Now it’s time to bust out the hose! Use a low-pressure stream to rinse the inside of your horse trailer from top to bottom. Then, use your foaming agent and stiff brush to scrub the roof, walls, and floor. Start from the top and work your way down until you have covered the whole interior of your trailer. Remember to clean your hinges, latches, and bars.
Now you can use a power hose to rinse off the soap. Inspect the interior, clean off any remaining dirt, and rinse again as needed. If your trailer has any padded areas, clean those with a soft cloth or sponge, and be sure to dry them completely. When you’re finished cleaning the interior, simply soap and rinse the exterior using the same process, making sure to include the wheels.
Now let’s tend to your tack room carpet and floor mats. Use your broom to brush excess dirt off your carpet, then finish the job with your vacuum cleaner. Rinse your floor mats using your power hose, removing any caked on debris. Then you can proceed to thoroughly clean each side of your floor mats. Start with your foaming agent, scrubbing one side from top left to bottom right, then rinse. When both sides are washed and rinsed, apply your bleach solution or disinfectant product, and allow floor mats to dry completely before putting them back inside your trailer.
Disinfecting Process
Once your horse trailer is completely clean, take the time to sanitize every surface with your bleach solution or disinfectant product. You can apply this product to every inch of your trailer, including the doors, hinges, and loading ramp.
Your owner’s manual may specify which disinfectant products you can safely use in your trailer. If not, check the label of your product to see if it’s compatible with the materials used. You can also mix one part bleach for every ten parts water to make your own bleach solution. Leave your bleach solution or disinfectant product on the surfaces of your trailer for at least ten minutes before rinsing, then allow the surfaces to dry completely.
Housekeeping Tips
You’ll have a much easier time cleaning your horse trailer if you avoid leaving feed, hay, and wet bedding inside. These materials can rot quickly and damage the flooring, so it’s best to toss them in your compost pile after each use. While your carpet and floor mats are drying, you can sprinkle a layer of baking soda on the floor of your trailer to help neutralize odors.
Cleaning is the perfect opportunity to evaluate the condition of your trailer. Examine your chain and hitch, watch out for rust, and confirm that your vents, windows, and dividers are all up to code. Inspect your tires, check the tire pressure, and test your turn signals, hazards, and brake lights and before each trip.
We hope you found this guide helpful! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask the friendly staff at Lone Star Trailers. We’re your local small-town dealer of quality trailers in Lacy Lakeview, TX. We take pride in offering great products and services to our community, along with our neighbors in Waco and Temple, TX.