Yard cleanup/sanitation, toddler and dog edition

March 28, 2020 3:35 PM

I’ve got a small enclosed patio that’s been used as a doggie bathroom for a couple of years. How can I clean it and prep it so toddler can play there safely?

The patio is laid with flat paving stones where doggo has been peeing and pooping for years. There is a border of raised (maybe 18” high x 8” deep) brick flower beds along the fence—could I put some fruit or veggies here? If so, how can I prepare the ground so the resulting food is safe for human consumption?

Given the current crisis, I’d prefer not to have to buy any specialty cleaners if possible. I have dish soap, bleach, and a stiff bristle outdoor broom. I also have a variety of household cleaners, baking soda, but not a large quantity of vinegar. Would you recommend getting something like rubber or foam tiles to cushion inevitable kiddo falls? Thinking of buying a slide so would be great to avoid big owies if possible.

posted by robertthebruce to Home & Garden (2 answers total)

Does it have good drainage? Can you get a power washer? Or at least a hose? How recently has the dog used the patio? If the dog hasn't used it in the last few months and you've had a reasonable amount of rain it's probably ok. Otherwise a bleach and water solution might be a good idea. Or something like this . As for the raised beds by the fence, if the dog has used them you might want to replace all the dirt. When you plant stuff don't use any chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Read up on basics of organic gardening. Your toddler will probably want to taste the dirt, and plants.

If you get some kind of rubber tiles or mats be sure they can be cleaned easily with a hose.
posted by mareli at 6:28 PM on March 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Make sure you remove any remaining feces before disinfecting- many disinfectants are inactivated by gross organic material. Use a detergent (like dish soap) and the scrub brush to get the tiles clean. Bleach is effective against the vast majority of canine viruses/bacteria and parasites. Just ensure it is diluted correctly (typically 1:32 for regular disinfecting, but needs to be 1:10 for certain spores like ringworm- ratio may vary if your bleach is a different concentration). It needs a full 10 minutes of contact time to disinfect, so make a solution up fresh, spay it around, and let it soak for a bit. After this rinse the tiles clean with water.

Not sure how to deal with the garden- if possible may be better to dig up up as much of the old dirt as possible and replace with fresh soil if you're overly concerned- there's no real way to disinfect dirt.
posted by spaceraddish at 7:45 PM on March 30, 2020