By Jennifer Roberts
The birds are singing and the flowers are blooming. But does your barn still feel like it has the winter blues?
If your barn is in need of an overhaul, but you’d rather spend time in saddle; you have come to the right place. We have a few tips and tricks to freshen up your barn in no time at all.
Clear the Clutter
When it comes to spring-cleaning one of the highest impact jobs is taming the excess “stuff” that has accumulated over the winter. Take a look at any broken tack and either repair it or get rid of it. Sort through the tack room, removing any empty containers or expired products. If you find tack that you no longer have a use for, consider bringing it to a tack sale or donating it to your favorite equine charity.
Hay You!
Chances are your hay supply is getting low; don’t panic! Use this time as an opportunity to sweep up the excess hay and dust that has accumulated in your hay loft or hay shed. While you’re at it, check for wet spots on the floor, which could indicate a leak in the roof.
Clean Your Room
Strip away all of the bedding in the stalls and look them over carefully. Start from the floor and work your way up; checking for uneven floors, rotting boards and protruding nails. And of course, address that noxious and toxic ammonia odor that can pose a real health threat to your horse, by putting down a healthy layer of stall freshener, such as Sweet PDZ, before re-bedding the stall.
Wash Your Clothes
Remove the heavy blankets from your horses’ stall doors (or wherever you keep them), and have them professionally cleaned and repaired before you pack them away for the summer months.
Say No to Spiders
Cobwebs tend to sneak up on you! When the horses are turned out, take a broom or feather duster and remove the sneaky spiders and their webs from the ceilings and walls of your stalls, tack room and barn aisle.
See Clearly
Cleaning the windows in your barn truly only takes a few minutes, and it makes a big impact. Grab a bottle of glass cleaner and use old newspapers to clean the windows inside and out. Clean windows allow more light into the barn, making for a cheery environment.
Barn cleaning doesn’t need to be a big ordeal. Whether you tackle it all in one day or chip away it each time you visit the barn, simple steps can help your barn to sparkle.
Sweet PDZ has been keeping stalls healthy for over 32 years and continues to be the leading horse stall freshener on the market. This organic (OMRI Listed), non-toxic compound captures, neutralizes and eliminates harmful levels of ammonia and odors. Sweet PDZ is a far superior alternative to lime products for ammonia removal and moisture absorption. For more information, as well as a dealer locator, visit SweetPDZ.com.
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