How to Clean a Dog Playpen and the Puppy Pad Area

A playpen or exercise pen with a puppy pad in the corner is how many homes get through the first months with a puppy, or care for an older dog that cannot hold it as long. It is also a small area that gets a lot of urine, spilled water and chewed bits, right on top of your floor. This guide covers cleaning the pen panels, washable and disposable pads, and the floor underneath, so the area does not start to smell.

It follows the care instructions of the washable puppy pad maker Pet+ and Humane World for Animals on pet stains, odors and washing soiled fabrics. Check the instructions for your own pen and pads too.

How often to clean

Disposable pads: change them when soiled. A wet pad left in place gets walked through and tracked around the pen.
Washable pads: Pet+ says most owners wash its pad every 1 to 3 days, rinsing between washes if needed, and compares it to a heavily used bath towel. Having two or three pads lets you rotate them.
Pen panels and the floor: wipe spots daily and do a full clean once a week, or straight away after a bigger accident.

Washable pee pads

Pet+’s instructions for its reusable puppy pad:

Shake off any solid waste and rinse quickly if needed.
Machine wash on a cold or warm cycle.
No bleach. Pet+ says bleach can damage the pad’s waterproof lining.
Use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent, and avoid anything with bleach, brighteners or strong perfumes.
Tumble dry on low or hang to air dry. Pet+ says high heat can weaken the anti-slip base over time.
Replace the pad when it loses its absorbency or the bottom starts showing wear.

Other makers’ pads may differ, for example on drying, so follow the label. If a washed pad still smells, Humane World for Animals suggests, for machine-washable items, adding baking soda to your regular detergent and washing as usual, air drying if possible, and washing again with an enzymatic cleaner if you can still see or smell the soiling. Check that the enzyme product is labeled for laundry use. For washer odors, see pet hair and odor in the washing machine and dryer.

Disposable pads and pad holders

Roll the used pad up with the wet side in and put it in a lidded bin or bag.
Wipe the pad holder or tray with warm water and mild dish soap each time you change a pad if anything leaked onto it, and wash it fully once a week. Rinse and dry it before putting a fresh pad in.
Check the edges. Puppies often go on the edge of the pad, and urine runs off onto the floor.

Playpen panels

Plastic panels

Wipe off hair and dried food with a damp cloth.
Wash the lower part of each panel with warm water and mild dish soap, where urine splashes and puppies chew. A soft brush gets into the grooves and joints.
Rinse with a clean damp cloth and dry.
Take the pen apart once in a while, if it folds or unclips, and clean the joints and the rubber feet, where dirt and urine collect.

Wire and metal panels

Vacuum the hair from the bars with a brush attachment.
Wipe the lower bars with warm soapy water, rinse with a damp cloth and dry them fully, so the metal does not rust.

Fabric and mesh pens

Follow the care label. Many are wipe-clean only, and some have a removable, washable floor. Use a lint roller or a damp rubber glove for hair on mesh, and let the pen air dry fully, open, before your pet goes back in.

The floor under the pen

This is where the smell usually comes from. Urine runs off the pad, seeps under it, or soaks into the floor where the pen meets it.

Move the pen and pads once a week and look at the floor underneath.
Blot any wet spots with paper towels.
Clean the floor with a cleaner suitable for the floor type.
Treat urine with an enzymatic cleaner labeled safe for the floor. Humane World for Animals recommends enzymatic cleaners because they break down pet waste odors.
Dry the floor fully before putting the pen back.

A UV black light in a dark room shows dried urine you cannot see; see how to find pet urine with a black light. For your floor type, see our guides to hardwood, laminate and vinyl plank, tile and grout and carpet.

Protect the floor

Put a waterproof mat or a washable floor protector under the whole pen, larger than the pad, so urine that runs off does not reach the floor.
On carpet, this matters even more: urine that reaches the padding underneath is hard to get out.
Wood and laminate should not stay damp, so lift the mat and check underneath regularly.

What not to use

Ammonia and vinegar on urine spots. Humane World for Animals advises avoiding them, because strong chemical smells may encourage a pet to mark the same spot again.
Steam cleaners on urine in carpet. Humane World warns that the heat will permanently set the stain and the odor.
Bleach and fabric-damaging products on washable pads, which Pet+ rules out for its pads.
Strongly scented cleaners and air fresheners in the pen. Your puppy lives in there with its nose at floor level.

Keep cleanup supplies ready

Our Pet Cleanup Kit has gloves, an enzyme odor product, an absorbent powder and a UV black light in one pouch, for the accidents that land outside the pad. Check the label for which floors it suits, and test it on a hidden spot first. For the full first-weeks list, see our new puppy or kitten cleanup checklist.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I wash a washable puppy pad?

Pet+ says most owners wash its pad every 1 to 3 days. Rinse it between washes if needed, and rotate two or three pads so one is always clean.

Can I use bleach on washable pee pads?

Not on Pet+ pads, which the maker says bleach can damage. Check your own pad’s label; use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent instead.

Why does the area around the puppy pad smell?

Usually because urine has run off the pad onto the floor or under the mat. Move the pen, clean the floor underneath with an enzymatic cleaner, and put a waterproof mat under the whole pen.

How do I clean a plastic dog playpen?

Wipe it with warm water and mild dish soap, paying attention to the lower part of the panels and the joints, rinse with a damp cloth and dry it.

Sources

Pet+: How to wash and care for your pad
Humane World for Animals: How to remove pet stains and odors

This guide is general cleaning information. Follow the care instructions for your pen, pads and floor, and the product label, and test cleaners on a hidden area first.