How to Clean a Pet Stroller, Dog Ramp and Pet Stairs

Pet strollers, ramps and stairs are the gear that helps a small, older or recovering pet get around: into the car, onto the sofa, out for a walk. They get used every day and cleaned rarely. Strollers collect hair, crumbs and the odd accident in the fabric basket, ramp treads fill with mud and grit, and carpeted stairs hold hair and smell just like a rug. This guide covers each of them.

It follows the care instructions of the pet gear makers Pet Gear, Gen7Pets, PetSafe and K&H Pet Products, and Humane World for Animals on pet stains and odors. Check the manual for your own stroller, ramp or stairs first, because materials and parts differ between models.

Pet strollers

Routine cleaning

1. Take out the pad or liner and shake it outdoors.
2. Vacuum the basket, including the seams and corners, with a crevice tool, and pick up the last hair with a lint roller.
3. Wipe the fabric and frame. Gen7Pets’ instructions are to clean the fabric and frame with mild household soap and warm water, then wipe dry. Pet Gear says to spot clean the fabric with dry cleaning fluid or mild soap and warm water.
4. Clean the wheels. Pet Gear says to clean the rear wheel assembly and the rest of the frame with warm, soapy water, then rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly. Pick out hair wound around the axles.
5. Let it dry fully before folding it, and store it somewhere dry. Pet Gear says to always store the stroller in a clean, dry place.

Wheels and moving parts

For squeaky or stiff wheels, Gen7Pets suggests a light household oil. Pet Gear says to keep moving parts clean and lubricated with WD40 or light machine oil, but not to lubricate the brakes or swivel locks. Wipe off any oil that gets on the fabric, and keep your pet out until the wheels are wiped clean.

Accidents and vomit in the basket

1. Pick up solids with a paper towel and blot liquid, without rubbing it in.
2. Wash the removable pad as its label says. If it is machine washable and still smells, Humane World for Animals suggests adding a box of baking soda to your regular detergent, air drying if possible, and washing again with an enzymatic cleaner if the soiling is still there.
3. Clean the basket fabric with mild soap and warm water, blotting, then treat the spot with an enzymatic cleaner labeled safe for that fabric. Humane World recommends enzymatic cleaners because they break down pet waste odors.
4. Dry it with the stroller open, in the shade or indoors, before you fold it.

Many stroller baskets do not come off the frame. Check your manual before you try to remove or machine wash any fabric part.

Pet ramps

PetSafe says its ramps should be close to maintenance free, but when dirt builds up, its instructions are:

• Tread: clean with mild detergent and a brush, or a strong jet of water.
• Guard rails: clean with any standard household cleaner.

A few more tips:

• Brush off dried mud and grit first. Grit in a high traction surface makes it less grippy.
• Dry the ramp fully, in the sun if you can, before folding it and putting it back in the car.
• Carpeted ramps: vacuum them like a rug and spot clean with a carpet cleaner, blotting rather than soaking.
• Worn treads: PetSafe and other makers sell replacement treads. A tread that no longer grips is a safety problem, not just a cleaning one.

If the ramp lives in the car, see how to remove pet hair from a car for the cargo area too.

Pet stairs and steps

Most indoor pet stairs are foam or plastic with a fabric or carpet cover. K&H Pet Products describes the tread covers on its pet steps as removable and machine washable.

1. Vacuum the treads weekly with a brush attachment, including the edges where hair collects.
2. Remove the cover when it needs a wash, and follow the care label. Wash it with a mild detergent and let it dry fully before putting it back.
3. Do not wash the foam unless the label says you can. A wet foam core dries slowly and can start to smell.
4. Wipe plastic or wood steps with warm water and mild dish soap, then dry them.
5. Carpeted steps without a cover: clean them like carpet, with a small amount of cleaner, blotting, and let them dry completely.

For a puppy or senior dog that has an accident on the steps, find every spot with a UV black light in a dark room; see how to find pet urine with a black light. Treat it with an enzymatic cleaner, and clean the sofa or bed the stairs lead to as well; see pet stains on couches and upholstery.

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.
• Bleach and harsh chemicals on stroller fabric and stair covers, unless the label allows them. Never mix bleach with ammonia or acids.
• Oil on brakes and swivel locks. Pet Gear says not to lubricate them.
• Folding or storing gear while it is wet, which leads to mildew and smell.

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, so an accident in the stroller or on the steps gets treated before it soaks in. Check the label for which fabrics each product suits, and test it on a hidden spot first. For the rest of your pet’s things, see our guides to dog beds and crates and carriers.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a pet stroller in the washing machine?

Usually not the whole basket, which is often fixed to the frame. Gen7Pets and Pet Gear describe cleaning the fabric in place with mild soap and warm water. Removable pads and liners can be washed if their label allows it.

How do I clean a dog ramp?

PetSafe says to clean the tread with mild detergent and a brush, or a strong jet of water, and the guard rails with a standard household cleaner. Let it dry before folding it.

Are pet stair covers washable?

Many are. K&H Pet Products, for example, makes its tread covers removable and machine washable. Check the label, and do not wash the foam inside unless it says you can.

How do I get the urine smell out of a stroller?

Blot it, wash the removable pad, clean the basket fabric with mild soap and warm water, then treat the spot with an enzymatic cleaner safe for that fabric. Let the stroller dry open before folding it.

Sources

• Pet Gear: Jogger No-Zip pet stroller instructions (PDF)
• Gen7Pets: Pet stroller use and care instructions (PDF)
• PetSafe: How to clean your pet ramp
• K&H Pet Products: Pet steps
• Humane World for Animals: How to remove pet stains and odors

This guide is general cleaning information. Follow your maker’s instructions and the product label, and test cleaners on a hidden area first.