What are safe products to use in cleaning the chicken coop?

[pbgchick]

 

[thomasboyle]

I clean my coop with a shovel, hay fork and broom! I would not spray it down with water or any chemicals unless everything is made of glass or plastic. Wood will soak it in, and the inside of the coop should be dry.

 

[Folly's place]

Mine too. It's an old coop, rebuilt by us, and can't handle washing. Consider it "patina" and worry about something else! Mary

 

[hyelaw]

I'm actually wondering the same thing. I have an old coop that someone else used to have chickens in. I have baby keets and poults I need to put in it. What is the best way to make it 'like-new" again, before letting my babies run around?

My plan is to scrub it really well with a very mild soap, then vinegar top to bottom, then sprinkle DE once it's dry. I don't mind if the inside never sees water again. I also plan to put sheet vinyl on the floor over the existing plywood. Is this plan good or bad?

Thanks in advance

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Mine too.  It's an old coop, rebuilt by us, and can't handle washing.  Consider it "patina" and worry about something else!  Mary

That's my thought! We repurposed our coop, it was a shed build for dogs. We swept it out, period. The effort went to painting the OSB floor with DeckOver, adding 2 windows and more ventilation, a roost, poopboard, nesting boxes, motor to the pop door (was a doggie door) and building a run. Unless you have some mold issues or recent disease, I wouldn't worry about washing.

 

[thomasboyle]

You can always paint the inside. It will be clean... for a day or so! But painting is a lifelong commitment. Once you start, you have to do it again every couple of years! If I ever build a new coop, I will use 4x8 sheets of plastic to cover the walls, and then I can powerwash to my heart content!