How to Clean Your House After Parvo: What Kills Parvo and What Doesn't

Can bleach kill parvo? How to mix it

Yes, if it is mixed and used correctly. Merck, Cornell and Mar Vista Animal Medical Center all use about 1 part bleach to 30 parts water. Wisconsin uses ½ cup per gallon, which is close to 1 to 32.

1. Use regular household bleach. These mixes assume bleach of about 5% strength (Merck). Check the label. Clorox says to use a newly bought bottle so it is at full strength.
2. Mix it fresh. About ½ cup of bleach to a gallon of water, or 100 ml of bleach to 3 liters of water.
3. Only on hard surfaces that bleach will not damage: tile, sealed floors, plastic crates, bowls.
4. Keep it wet for 10 minutes, then rinse and let it dry. Clorox says to rinse thoroughly. Mar Vista says the bleach must be fully removed before a new puppy touches it.

Bedding, toys, bowls and clothes

1. Anything that goes in the washing machine: wash in hot water with bleach, without overfilling, then dry on the highest heat, or outside in direct sun (Wisconsin). Mar Vista says an item that can go through the washer with bleach should be safe afterwards.
2. Bowls and hard toys: soak in the bleach mix for 10 minutes, then rinse well. A dishwasher only helps if it gets above 180°F (82°C), which Wisconsin says parvo needs.
3. Things you cannot bleach or wash hot: Mar Vista says the simplest answer is to throw them out, though this is probably not needed for things you can bleach.

Carpets and furniture

Soft surfaces are hard to disinfect. Wisconsin says accelerated hydrogen peroxide can be used on carpets and furniture, and to always test a small area first for color loss. Steam cleaning can help only if it reaches 75°C (167°F), which Wisconsin says home steamers may not reach. Mar Vista suggests throwing out area rugs if you can.

If an area cannot be properly disinfected, Mar Vista suggests that the next dog in the home be an older, fully vaccinated one.

How long does parvo live in the ground or yard?

Sources differ, so plan for the longer answer.

1. Merck: outdoors, out of sun and not dried out, many months and possibly years.
2. Wisconsin: many years in damp soil in dark places, like under porches or near leaking pipes.
3. Cornell: you cannot, and should not, bleach your lawn. Rain or watering, plus sunlight, can bring the virus down to an acceptable level in a few weeks.

What helps: pick up all poop, and Mar Vista suggests shoveling out the soil around it, then hosing the area down. Wisconsin suggests flushing the yard with water, then applying accelerated hydrogen peroxide, and fencing off damp, shady spots if you can. Sunlight and drying help kill the virus.

How long does parvo live on surfaces indoors?

Merck says at least 2 months at room temperature. Cornell's canine health center says it can survive up to a year in the right conditions. The ASPCA says it can live on food bowls, shoes, clothes, carpets and floors. So clean every surface the sick dog used, and do not wait for it to wear off by itself.

When can a new puppy come home after parvo?

There is no safe waiting time that replaces cleaning. Wisconsin's shelter guide says waiting adds nothing: either the cleaning worked or it did not.

1. Safest choice: Mar Vista recommends a puppy that is already immune: at least 16 weeks old, with at least 2 sets of parvo vaccine, the last one at about 16 weeks.
2. A younger puppy: ask your vet about starting vaccines early. Wisconsin suggests that in a home with past parvo, puppy vaccines can start as early as 4 weeks and repeat every 2 weeks until 20 weeks of age. Your vet sets the plan.
3. The dog who had parvo: Cornell says dogs can shed the virus for about 2 weeks after they recover, so keep them away from other dogs during that time. Mar Vista says a good bath should wash virus off the coat.

See where parvo shots fit in the full plan in our dog vaccination schedule.

Our cleaning Short, with corrections

Update note: our Short gets the main steps right but leaves a few things out. Wash with soap and water and rinse before using bleach. Keep the surface wet for the full 10 minutes, then rinse. Use the bleach mix on hard surfaces, and put bedding in a hot wash with bleach and a hot dryer instead. Open windows while you clean, not only after. And never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar.

For a longer talk from a shelter vet, see Dr. Chumkee Aziz on cleaning and disinfection (Maddie's Fund, 2018). The parvo part runs from about 10 to 36 minutes.