# Barn spring cleaning?



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I realize most of you are probably well into summer mode by now, but here, we've just started transitioning to full pasture. Days are slightly warmer (not today - only 10C), and longer, of course, which means it's time to clean out the barn! Since I only built my barn last June, this is actually my first spring. Last year, everything was brand new and sparklingly clean! Alas, now the walls of the stalls are poop-stained (why, oh why must they poop on the walls?), rubber mats have shifted, dust and debris have accumulated in hard to reach places. So I thought I'd do some cleaning. 

We aren't into heavy fly season yet - although we've got black flies, but no horse flies yet. So I do want to think of fly management as I go about making my barn clean again. The horses will soon be on full pasture (24/7) so that allows me to empty out the barn and thoroughly clean their stalls while they're out. This is important for many reasons, but specifically, for Harley, because as some of you know, he tends to cough. 

On my list:

- move manure pile from the winter to the back of the property for composting (DONE!)
- pull out rubber mats from stalls and power wash the stall walls and floors. I've read that a Pine Sol solution on the walls helps deter flies. Can anyone verify that? To those crazy enough to clean their stall walls, how do you do it? Do you use a mop or will power-washing be enough?
- sweep the hay loft completely clean so we're ready for the first cut when it comes
- vacuum shelves and windowsills, as well as corners that don't get cleaned often, and any areas where cobwebs tend to collect
- dust, vacuum and organize tack room.

Feed pans and water buckets get cleaned weekly so I won't do anything special with those. Ditto for the outside water trough, which gets emptied daily or every other day if it's not too dirty, rinsed, and re-filled.

What's your routine in the spring? What am I forgetting?


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

À propos fly management:

- Are you using fly predators (e.g. parasitic wasps)?
- UV fly zappers can be very effective, especially when they are the strongest light source in the barn.
- How do you feel about birds nesting in your barn? You'll gain some poop, but you'll lose tons of flies! In addition, the constant traffic desensitizes the horses to sudden fluttering on the trail.
- Additionally, chickens are great for tick control.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

mmshiro said:


> À propos fly management:
> 
> - Are you using fly predators (e.g. parasitic wasps)?
> - UV fly zappers can be very effective, especially when they are the strongest light source in the barn.
> ...


Nope, nope, yes, and nope!

As of now, we have zero flies. We have had black flies, but they're fairly easy to deal with and will go away soon. They're a spring phenomenon. Of course it's cold today so... no flies at all. I do believe in prevention, but we're far from having a fly problem. That said, we have had barn swallows flying in and out of the barn. They're about the only birds I would allow to nest inside the barn! If they do end up building a nest in there, I will hang a sheet under the nest to catch the worst of the bird poop. I don't want to find it on my horses. But yes, they're most welcome. Other species, not so much! I am also going to buy bat boxes. 

Hauling the manure pile to the far end of the property helps a lot. So does removing manure daily from the paddock. But I remember last summer they would gather on the stall walls where Kodak would leave big brown stains. So I want to keep them clean.


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## horseylover1_1 (Feb 13, 2008)

I am particular about having nice, clean tack so I will spend days cleaning brushes, lead ropes, halters, etc. I like my stuff looking new. If it's really beat up and cheap (like a $5 brush) I will toss it. Or maybe donate to a rescue or something.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I've not found that Pinesol deters flies at all though I do wash the walls down with it
My barn interior walls are painted - light cream at the top and a copper brown at the bottom, it makes it a lot easier to wash them down, brush and blow the dust off and remove cobwebs.


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

Back when I had stalls to clean (when I worked at a stable), we would use scrub brushes for disinfecting/cleaning stall walls. We also used pine sol. I'm not sure about deterring flies, but it sure made the barn smell a lot cleaner! 

Kudos to you for tackling these projects. So far this spring I've only cleaned all my brushes. Still need/want to get into my horse trailer (as it is also acting as my tack room) and completely clean it out. Cleaning all my tack is also on that to-do list, as well as cleaning blankets. I refuse to put them in my washing machine though, so will just be giving them all a good pressure-washing.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Oh yes cbar - thanks for the reminder to get all the winter blankets out and give them a good washing while I have the pressure-washer out! I won't put them in my washing machine either. But I do dunk them in a muck bucket full of soap, then hang them, hose them off thoroughly, and let dry. 

What do you all use to wash your blankets btw? Gentle laundry soap?


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

I hear you on the weather! I REALLY need to get my butt in gear for spring cleaning, so I'm following.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Spent the evening in the barn, cleaning off shelves, benches, my mini-fridge, sweeping out corners, etc. I also located a really cheap used shop vac that I will pick up over the weekend. 20$!!! Needs wands, but I have a couple of old vacuums kicking around so I'm hoping I can find one that works. Vacuuming the barn may seem excessive, I realize, but I find that when I sweep, dust just flies everywhere and settles again. With Harley's coughing, that's not a good option. I have a small vacuum cleaner that I was using last summer to suck up dead (sometimes live) flies on the windows, but it really didn't have much suction power. I'm hoping the shop vac will do a better job. 

So I spent about 2 and a half hours just puttering around, cleaning the odd surface, re-organising things. Why is it I am totally ok with that - in fact, I enjoyed being with the horses! - but I hate doing housework???


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Fencing, cleaning up deadfalls, that's enough work for me, in fact it's almost too much for me. Packing around a chainsaw and sawing rails and deadfalls exhaust me, then I have to go to work for 8 hours, but I am done soon.


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

@Acadianartist, I hear ya. I don't mind doing chores for the horses most of the time either. (although, hand mixing concrete for the fence posts for the horse paddock was my least favorite job of ALL time).

To be honest, I have been VERY lazy in the past with my blankets. Most of the time I just gave them a good spray down and called it a day. I think a gentle laundry detergent would be fine (that is what i plan on using), then really giving them a good spraying so all the soap is out.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

1. I have hardwood kick boards and the barn is metal. The metal gets power washed the wood gets swept as-needed. Well it used to get swept as-needed now it gets swept as I have the energy or I see spider webs building in the corners.

2. I have grid mats that are plastic tied together. They don't shift and even when the holes fill with shavings the mats still drain very well. Saves me a lot of work.

Aisle mats are solid ----- they aren't coming up for cleaning under my watch ---- they are down until the end. They get swept with the big push broom and that's as good as it gets, lol

3. My cupboards are all Rubbermaid but that doesn't mean I've kept up cleaning them --- they are crying for help. The counters are clean but the cupboards need help.

4. I don't keep any tack at the barn, including blankets. I wipe the underside of blankets every time I use them - that means my horses don't live in them during the cold, they only wear them a few hours outside here and there.

I have separate brushes, combs Etc for every horse. The horse with environmental allergies gets his stuff washed every time I clean him. The other horse every 3-4 times.

5. I spent all my spring cleaning time last week getting the 60" finish deck on the John Deere under as much woven wire fence as I possibly could. DH says I make his weed whacking really easy; that's my whole point as I won't let him use weed killer ---- too many little critters die that don't deserve to


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