The horses are fed, watered and settled in for the night after a long road trip, and the last thing you want to do is clean your trailer. But taking care of the rig now can save you troubles down the road. Manure, urine and dirt left to sit in your trailer–even for one night–can eat away at floorboards, metal and other vital structures. Follow these three quick tidy-up tips for cleaning your horse trailer after trip.

1. Remove all bedding and hay. This discourages rodents and other critters from nesting.

2. Take out the mats and sweep the floor and ramp. Pay particular attention to corners and hinges.

3. Spray the walls and mats with water using a high-pressure nozzle. Focus on soiled areas, spraying until all obvious manure and urine residues are gone. Let the inside of the trailer air-dry overnight before replacing the mats.

Click here to learn what three things to investigate when your horse is uneasy in the trailer.

If you have the energy, also wash the walls and floor with a commercial cleaner or a diluted dishwashing solution before replacing the mats. But that job can wait until another day if you’re just too tired to tackle it.

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