Veterinary Facility Hygiene · Research Summary

Maintaining low levels of environmental contamination is an important part of infection prevention and environmental hygiene in veterinary hospitals and animal care facilities.

A 2025 study published in BMC Veterinary Research compared two cleaning methods in a veterinary hospital and evaluated bacterial contamination on epoxy-coated floors and walls. The findings provide useful insights into the role of cleaning technique, surface location and disinfection in maintaining hygienic animal care environments.

The study

Researchers investigated dog cages at a Swedish university animal hospital. The cages had epoxy-coated walls and epoxy flooring containing anti-slip material.

Two cleaning methods were compared: cleaning with a moist microfibre mop and scrubbing with detergent followed by rinsing. Bacterial contamination was measured on floors and walls before and after cleaning and subsequent disinfection.

Key findings

• Bacterial contamination was generally higher on floors than on walls.
• Scrubbing with detergent reduced bacterial contamination more effectively than moist microfibre cleaning alone.
• Following disinfection, bacterial levels were low with no significant difference remaining between the two cleaning methods.

Why surface design matters

The study highlights an important principle for veterinary and animal-care facilities: hygiene depends not only on the disinfectant being used, but also on effective physical cleaning and the characteristics of the surfaces being cleaned.

Smooth, durable and accessible surfaces can support systematic cleaning protocols, while flooring may require particular attention because of its greater exposure to contamination and, where applicable, textured anti-slip surfaces.

Practical implications for veterinary and animal facilities

For veterinary clinics, bird hospitals, breeding facilities and zoological collections, the findings support a broader approach to environmental hygiene: select surfaces with cleanability in mind, remove organic contamination thoroughly before disinfection, pay particular attention to flooring, and use cleaning and disinfection as complementary steps rather than relying on disinfectant alone.

Original scientific publication

Alsing-Johansson et al. (2025)
A comparison of two cleaning methods applied in a small animal hospital
BMC Veterinary Research, 21, Article 171

DOI: 10.1186/s12917-025-04631-0

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