Our scoopologists at Scoopology Pet Waste Removal know a thing or two about dog waste. One of the unfortunate and inevitable parts of the job is, on occasion, we step into a pile of poop. If you’re a dog owner, I am sure you’ve had the privilege as well. The question is, “what do you do after you step into your friendly companion’s bowel movement?”
After scouring the internet for the best answers, we selected some of our favorite responses below:
Just like failing to deal with a problem tends to make it worse, allowing the poo to dry in many cases just turns it into a very tough hard mortar of shit which is difficult to just bang, twist or scrape off. There is always just a little left, and it still stinks, like a remnant of a bad hangover, or what you feel having broken another’s heart.
Instead, I attack the poop problem directly and immediately. Take off your shoes or boots and run them under hot hard flowing water from a sink (preferably a work sink) and blast that poop right off. Yes, your shoes will be a bit wet, but the poop will be completely gone, as cleansing as a summer rain or a baptismal.
Johnathon – West Virginia
If someone steps in dog poop while wearing sneakers, the only way to get the poop out of those tiny crevices on the soles, is to use a toothbrush and lots of soapy hot water. When clean, I spray them with Lysol.
A shitty job, but someone has to do it!
Debra G – Nurse, Northwestern Grad
I literally just stepped in dog doo a few minutes ago. It thankfully wasn’t a whole pile I stepped in, but a little bit of that goes a long way. I was wearing boat shoes with flat soles and some very very slight indentations. If it was a whole lot, I would scrape and rinse with the yard hose, but in this case I just had to scrape. I had the bright idea to get a pair of gloves on and go at it with a Clorox bleach wipe. I used one wipe per shoe until it was visibly gone and then used two more wipes as a finishing touch for each shoe. I gotta’ say, this is probably the best way that I’ve ever done to clean animal feces off of my shoes! The smell went away immediately but I am still gonna’ let them sit out overnight. I highly recommend bleach wipes for this kind of mess!
Yosef R. – Teacher
Always brush away from you, otherwise the bristles will flick back towards you and cover you with droplets. Whatever you do, do it quickly or the smell will get into any pores or cracks in the shoe. I always finish with alcohol gel. It seems to remove the smell somehow rather than just masking it.
Andrew G. – Accountant, Las Vegas, NV
Oh, really, folks; this is the bottom of the shoe we’re talking about. You know, the part that walks on sidewalks, roads, and other unsanitary things. You don’t need to sterilize your shoes.
I learned at a young age that if you step in poop, you wipe the bottom and, if possible, the edge of the sole in the grass. When I get time (not necessarily the same day), I use an old toothbrush on the stain. If the shoes are made of fabric, wash them, using the toothbrush. If the shoes are leather, I don’t use water; wipe your shoes with a paper towel.
You won’t get myriad diseases if you touch the poop, no matter how gross you think it is. Hands are washable, and there are numerous antibacterial handsoaps on the market.
I’ve had dogs all my life and stepping in poop is just one of the minor annoyances that comes with it.
Morva O. – Native New Orleanian
If you have access to one, a mop sink is one of the better ways that I know.
In our boarding kennels, after walking enough dogs, the treads of your shoes usually filled up with a combination of mud, poop, and grass clippings. Any and all of which are terrible things to have on the bottom of your shoes when your eventual goal is to mop and leave a clean floor behind you as you finish your chores*.
If you don’t have access to a mop sink, a shallow basin or even a decent sized puddle will do. What you do is run the water (hot is better than cold) into the sink or basin so that as it drains, there is an inch or so of residual water (much like that puddle). Since this is also about the height of most boot and athletic shoe soles, you then just repeatedly stomp into the water until your shoe treads are clear. Repeat on the other foot.
Bill H. – Writer
Put the offending shoes in a plastic bag or if they are too big, in a garbage bag. Take the extra air out of the bag and tie it up tightly. Take a second plastic bag and drop the first bag in it, remove the extra air and tie it tightly. Carry the double wrapped bag immediately to your closest outdoor garbage can or dumpster and quickly throw the bag into it. This method, while expensive, is the best way to get rid of the dog poop.
Julia B. – Vancouver B.C.
Spray off the poop outside with a hose. Then put your shoes in with a bulky load of laundry (I usually do towels, and wash on cold). After they are washed, put them in the sun or on top of the dryer and let them air dry for a day or two until they are no longer damp. I have done this more times than I can count, and all of our shoes always come out fine, and, more importantly, clean.
Alyssa W. – Salem, OR
Well, there you have it folks. Use a toothbrush, hose em’ off, use a stick if out in the woods, scrap the sole of your shoe in the grass – the suggestions go on and on. One of the best ways to reduce your changes of stepping in dog poo is to call Scoopology Poop Removal. We are a pet waste removal company that gives a crap, and we take our job seriously. Your dog’s number 2 is our number 1 priority. Call Scoopology today at 360-612-7667. We provide weekly, twice a week and bi-weekly dog waste removal service. Yes, we too might step in a pile or two on occasion, but we will not leave it behind. Let us do the doody work for you.
