By Allison Armstrong Rehnborg

Whether you only show once a month or haul to shows every weekend, keeping your truck, trailer and show stalls clean can be a challenge. In the world of horses, cleanliness on the road is the first line of defense against many common contagious equine diseases that could easily stop your show season in its tracks. That’s why we’ve made a list of our top five cleaning tips (including some of our favorite DiO cleaning products) so that next time you hit the road, you can go show without worrying about your horse’s health and wellness.

1. Tidy Your Truck.

Road trips take a toll on any vehicle, and that seems to be doubly true for horse show road trips. Spend some time before and after each trip cleaning out all the detritus that collects in your truck cab (and truck bed!). While you’re at it, double-check your emergency supplies – first aid kit, jumper cables, tire gauges and other items – and flip through your binder of important horse papers to be sure everything is up to date and ready to go for your next trip.

2. Deep-Clean Your Trailer.

If you haul often throughout the year, it’s a good idea to perform aperiodic deep-clean of all the spaces in your trailer, from the hay racks to the stalls to the tackroom and beyond. Deep-Clean Day is also a great time to perform basic maintenance on your tires and hitch and inventory your traveling tack room to discover if you’re low on any supplies (such as Draw It Out Horse Liniment). Spend some time in the horse compartment and check for splinters, sharp edges and other potential problems that could cause injuries on the road. Once your trailer is totally empty, grab your trusty bottle of DiO Triple Action SuperClean Stall Cleaner and get to work. Thanks to its natural orange oils and Bio-Enzymatic formula, SuperClean cleans, deodorizes and degreases, including breaking down organic material with ease. Attach a hose to the 32 oz bottle for easy automatic dilution and you can start cleaning within minutes.

3. Don’t Forget about the Nooks and Crannies.

If you haul wheelbarrows, buckets, feeders, manure forks and other equipment everywhere you go, it’s a good idea to scrub those items down periodically and check for wear and tear. Most horse owners know not to share equipment with others, but if you do, make it a special priority to disinfect those items once they’re returned to you.

4. Prioritize Cleaning at the Show.

Depending on their location and popularity, horse show venues may be booking shows back-to-back-to-back, which means those stalls you’re moving into this weekend may have just been vacated by a strange horse Thursday night. Before you unload your horses, unpack your hose and your bottle of DiO Triple Action SuperClean Stall Cleaner and start spraying down all the surfaces that your horse might come into contact with. SuperClean’s non-toxic bio-enzyme formula breaks down organic material, so that handy sprayer can take care of even the most stubborn bits of dried debris!

5. Kill the Flies!

Flies are the bane of every horse owner’s existence, so naturally, there’s a DiO product for that! Citraquin Environmental Defense Spray is a brand-new product by DiO that can safely and effectively protect your horse from flies. Because it’s an essential oil-based, pyrethrin-free natural formula, it contains no harmful chemicals and it’s gentle on your horse’s skin. It’s even safe enough to use on pre-existing or open wounds, and can help repel house flies, stable flies, horse flies and black flies as well as ticks, mosquitoes and gnats. Keep a bottle in your barn, one in your trailer and another in your truck so you’ll have Citraquin protection available everywhere you go.

There’s a reason that DiO products have become a staple in tack rooms and barns all over the country,

and that’s because they work while being gentle, safe and easy to use.
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