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How to Clean Dog Poop From Grass – Easy Guide & Info

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

dog poops on grass

It is always nice to think about the fun aspects of taking care of a dog. Playing and cuddling tend to be family favorites. Even mealtime can be a fun bonding experience for everyone involved. But there are not-so-great aspects of caring for a dog, like cleaning up their poop in the backyard.

While it’s the law to clean up after your dog in public places, nothing says that you have to do so on your own property. However, you should never leave your dog’s poop lying around in the yard, even if it seems to get swallowed up by the grass after a while. Here is what you need to know about cleaning dog poop from the grass in your yard.

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Why Dog Poop Should Always Be Cleaned Up

Many people think that dog poop is a good fertilizer, like how cow manure is. However, cows eat only grass and hay, while dogs eat a variety of things, including animal protein, grains, and even artificial ingredients. Plus, cows and dogs have different digestive systems. Cows do not utilize the same types of acids as dogs do. Cow manure is “clean,” but dog poop is typically filled with medications, non-whole ingredients, bodily toxins, and acids that can actually kill your grass rather than fertilize it.

The toxins in dog poop can easily get into the water supply by running off into sidewalk gutters. Other animals, children, and even adults can be exposed to bacteria and parasites, such as worms, when coming into contact with dog poop, new or old. Therefore, it is extremely important to pick up after your dog, even inside your own backyard.

hungarian vizsla dog poops in the green park
Image Credit: SasaStock, Shutterstock

How to Clean Poop From Your Grass

Cleaning poop from your grassy yard can be a quick and easy task if you do it daily. If poop is left to pile up, the process can take some time and seem inconvenient.  A “pooper scooper” can come in handy, which performs like a shovel and has a small container that catches the poop once it is scooped up. The captured poop can then safely be discarded in the outdoor trash bin.

Biodegradable doggy bags can come in handy too. You just place your hand in the bag and use your bagged hand to pick your dog’s poop up. Then, turn the bag inside out, and tie it shut before throwing it away. These bags can be found at most pet shops and online. Runny poops may not be easy to clean up with a pooper scooper or biodegradable bag, however.

Newspaper, toilet paper, paper towels, and disposable plastic gloves can all be used to pick up poop. After cleaning up as much loose stool as possible with a scooper or bag, you can use your water hose to dilute the stuff left on your grass so it does not get absorbed into the ground in a concentrated state.

You can also spray the impacted areas with apple cider vinegar to disinfect the space and get rid of any unwanted smells. You may not be able to clean dog poop completely from your grass every time you attempt to, but your efforts should keep your yard clean enough to minimize any risk that the feces present.

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Final Thoughts

Cleaning up after your dog is a necessity, but the process does not have to be a disgusting or stressful one when the right tools and mindset are in place. Be proud of your efforts, and feel good about the care that you are providing your dog with. Your dog, your family, and your neighbors will all appreciate your efforts as time goes on. Do you have any pooper scooper tips? If so, leave them in the comments section so we can try them out ourselves!

Dog poop smell getting overwhelming? Take a look at our guide on How To Keep Dog Poop From Smelling Up Your Garage!


Featured Image Credit: Simon Kadula, Pixabay

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

Authored by

Nicole is the proud mom of Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway, and Baby, a Burmese cat. Originally from Canada, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband in New Zealand. Nicole has a strong love for all animals and has experience caring for all types of dogs, from Yorkies to Great Danes. Nicole even worked as a dog sitter during her travels through South America and cared for stray pups — something she ...Read more

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