If you dog has a kennel outside, you don't have to change the bedding as often as you change your own sheets. But at least once a month isn't too often to keep fleas and mites and other kind of pests at bay and make it a clean and comfortable haven for your dog to sleep in.

Start cleaning a kennel by treating it like you wood a teenager's bedroom. First get everything out. If you use straw as your pet's bedding, throw it away. If your dog has blankets in the kennel, then put then in the washing machine and select the hottest water possible for the fabric of the blankets.

Hose down the kennel, both inside and out. Then leave for a few minutes to let the water drain away, you might need to lift one end to get all the water out. Then get ready to scrub.

When washing a kennel, cleaners Belsize Park recommend you avoid using anything that you wouldn't want your pet to lick up. Chemical household products will make a home sparkle, but dogs aren't as particular about the way their home looks as they are about the way it smells. A pine-scented house night smell wonderfully clean to you, but your dog might disagree and a strong, new smell might put your pet off their home. Instead, use a plastic-bristled brush to apply an organic cleaner or use a homemade solution of 100ml vinegar and 300ml water, or a solution of 4 tablespoons lemon extract or lemon juice with 4 litres water.

Replacing the bedding is the last step. If your dog likes to lie on straw, put in some fresh straw and sprinkle it with baking soda -this will absorb odours and make the freshness last longer, according to cleaners Belsize Park. If you pet prefers blankets, let the washed blankets dry in the sun for extra freshness, then sprinkle on a little baking soda. Brush this into the blanket and put them back into the kennel.