Spring cleanup in Gresham, OR: how to deal with a whole winter of dog poop
From November to February, most people stop scooping. It's dark by dinner, the yard is soaked, and nobody wants to search the back corner with a flashlight. By March, the yard shows it. Here's when to clean it up, how to do it and how to keep it from happening next winter.
The short answer: clean it in March or April, before the first mow
The best time for a spring cleanup is after the heaviest rain and before you mow. In East County, that's usually March or early April. Clean the whole yard once, carefully, then go back to a weekly schedule so it doesn't build up again.
Why does winter leave so much behind?
The Portland metro gets about 36 inches of rain a year, and most of it falls from November through January. Those are also the darkest months. Rain doesn't wash dog poop away. It softens it and presses it into the grass, where it's hard to see. Then, when the grass starts growing in spring, all of it comes back into view at once.
A dog doesn't stop going in winter, so a few months without scooping adds up quickly, especially with two or more dogs.
Why clean before the first mow?
Mowing over dog poop doesn't get rid of it. It spreads it across the lawn, packs it into the mower deck and can throw it at whoever is mowing. Clean first, then mow.
How to do a spring cleanup
- Get the right tools. Gloves, a rake-style scooper or a flat shovel, a sturdy bucket or bin, and plenty of bags. Old, flattened waste is easier to lift with a flat edge than with a bag over your hand.
- Wait for a dry day if you can. Waste is easier to see and lift when the grass isn't soaked.
- Walk the yard in a grid. Go back and forth in rows, like mowing, so you don't skip sections. Look down, not ahead.
- Check the edges. Fence lines, under decks and stairs, behind sheds, along garden beds and in long grass. This is where most of the winter's waste ends up.
- Pick up the flattened piles too. Old waste that has been pressed into the grass still smells and still carries germs.
- Bag it and put it in the garbage. Double-bag it. It doesn't go in the yard debris cart or the compost. See what happens to the poop for why.
- Clean your tools and wash your hands. Rinse the scooper and bucket outside, away from where kids play.
On a typical yard with one or two dogs, a full winter of waste can take an hour or more to clear, and longer on a big or sloped lot.
Don't want to do it yourself? A one-time yard cleanup clears the whole yard in one visit, with no plan or contract. Many customers book one in March and then start weekly service.
How to fix the lawn afterward
A winter of waste often leaves yellow or dead patches. Rake out the dead grass, water the spots well and reseed in spring or early fall, when the weather is mild and moist. Keep the patches clean while the new grass grows in. Our post on what dog poop does to a lawn covers the repair in more detail.
How to avoid a big cleanup next spring
Keep scooping through the winter. A weekly schedule is the simplest way to make sure waste never builds up, even when it's dark and raining. Our post on why the wet months matter most explains why winter is the worst time to skip, and our guide on how often to scoop can help you choose a schedule.