Bedding frustration!

[ClaudetteDoom]

I'm currently having some bedding frustration!

I have 5 pigs (3 in a 5x2, 2 in a 4x2). I have several liners, lots of smaller pee pads, and some bath mats that I primarily use under hay piles.

Despite having a high capacity washing machine, it hates the bath mats and really struggles to spin them. I'm also finding that as the weather is cooler and wettter lot of my pee pads seem damp very quickly (going to try and strip wash to sort this). The bottom fleece mats (from C&E) are great, but my new set up means I only have one for each cage so working out the wash routine can be a huge amount of fun...

To enable me to change the base layer more easily and more often I'm considering washable mattress pads underneath fleece blankets. Does this seem workable?

Money is a bit of an issue at the moment, recommendations for cost effective but absorbent small pee pads are also very welcome!

 

[piggieminder]

I have the same problem with bath mats except some very cheap ones from Poundland which have washed so thin now they are not worth using. I have decided I am going to stop using them and just spend longer brushing hay off the fleece or the other thing I have thought of trying is washable puppy pads as they are lighter to wash and not fluffy for the hay to stick. 2 for £10 in B&M!
The mattress covers should be okay as a layer under fleece blankets. You may have a problem stopping the fleece from rucking up but I'm sure there are ways round that. I use quilted mattress covers cut to size and stitched into my home made fleece cage liners.

 

[Roselina]

Amazon.co.uk

I use these and use 2 and 1/2 for my 5x2 (so you could use 2 for your 4x2 )as my base layer.
They’re similar to washable puppy pads.
I tick the sides into the coroplast .
I use fleece and vet bed and pee pads on top
I’ve used this way for about 3 years.
They work really well and can be washed at 60c if you need to.
No smell and so easy to change.
You can cut them to fit too.
I've washed 4 pads in 2 pet laundry bags with no issue .
I have used the liners from Kavee (5x2) but my washing machine wouldn’t spin them ….similar to your bath mats.

 

[KathT]

I’ve used washable inco pads and fleece blankets for years. I cut the pads to fit my cages and then used the other bits to make small pee pads by sewing fleece blanket bits onto them. The washer copes fine with them in a big wash bag.