Cage cleaning

Isabela

Isabela

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
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Slovenia
Hello I was wondering what to use for cage cleaning. I was always using white vinegar and water but the cage is getting smellier and smellier. I read that you should use detergent and water before the vinegar and water? If so, what type should I use and how long should I wait for it to start working? Thank you.
 
Why is your profile pic changing every 2 seconds? :)):)):))

I don't generally clean clean mine too often, I just use a dustpan and brush to take out the litter, and wipe it down with baby wipes if necessary. :lol:
 
I spot clean every day then once a week use vinegar on the pee spots. If I left it a week it would stink with 4 pigs.
 
I usually wipe down the floor of my C&C with regular disinfectant floor wipes, then leave it to dry. The piggies aren't anywhere near the actual floor so I think that's ok. I recently bought some F10 disinfectant spray to do an occasional "deep clean" though... that kills bacteria and especially fungal infections that might cause disease in piggies.
 
Sophie Blane said:
Why is your profile pic changing every 2 seconds? :)):)):))

I don't generally clean clean mine too often, I just use a dustpan and brush to take out the litter, and wipe it down with baby wipes if necessary. :lol:
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Because I have three piggies and they all need to have their picture on the profile pic :D

How do you clean your fleece bedding? I clean mine throughly every 3-4 days with white vinegar and water and it still smells very badly. I also clean up poop once a day. It never smelled so bad before. Do you have any suggestions if I should use something else or to clean differently?
 
How did you do it? I'd love to do that with a seperate photo of Smokey and Bacon? I haven't seen anybody else with that...
 
Beemz said:
I spot clean every day then once a week use vinegar on the pee spots. If I left it a week it would stink with 4 pigs.
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Same here. You have 4 pigs and you clean your bedding once a week? It never smelled so bad before. Do you have any suggestions if I should use something else or to clean differently?

PigglePuggle said:
I usually wipe down the floor of my C&C with regular disinfectant floor wipes, then leave it to dry. The piggies aren't anywhere near the actual floor so I think that's ok. I recently bought some F10 disinfectant spray to do an occasional "deep clean" though... that kills bacteria and especially fungal infections that might cause disease in piggies.
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How about the soap with water? Did you try that before?
 
I never tried soap and water, our cage is 18 square feet big and on the carpet so needs a wipe clean that won't wet the floor. I wash my fleece twice a week with a small amount (about half what is recommended) of disinfectant for clinical laundry that my mother uses.
 
PigglePuggle said:
I never tried soap and water, our cage is 18 square feet big and on the carpet so needs a wipe clean that won't wet the floor. I wash my fleece twice a week with a small amount (about half what is recommended) of disinfectant for clinical laundry that my mother uses.
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Thank you for your answer :) Since I have this problem I read that people throughly clean their cage once a week! I already need to do it (but I can't so much) three times a week! I don't know what' the problem. The towels are super smelly quickly and I spot clean everyday. I have a two floor cage. They use both floors. Maybe I should try with bleach and also with this soapy water?
 
We clean ours twice a week, and pick up poops every day. If you are using towels rather than a proper absorbant layer under the fleece that might be part of the problem? We use a washable absorbant puppy mat, some people use an absorbant mattress protector, some people use disposable puppy pads- but you should have a proper absorbant layer to trap the urine and keep the surface layer dry and odour free.
 
In answer to your question I used Chipsi wood flakes which are incredibly absorbent. I don’t use fleece. Luckily they tend to pee in the corners so I remove that sawdust every day. There’s no smell at all, the poops also dry up so quickly on this type of bedding. The vinegar is great for removing the calcium deposits left behind when they pee 👍😊
 
Good point @Beemz, we have some cage areas with absorbant recycled paper bedding too. There are lots of good bedding and flooring options around, both disposable and washable, so I think using towels might be the problem!
 
PigglePuggle said:
We clean ours twice a week, and pick up poops every day. If you are using towels rather than a proper absorbant layer under the fleece that might be part of the problem? We use a washable absorbant puppy mat, some people use absorbant mattress protecton ar, some people use disposable puppy pads- but you should have a proper absorbant layer to trap the urine and keep the surface layer dry and odour free.
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Is absorbant puppy mat a good choice?
 
Beemz said:
In answer to your question I used Chipsi wood flakes which are incredibly absorbent. I don’t use fleece. Luckily they tend to pee in the corners so I remove that sawdust every day. There’s no smell at all, the poops also dry up so quickly on this type of bedding. The vinegar is great for removing the calcium deposits left behind when they pee 👍😊
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How ofter do you change the whole bedding? :) Can you separate the poops from sawdust so that you can remove only the poops?
PigglePuggle said:
Good point @Beemz, we have some cage areas with absorbant recycled paper bedding too. There are lots of good bedding and flooring options around, both disposable and washable, so I think using towels might be the problem!
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I agree with you. My piggies love them but I don't so much since it's really a lot of work :)
 
Some poops always remain but they are very dry so I don’t worry, because I’m constantly spot cleaning I guess by the end of the week the whole lot has been changed but I never do the whole cage at once. As I spot clean I use vinegar to wipe where they’ve peed.
 
Well I think so, ours has an absorbant top layer and a plastic back so the cage stays clean, and it pops straight in the washing machine. We have the Vetfleece Inconti-Pet puppy mat and it works very well. Other forum members will have their own preferences that work well for them. But most people using fleece have an absorbant layer, sometimes sewn into the fleece liner, or underneath.
 
Beemz said:
Some poops always remain but they are very dry so I don’t worry, because I’m constantly spot cleaning I guess by the end of the week the whole lot has been changed but I never do the whole cage at once. As I spot clean I use vinegar to wipe where they’ve peed.
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Thank you that was very helpful :)
 
I clean my cages with vinegar & water once a week.. spray let sit for a few minutes then wipe.
I use bicarbonate soda & vineagar made into a paste to wash my fleece & towels.
Spot clean once or twice daily & i use pee pads under hay & houses, i change them twice a week.
 
PigglePuggle said:
Well I think so, ours has an absorbant top layer and a plastic back so the cage stays clean, and it pops straight in the washing machine. We have the Vetfleece Inconti-Pet puppy mat and it works very well. Other forum members will have their own preferences that work well for them. But most people using fleece have an absorbant layer, sometimes sewn into the fleece liner, or underneath.
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Do you know the name of the fleece with sewn absorbant layer?
 
These are usually custom made by small boutiques, I fon't think there is a big brand name. There are quite a few places that make them but they are usually local to your country. Perhaps someone else will know, I buy separate layers as a full cage size fleece plus absorbant lining is very heavy for the washing machine!
 
My Finn and Lara use their hay pan as their bathroom so their hay pans get changed every other day. Then I wash the hay pans with soap and water and wiped down with vinegar to kill germs. After washing, I put puppy pee pads at the bottom of the hay pans and load with hay.

Fleece beddings get changed every week and fleece pee pads changed every three days. I wash fleece beddings with soap and water then soak them in vinegar water to kill germs.

Finn and Lara have separate cages. I wash their cages with soap and water every week during the fleece bedding changes, then wipe down with vinegar.

I keep their cages pretty clean. They are indoor piggies so I can watch over them pretty easily. They do get lots of attention because their cages are centrally located in the house.
 
Isabela said:
Is absorbant puppy mat a good choice?
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I use puppy pads and hay in my hutch. I have outside piggies and find the puppy pads are very good. I do change them regularly. I have just been on holiday and my five piggies have been in the hutch on the same puppy pads for 9 days (I usually don't leave it this long) and they haven't leaked at all. As soon as it is light enough to see outside the hutch is having a thorough deep clean! My neighbour is very reliable at looking after my piggies but not confident enough to handle them or clean them out.
 
PigglePuggle said:
These are usually custom made by small boutiques, I fon't think there is a big brand name. There are quite a few places that make them but they are usually local to your country. Perhaps someone else will know, I buy separate layers as a full cage size fleece plus absorbant lining is very heavy for the washing machine!
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Seven7 said:
My Finn and Lara use their hay pan as their bathroom so their hay pans get changed every other day. Then I wash the hay pans with soap and water and wiped down with vinegar to kill germs. After washing, I put puppy pee pads at the bottom of the hay pans and load with hay.

Fleece beddings get changed every week and fleece pee pads changed every three days. I wash fleece beddings with soap and water then soak them in vinegar water to kill germs.

Finn and Lara have separate cages. I wash their cages with soap and water every week during the fleece bedding changes, then wipe down with vinegar.

I keep their cages pretty clean. They are indoor piggies so I can watch over them pretty easily. They do get lots of attention because their cages are centrally located in the house.
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Betsy said:
I use puppy pads and hay in my hutch. I have outside piggies and find the puppy pads are very good. I do change them regularly. I have just been on holiday and my five piggies have been in the hutch on the same puppy pads for 9 days (I usually don't leave it this long) and they haven't leaked at all. As soon as it is light enough to see outside the hutch is having a thorough deep clean! My neighbour is very reliable at looking after my piggies but not confident enough to handle them or clean them out.
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Thank you all for your answers. I will try to find the best solution for my piggies, the smell is terrible and I have to find something else. You've helped me a lot :)
 
I use puppy training pads and remove them each day. I spray the cage with a animal friendly cleaner and about once a month i wash it with soapy water and then rinse well.
I have 2 girls and they do spend a lot of time in a run , on the grass if the weather is good or in the conservatory , so i don't use sawdust now
 
Tilly92 said:
I use puppy training pads and remove them each day. I spray the cage with a animal friendly cleaner and about once a month i wash it with soapy water and then rinse well.
I have 2 girls and they do spend a lot of time in a run , on the grass if the weather is good or in the conservatory , so i don't use sawdust now
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Thank you for your answer. Puppy pads are great, but they do cost a lot more than other options, but if it works for you amazing :) That's great that your girls spend a lot of time on the grass :) I bet they enjoy it
I've been using a little kitchen area with sawdust and it's amazing, I don't have to clean every three days but every week :)
 
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