How to wash fleece liners?

[BlueSkies]

Hello, I’m not a new guineapig pig owner, had my 6 babies for 5 years or so, they’ve been on absorbent chenille bath mats and fleece for a majority of their lives, however it put a strain on my washing machine and eventually the drum of it broke down.

I’ve got a newer washing machine and it cannot handle the mats at all! It makes a very loud strange noise as the water is absorbed, It says it’s max weight is 8kg, I’m not over loading it - I cannot break this one too. So I’m at a loss of how to clean my guinea pigs mats.

Any ideas would be appreciated. If I don’t come up with a solution soon (run out of clean bedding), as hard as it may be I think I’ll have to switch them to wood shavings which they haven’t been on since they were little babies. And my piggies are quite elderly so I prefer them on soft bedding.

 

[Piggies&buns]

How much are you trying to put in?
It may be you need to put less in at each wash.

ive used vetbed a few times in the past and although my washing machine can handle my husband’s heavy work jeans and outdoor jackets, it did not like pieces of vetbed, even ones which I thought were fairly small. I ended cutting it up into about 12x18 inch pieces and only washing a couple at a time

If you find you really cannot continue with fabric bedding, then there are a variety of other alternatives to shavings - i use megazorb (my boys live in a shed) topped with hay which is very soft and absorbent

 

[Tnoz]

I use a pet laundry bag large with non bio liquid no conditioner and allow to air dry

 

[BlueSkies]

How much are you trying to put in?
It may be you need to put less in at each wash.

ive used vetbed a few times in the past and although my washing machine can handle my husband’s heavy work jeans and outdoor jackets, it did not like pieces of vetbed, even ones which I thought were fairly small. I ended cutting it up into about 12x18 inch pieces and only washing a couple at a time

If you find you really cannot continue with fabric bedding, then there are a variety of other alternatives to shavings - i use megazorb (my boys live in a shed) topped with hay which is very soft and absorbent

I don’t put much in just 1 or 2 items, which is why it’s strange to me that it’s making such a loud noise. I have custom made fleece liners (4x4 ft) and I just wanted a one piece fleece to cover all areas. I cannot cut it into pieces like you did with vet bed unfortunately. I just thought disposable bedding was a waste and expensive long term so I switched.

 

[BlueSkies]

How much are you trying to put in?
It may be you need to put less in at each wash.

ive used vetbed a few times in the past and although my washing machine can handle my husband’s heavy work jeans and outdoor jackets, it did not like pieces of vetbed, even ones which I thought were fairly small. I ended cutting it up into about 12x18 inch pieces and only washing a couple at a time

If you find you really cannot continue with fabric bedding, then there are a variety of other alternatives to shavings - i use megazorb (my boys live in a shed) topped with hay which is very soft and absorbent

I don’t put much in just 1 or 2 items, which is why it’s strange to me that it’s making such a loud noise. I have custom made fleece liners (4x4 ft) and I just wanted a one piece fleece to cover all areas. I cannot cut it into pieces like you did with vet bed unfortunately.

I use a pet laundry bag large with non bio liquid no conditioner and allow to air dry

same as I do, I’m just confused as to why the water is getting soo absorbent in my current washing machine & making such a terribly loud noise.

 

[Roselina]

I had the same issue with a new machine. I actually called an engineer out and he said a lot of newer washing machines don’t have a small load balance mechanism . So he said you have to fill the machine up to the max weight - in your machine the 8kg. I’ve done this and it works for bath mats etc - I’m disappointed that I can’t do a small load but I spose it’s cost effective ! I hope this will help !