just switched to fleece and need help

guineathepiggy

guineathepiggy

Junior Guinea Pig
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its been really messy, and the hay is getting stuck on the fleece. how can I keep this from happening? and should I wash it like every 3 days? how do you guys keep your fleece clean.
 
Hi! :)
What kind of fleece did you purchase?
Here is a guide that may be helpful to you: Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
Is your bedding 100% polyester?
Fleece requires multiple washes before it wicks moister properly. :)
In terms of maintenance, I wash the bedding about two times per week, but only one wash per week is really all that is necessary (as long as your enclosure is reasonably sized).
Little bits of hay can be bothersome, but I use a slightly raised litterbox so that my piggies do not spill hay all over the fleece (they are quite the messy eaters). I have heard of other rabbit and guinea pig owners using hooded litter boxes, but I would not recommend those. They have poor insulation, and even the best shavings can create dust. :)
I use a dustpan and brush that has rough bristles to ensure that those tiny pieces of hay all end up getting swept.
This is similar to the dustpan that I have at home: Amazon.com: Dustpan and Brush Set, Hand Broom with Ergonomic Grip Handle - Rubber Edge for Easy Dirt Pickup, Durable Material - Hand Brush Helps You Keep Clean Everywhere. by Superio: Home & Kitchen
I hope that this helps! Let me know if you need more information! :)
 
Do you put the hay directly on the fleece or in a container of some sort? I use bath mats on top of the piggies fleece liners and so can go a week between changes.

When you wash it, use a horse wash bag. Try and shake or brush off the hay before washing and then you can shake it again after washing and before drying.
 
We use fleece and the hay and guinea pig hair both get stuck in it. After much rinsing and shaking I've accepted that it will pretty much never come out!

Two tips though:
  • We don't put fleece on the floor in the parts of the hutch where we are putting a lot of hay, i.e. hay as bedding material. In that area, its usually just several layers of newspaper then a ton of hay on top (we do have fleece under the hay rack though).
  • as mentioned above, we wash all of the bedding in a "horse bag" in order to prevent the washing machine filter from getting all clogged up.
I did not know what a horse bag was before I joined this forum, but is just a bag made of fabric that allows the water and cleaning products to get to your bedding, without allowing all the hay and fur to come out into your washing machine. This is the one we have but I am sure many are available: amazon link
 
I found putting something quick and easy to clean/replace like a hand towel under the hay to be helpful. I guess that won't help if your piggies are super messy though. :P
 
Some of the members here have plastic tray (or cat litter tray) for their hay area. You can probably use it so hay aren't just on top of the fleece. Just put a pee pad in it and then hay on top.

I don't use a plastic tray for the hay for my piggies. I just use pee pads on top of the fleece and then put the hay. My piggies don't really drag it all out on the fleece, only few gets out of the area. It's easy enough to clean. You can see it from the photo how it looks like.

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The fleece in the bottom floor of the hutch and on the floor are washed every week. But the fleece in the top floor of the hutch are washed every 2 days. They sleep upstairs so they mostly poop and pee in there. Oh and the hay area with the pee pads are replaced every day or two depending how much they poop and pee on it. The cosy beds have fleece pads in it that I replace every 3 or 4 days depending on how dirty it gets. All my fleece have absorbent layers so it's easy enough to not wash it (the big fleeces) so often in a week.
 
I give my girls mounds of hay and place it on the floor. My girls spread it everywhere but I try not to get OCD about it. I have a large cage so they only wee and poo in certain areas which I change twice daily. I also have pee pads in those areas. The remainder of the area is changed and washed once a week, after a thorough shake. But I leave the hay where it is. I try not to get stressed about it. The girls may like it there for later maybe. As long as its not dirty, it stays there until weekly clean. I just tell myself Hay is OK and don't stress about it. I discovered trying to keep hay in one area is a futile exercise.
 
I put the hay in the hay bin, they make a point of diving under it and then head butting it out all over the floor 🤷‍♀️ They love doing it...

Basically I just brush off most of the hay with a dustpan brush before putting in the machine. I hold it over one arm and brush in quick short strokes downwards. Some types of hay stick more than others, mainly the spiky seed heads. I’ve been doing this since 2012 or so and never had a blocked washing machine so must be doing something right 😁
 
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