What Cleaning Products to Use in a Guinea Pig Cage
How to clean your guinea pig cage effectively
Natural Cage Cleaning Options for Guinea Pigs
Chemical cleaners are highly effective at ensuring your guinea pig's cage is clean, but these can be difficult to use due to their strong scents and potential for irritating the skin. Luckily, there are some natural alternatives to clean a guinea pig cage that can get the job done just as well.
The most popular natural pet cleaning products for guinea pig cages contain distilled white vinegar. Creating a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar to water is super effective at removing bacteria and keeping surfaces nice and clean. Following on from the vinegar, you'll want to make sure you go over the area with a warm water solution and a dry cloth to remove any lingering smells.
Another option is simply using a mild unscented soap and water on your weekly cleanings. Liquid soaps are made to remove bacteria and other pathogens and when used with hot water and dried correctly, it's perfectly safe for your piggies.
Guinea Pig Cleaning Hacks
The process of cleaning a guinea pig cage itself isn't the most time-consuming task, but when you factor in every other aspect of life, it can get overwhelming. So, here are some simple tips that may make cleaning the cage a little bit easier.
Keeping multiple fleece liners or bedding at hand - weekly cage cleaning can be much simpler if you're able to swap out the bedding as soon as the guinea pig cage is clean instead of having to wait for the fleece to dry and risk the piggies making a mess directly on the floor.
Litter training your piggies - litter training is a great way of reducing mess. Having your guinea pigs pee and poop in one or several dedicated areas will save you from having to clean up poop from all around the room or house. You can even lay down puppy pee pads in certain corners which can simply be rolled up and thrown away later.
Use lint rollers or hair removal brushes - ensure you remove hair from the fleece liners before washing to prevent your washing machine from filling up with fur. This can cause long-term damage to your machine, so make sure you're thorough.
Keeping your guinea pig happy and healthy
How to Clean a Guinea Pig's Cage with a Fleece Lining
Cleaning a guinea pig cage with a fleece liner is a simple task, so there's no need to worry. Regardless of the type of liner you have, their bedding is washed in the same way.
You'll simply want to remove any debris, food or bedding from on top of the liner, and strip it from the cage. Before popping down a clean one, make sure any leaks are wiped up and the floor and sides are completely disinfected using a spray bottle.
To wash the liner, you'll need to pop it into the washing machine. It's important to avoid any scented detergents as these can be too strong for a guinea pig's sensitive lungs.
Generally, they are washed on a heavy duty or bedding setting, but always double-check the specific instructions your fleece has. Fabric conditioner should be avoided for the same reasons as scented detergent, but a substitute of vinegar solution can provide some softness without being harmful.
To dry the fleece bedding, you can use a tumble dryer on a low heat to dry it as much as possible, and then dry it outside if it remains wet after a cycle.
Too much heat could damage the fleece, so it's best to not risk higher heats or a second cycle in the dryer. To avoid wood shavings, excess food or soiled bedding from getting into your dryer, you may wish to air dry the fleece outside if it's warm enough.
How Often Should You Clean a Guinea Pig Cage
You should be conducting daily spot cleaning, sometimes even twice a day if you have a large group of piggies. It may sound like a lot, but spot cleaning is pretty straightforward. This is where you just remove any poop or wet materials, and usually give their water bottle and food bowls a quick rinse and supply some fresh bedding.
Changing your pet's bedding regularly is guaranteed to keep your guinea pig happy and healthy for longer, especially during the winter months.
A full clean should be done at least once a week. This is where you should be removing all the bedding, toys, water bottles and food bowl and disinfecting them all as part of your cleaning routine.
You should also use baking soda and hot water to create an odour free rinse across the bottom of the cage to keep it looking new. For a particularly dirty cage or to eliminate a bad smell, a solution of white vinegar and water can be used to clean your guinea pig cage. This ensures there's no spread of any pathogens that could cause potential harm or respiratory illnesses.
Recommended Cleaning Products
Best Overall Cleaner
The Naturally Gone cleaner is ideal when looking for cleaning products for small animals. It is perfect for removing strong odours without leaving a strong smell in its place. It's made from healthy and natural enzymes to get the job done and leaves a guinea pig cage completely dry after just a few minutes to save loving guinea pig owners the trouble of drying.
Best Small Animal Cage Cleaner
Best Budget Cleaner
Simple Solution Cage & Hutch cleaner is the best option if you're looking for something on a budget. It's made from only natural ingredients and smells to ensure it is completely non-toxic and not overbearing for your guinea pig.
Simple Solution Cage & Hutch Cleaner
Best Cleaner for Mites and Lice
Johnson's Cage ‘n' Hutch spray is one of the best cleaning products for small animals. Mites and lice can be a big issue for guinea pigs, especially if they develop in soiled litter of disposable bedding, and this spray will kill any unwanted critters within their hutch before they can do any harm.
Cage ‘n’ hutch insect cleaning spray
Best Natural Cleaner
If you want an entirely natural cleaner, then distilled white vinegar would be best for your guinea pig's health. Hexeal's vinegar is excellent value for money, and completely safe for your guinea pigs. It is also pretty versatile and can be used as a fabric softener for any fabric bedding too.
White vinegar - natural small animals cage cleaner
