Not sure how often to clean, or what to use?
This blog post contains affiliate links.
Here’s a quick rundown of my personal cleaning routine, and what to do/what not to do. Main thing is, don’t overclean, or they’ll overmark. They’re scent-based animals, so they need their home to always smell at least a little like home. Don't clean everything on the same day, do cages/wheels one week and toys/fleece the next, etc. Always leave some things that smell like them or they'll just stink it up worse than before. If you use blankets,don't wash those with the fleece and put them in the clean pouches so they smell a bit like them still. Then clean the blankets the next week or so.
Drop Tray:
I use cozy n fresh pellets in my drop pan(equine pine pellets are great too, just make sure they’re kiln-dried)! I dump and clean the whole tray every week or two. You just need a thin layer since they expand when they absorb liquid, and they help with the smell. If your drop tray is inside the cage, you can use a layer of fleece, or just keep the tray bare instead.
Drop Tray:
I use cozy n fresh pellets in my drop pan(equine pine pellets are great too, just make sure they’re kiln-dried)! I dump and clean the whole tray every week or two. You just need a thin layer since they expand when they absorb liquid, and they help with the smell. If your drop tray is inside the cage, you can use a layer of fleece, or just keep the tray bare instead.
Cage:
I wipe down the cage a bit every couple of days, and deep clean about every 2-3 weeks. A lot of people use just soap/water or vinegar/water, but there are better alternatives. I'll link two really great cleaners(these are affiliate links). Chlorhexidine is what vets use to clean kennels and such, it'll need to be diluted 2 tablespoons to a gallon. The peroxide spray is often used in hospitals. They're both awesome at cleaning and getting rid of the smell. I spray the cage down with one(whichever I happen to have), let it sit for 10 minutes, then scrub and wipe clean with a wet rag.
https://www.amazon.com/Durvet-Chlorhexidine-Solution-fl-oz/dp/B000HHSD8M/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=dpupgliderstu-20&linkId=2da3b28bbac0014d2c3be130bdcbcd58&language=en_US
https://www.amazon.com/Clorox-CLO30828-Healthcare-Disinfectant-Norovirus/dp/B01KC9FYUE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=dpupgliderstu-20&linkId=3e77b86ce2986edd176df877bf8f8c40&language=en_US
I wipe down the cage a bit every couple of days, and deep clean about every 2-3 weeks. A lot of people use just soap/water or vinegar/water, but there are better alternatives. I'll link two really great cleaners(these are affiliate links). Chlorhexidine is what vets use to clean kennels and such, it'll need to be diluted 2 tablespoons to a gallon. The peroxide spray is often used in hospitals. They're both awesome at cleaning and getting rid of the smell. I spray the cage down with one(whichever I happen to have), let it sit for 10 minutes, then scrub and wipe clean with a wet rag.
https://www.amazon.com/Durvet-Chlorhexidine-Solution-fl-oz/dp/B000HHSD8M/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=dpupgliderstu-20&linkId=2da3b28bbac0014d2c3be130bdcbcd58&language=en_US
https://www.amazon.com/Clorox-CLO30828-Healthcare-Disinfectant-Norovirus/dp/B01KC9FYUE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=dpupgliderstu-20&linkId=3e77b86ce2986edd176df877bf8f8c40&language=en_US
Fleece:
I usually use my regular detergent, a cup of vinegar and sometimes a teaspoon of chlorhexidine. I wash in warm/hot water, then dry on low/no heat in the dryer(be sure not to dry too hot, as it can singe the fleece). You can air dry them too. You can use unscented detergent or a bit of regular detergent too(nothing too strong). No fabric softeners or dryer sheets.
Toys/Wheels:
I soak toys and wheels in the sink with hot water/vinegar/dish soap . After a few minutes, I scrub them with a rag, rinse, spray on some chlorhexidine solution or peroxide spray, let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse again and dry.
I usually use my regular detergent, a cup of vinegar and sometimes a teaspoon of chlorhexidine. I wash in warm/hot water, then dry on low/no heat in the dryer(be sure not to dry too hot, as it can singe the fleece). You can air dry them too. You can use unscented detergent or a bit of regular detergent too(nothing too strong). No fabric softeners or dryer sheets.
Toys/Wheels:
I soak toys and wheels in the sink with hot water/vinegar/dish soap . After a few minutes, I scrub them with a rag, rinse, spray on some chlorhexidine solution or peroxide spray, let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse again and dry.
