Cleaning a Guinea Pig Cage

Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by ellen

Guinea pigs are popular pets and need a clean cage to live in. In this article, I’m sharing tips on cleaning guinea pig cages properly.

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Table of Contents

To keep your piggie healthy and happy, he needs to have a safe, clean place to live in. You will need to add fresh bedding and remove soiled bedding regularly. Remember, guinea pigs use their cage as their litter box and are not potty trained.

Assuming you have a standard rectangular guinea pig’s cage, you first need to remove all of the objects from inside the cage. This includes any toys, water bottles, food bowls, and bedding.

The You and Me Guinea Pig Cage is one of the easiest cages to clean. You can get it here.

Or, the Ware guinea pig cage is very highly rated as an easy clean guinea pig hutch. Check it out.

Once everything has been removed from the guinea pig cage, you must thoroughly clean and disinfect the cage. Use mild soap and water solution or a white vinegar and water solution for a DIY Cage cleaner. After the cage has been cleaned, rinse it with clean water to remove any residue.

This is the best cage cleaner for guinea pigs I’ve tried. It cleans up fast and works very well. Check it out.

If you want a homemade guinea pig cage cleaner, you can use baking soda and water.

Add guinea pig cage bedding

Next, you must add clean bedding to the bottom of the guinea pig habitat. There are many types of bedding available for guinea pig hutches, but I recommend using either Carefresh natural paper bedding or aspen shavings.

Once you have added the fresh bedding, you can put all the objects back into the cage. A guinea pig home should have plenty of room for your piggie to rest and play.

Make sure that you clean any guinea pig cage decor or toys regularly to keep them clean. It’s not just the guinea pig pens that need to be cleaned out.

You can use baking soda as a guinea pig cage deodorizer. Just sprinkle a small amount on the bottom before the bedding.

Fleece cage liners

I also like this fleece bedding to line the bottom of the cage. It helps absorb liquids at the bottom of the cage. It makes an absorbent layer underneath the guinea pig’s bedding.

You can toss the fleece liners into the washing machine each week. Reuse the fleece liner as cage liners. They work the same way puppy pads do.

When washing fleece, just put it in a gentle wash cycle. Use unscented laundry detergent and skip the fabric softener and dryer sheets. They have very sensitive noses.

You can use a laundry bag to keep all the piggy hair from getting on your clothes in the washing machine.

Guinea piggies are very active and love to play, so be sure to provide them with plenty of toys to keep them entertained. Some popular guinea pig toys include tunnel systems, houses, and balls.

You can make a guinea pig fleece blanket for them with this tutorial. It’s a perfect option for the bottom of guinea pig pens.

Bottles and food bowls should be cleaned regularly to prevent them from getting dirty. We recommend washing them every other day.

How to clean a guinea pig’s cage

Cleaning guinea pig cages is very simple to do. Follow these tips to keep your guinea pig cage clean and smell-free.

-First, remove soiled guinea pig bedding and add clean bedding regularly

-Then, machine wash the absorbent layers of fleece bedding in the washing machine if you use them.

-Thoroughly clean and disinfect the cage regularly with white vinegar and hot water.

-Wipe the cage dry with paper towels.

– Wash water bottles and food bowls every other day.

-Provide plenty of toys for your guinea pig to play with.

Cleaning a guinea pig cage should be done weekly.

How to clean your guinea pigs’ water bottle

It is essential to clean your guinea pig’s water bottle and food bowl regularly to prevent bacteria from growing. So, I recommend washing it every day. You will need:

-A mild soap or dishwashing liquid

-A toothbrush

-Clean water

1. Remove the dirty water bottle from the guinea pig’s cage and unscrew the cap.

2. Wash the outside of the bottle with mild soap and water.

3. Use the toothbrush to clean the inside of the bottle, including the spout.

4. Rinse the bottle with clean water and screw the cap back on.

5. Fill the bottle with fresh water and put it back in the cage.

Avoid using anything with a very strong odor, like bleach, on guinea pig cages. This can be overwhelming for guinea pigs and other small pets. Use white vinegar or a gentle cage cleaner.

It should be completely dry before adding bedding to the cage and putting your guinea pig back inside. You can let it air dry it wipe it dry.

How often should I clean my guinea pig’s cage?

So, the frequency of cleaning will depend on the number of guinea pigs you have and how often they use their cage. I recommend cleaning the cage weekly if you have one or two pigs.

However, if you have two guinea pigs or if they are very active and use their cage frequently, you may need to clean it more often.

Clean bedding is best for your guinea pig’s feet. Learn how to bathe guinea pigs properly at the end of this post.

How do I do a spot clean?

First, remove any debris from bedding that is especially soiled. You will also want to wash your water bottles – these are often grimey.

Dry fleece items like cage liners should be washed weekly. Pee pads will soak up the urine since they are made of absorbent material.

Spot-cleaning the wood shavings or wood chips throughout the week will help keep the soiled bedding from smelling. Just take a minute or two a day to spot-clean any dirty areas.

Then follow up with weekly cleanings of the entire cage to remove all the guinea pig poop.

You can also use clean fleece liners and fleece bedding under the wood chips to keep your cage odor free. Change them regularly, so they don’t smell.

To make cleaning easier, place your guinea pig in another clean guinea pig cage while cleaning the soiled one. You can use a cardboard box with hay or other bedding if you do not have two cages.

Just be sure that they are somewhere another pet can’t get access to. Your dog or cat will be attracted to small animals as prey animals.

Can you compost guinea pig waste?

You can compost guinea pig waste, but it is important to do so properly to avoid attracting pests. Guinea pigs are clean animals, and their waste does not smell bad. However, it is still important to keep their cage clean.

Add disposable bedding to your compost bin with other organic matter like fruits and vegetables to compost. Be sure to turn the compost regularly to aerate it and keep it from getting too wet. If it gets too wet, it will start to smell bad.

Cleaning a guinea pig cage is essential to keeping your pet healthy and happy. Following these simple tips ensures that your piggie has a clean, safe cage to live in.

Guinea pig cage cleaning products

It’s important to clean your piggy’s cage with safe cleaning products so you don’t damage your guinea pig’s respiratory system. So, you can use any of these products.

This is one of the best skinny pig cages.

Cleaning a Guinea Pig Cage