# Cleaning cages



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

What do you guys use to clean your cages?

I scrub with hot soapy water, rinse well, then scrub with a store bought cleaner, then rinse well again. It gets them clean, but it doesn't quite get rid of that musky smell - if you stuck your nose in the tray, you would still smell it a bit. The other thing is, the store bought cleaners cost a fortune, but don't last 2 minutes! 

I'm looking for a cheaper, more effective option. I have read that you can use a bleach solution - 1 part bleach, 9 parts water - but I'm worried about trying that, with ratties noses as sensitive as they are.

So, what do you guys use?


----------



## Nazarath (Feb 20, 2007)

I use a bar of soap or else some dish cleaner, i'm very careful not to use a whole lot. I use an electirc tooth brush to get in the tuff places and that seems to do it for my guys . No more smelly cage, when i used other cleaners they would sneez up a storm because of how powerful they were. I wouldn't worry too much about it smelling a little .


----------



## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Well, what kind of cage do you have? And how often do you fully clean it? Do you spot clean?


----------



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Night said:


> Well, what kind of cage do you have? And how often do you fully clean it? Do you spot clean?


Wire with plastic platforms and tray. I take it all apart and clean it once a week. Other than wiping down the platforms each day to clear food debris, I don't spot clean because I find she doesn't need it.

She doesn't stink or anything, I would just like to find something that is cheaper to use and that completely takes away the odours.


----------



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Nazarath said:


> I use a bar of soap or else some dish cleaner, i'm very careful not to use a whole lot. I use an electirc tooth brush to get in the tuff places and that seems to do it for my guys . No more smelly cage, when i used other cleaners they would sneez up a storm because of how powerful they were. I wouldn't worry too much about it smelling a little .


I use dish cleaner, too, and that works fine for the little one. The older one I find needs a bit more than just dish washing liquid.


----------



## Nazarath (Feb 20, 2007)

I've hurd that if you a little baking soda wiht water and let it sit for a little but then rise and make sure all the soda part is gone it helps? Honeslty never tryed it.


----------



## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Actually, the bleach solution is very safe and effective. You can also use water/vinegar to help with cage cleaning. 

You only have one rat?


----------



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Night said:


> Actually, the bleach solution is very safe and effective. You can also use water/vinegar to help with cage cleaning.
> 
> You only have one rat?


We have two, but they are in separate cages pending introductions. We've had a couple of set backs, but eventually hope to have them both in one cage.


----------



## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

If you have girlies, I would highly suggest getting them spayed also


----------



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Night said:


> If you have girlies, I would highly suggest getting them spayed also


Why?


----------



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Nazarath said:


> I've hurd that if you a little baking soda wiht water and let it sit for a little but then rise and make sure all the soda part is gone it helps? Honeslty never tryed it.


That's worth a try. With water, or vinegar?


----------



## sneakers88 (Jul 24, 2007)

i used this very safe pine sol stuff!!!its very very safe....But i dont think they sell it anymore....because people didnt like how they got rid of the bad ingrediants cause it cleaned there dishes better with it or something lol


----------



## sneakers88 (Jul 24, 2007)

But i used it for my mice....not sure about ratties....


----------



## Vixie (Jul 21, 2006)

Pine-sol is horrible for animals, I'm sure it has harmful ingredients in it. That will surely damage their lungs. 

The bleach solution is the best, I found. And it's a good idea to invest in a hose nozzle with a 'power wash' setting to get icky gunk off without really touching it.

Edited _twice_ for typos. I've insulted myself...xD


----------



## SamsterAndRocky (Jul 24, 2007)

i use antibacterial dish soap......and scrubby spnges...of course he's in a hamster cage for the time being....on a side note, he hates my hamster and bares his teeth at the smell of hamster


----------



## Vixie (Jul 21, 2006)

SamsterAndRocky said:


> i use antibacterial dish soap......and scrubby spnges...of course he's in a hamster cage for the time being....on a side note, he hates my hamster and bares his teeth at the smell of hamster


Keep them in seperate rooms.


----------



## Whiskers (Jun 29, 2007)

[align=center]I use a hose and spray everything down, then I scrub it with dish soap. And then I spray it down with the hose again.

But I only have two little female rats, so the cage doesn't get that dirty....[/align]


----------



## lostbutnotforgot (Apr 19, 2007)

I just rinse it out with the hose (sometimes with dish soap). To keep the smell down (this is mostly with my rabbit since he stinks most of the time) I sprinkle baking soda in her litter box and under the rest of the paper. in her cage (so she's not actually stepping on it, but it still takes the kick out of the odor. But she's a really clean rat so I don't have to do much and the baking soda is really just overkill for her.


----------



## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

I'm worried about using bleach in general but it's quite universal I hear. You can even put small amounts in questionable water to make it safe but in a very specific way so please no one try that unless you've researched it. 

I know you can also clean out coffee pots with the diluted bleach solution, so I guess.........if people trust it enough to clean out coffee pots it's good enough for your ratties. 

I've been meaning to try it, so hopefully i get the guts to do so!


----------

