Vacuuming Hay! - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**vicky2** · #1 07-02-09, 01:33 pm

I give up. My back has been hurting lately from having to bend down and sweep hay off the floor everyday. Most of the vacuums I've tried don't pick up the hay. Anyone know anything that will without having to sweep after vacuuming?

buttercup78 · #2 07-02-09, 01:37 pm

I use my husbands wet/dry garage vac. It doesn't get clogged like my regular vacuum.

**Peggysu** · #3 07-02-09, 01:42 pm

I use an Oreck Hypoallergenic. It works great and I don't ever have to sweep up the hay. The only thing is I have a dog with long hair and combined with the hay it gets clogged every now and then so I just remove the handle and unclog it. That only happens every few months though.

**vicky2** · #4 07-02-09, 01:46 pm

THANK YOU! I'm so sick of sweeping!

**PiggieMom** · #5 07-02-09, 01:47 pm

I have a Dyson vacuum and I never have to sweep up hay either. I'm not at home though so I can't check the exact model.

**CavyMama** · #6 07-02-09, 01:47 pm

Peggysu, you mean there is a vacuum around that WILL pick up the hay? I have the same problem. The darn stuff just sticks to everything - EXCEPT the vacuum. I always end up sweeping after I vacuum. I'll have to try that one!

**Peggysu** · #7 07-02-09, 01:52 pm

I haven't had a problem with it and I've had it for about 8 months. The previous vacuum I had was a total piece. It was a bagless Kenmoore bottom of the line vacuum and it wouldn't pick up anything, and emptying the canister would make me ill, which had to be done everytime I vacuumed my tiny appartment.

I've only had to change the bag in my vacuum once and I vacuum four days a week, as I am only home for four days at a time.

Mattt · #8 07-02-09, 01:59 pm

Shop-Vacs work great.

**vicky2** · #9 07-02-09, 02:02 pm

Thanks for all the feedback!(:

**PiggieMom** · #10 07-02-09, 02:10 pm

I should also note that softer hay like orchard grass or bluegrass is easier to vacuum up than timothy hay sometimes, since there aren't as many hard pieces to get stuck in the hose.

**Skeetersmom** · #11 07-02-09, 02:28 pm

I have a Kenmore canister vac and never have a problem.

**Peggysu** · #12 07-02-09, 02:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skeetersmom

I have a Kenmore canister vac and never have a problem.

Well mine was like the cheapest you can find. It didn't suck like it needed to and was a pain to empty the canister.

**Skeetersmom** · #13 07-02-09, 02:52 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peggysu

Well mine was like the cheapest you can find. It didn't suck like it needed to and was a pain to empty the canister.

I wasn't referring to your post, just telling what I had and that it worked well. Your's was an upright also. I've never had a good upright. My next vacuum will hopefully be a Dyson Animal. I would like an upright and have heard good things about the Dyson.

**guineapigluver1** · #14 07-02-09, 03:02 pm

Dyson is the best vacuum you can get. I have 7 siblings, and we have cats, we had it when we had a dog with long hair too, so we vacuum twice a day every day, sometimes a third time.
Unfortunately even though they are the best (it doesn't clog and has the best suction. A Dirt Devil and another one bit the dust within 9 months), it still has a flaw. It picks up fine things, like dog hair and dirt, but it won't pick up cheerios and the like since it is too low to the ground, so we have to use the wand quite a bit.
The brush bar (or whatever it is called) on ours quit working a few months ago, we think because we tried to pick up cheerios and such before we knew it couldn't.
If Dyson fixed that problem it would be the perfect vacuum cleaner.

**NicholsS10** · #15 07-02-09, 03:57 pm

I've tried many different vacuums, what I have found to be the most helpful is SWITCHING HAY! I switched to 3rd cut timothy hay from KM's Hayloft, and it is SO easy to vacuum up, and all 5 of my pigs love KM hay more than any other hay I have tried! So, it's a win-win.

**SheriMartini** · #16 07-02-09, 04:33 pm

*sigh* If I was rich I'd have a Dyson. I was drooling over them the other day.

**SparklesGrammy** · #17 07-02-09, 04:37 pm

I have a Dyson Animal (the purple one), but it isn't good for picking up hay. It gets clogged all the time and I have to unclog it constantly.

**PiggieMom** · #18 07-02-09, 04:58 pm

This is the Dyson model I have. I use bluegrass/orchard grass and never have a problem with the hose getting clogged.

**vicky2** · #19 07-02-09, 05:03 pm

Do you know how it works on Timothy?

**DEBSPIGZ** · #20 07-02-09, 05:03 pm

A little off subject,.....but, for years I had been vacuuming so much stuff off the floor you wouldn't believe how much money we spent on buying vacuum cleaner bags just to keep up with it all. We had wire cages for our piggies for a long time, then I got smart (finally!) and bought the stuff I needed to build a C & C cage that the pigs love! Would you believe it? It's been almost a month now and we haven't had to vacuum AT ALL around this cage like we used to when I had all the mess to clean up twice a day. I know my response probably wasn't what you were asking for but believe me, if you can, put up a C & C system.........they are really the best.

"Thank you, Peggysu, for this useful post," says:
CavyMama (07-02-09)

"Thank you, PiggieMom, for this useful post," says:
CavyMama (07-02-09)