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Fleece How to keep washer from getting clogged

Iluvguineapiggs

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(sorry if there is already a topic about this... I looked around and I couldn't find anything)

So I might get guinea pigs (trying to convince my parents lol) and when I was telling my parents about fleece they wanted to know how I plan to keep the washer from getting clogged with hair and all that stuff. They told me they are not going to buy another washer and go through all of that work if all the hair and stuff clogs it up and I really didn't think about that. So what do you guys think I should do ? and I heard from a lot of other websites that even if you do brush the fur , poop, hay etc, off , you still won't get every piece of hair out and your washer could still get clogged.

my parents are also thinking about hand washing and I really don't know the proper way to hand wash (if there is a proper way:eek:) so how should I hand wash fleece?
 

Iluvguineapiggs

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a few more questions :)

what type of detergent do you use? I heard you should use a hypoallergenic one and blahh blah blah... is tide good or to strong?

how much do you use? I don't want to use too much:)
 

HannibalLecter

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I brush it of well & hang it outside for a few hours, most hay will have dropped of by then. I also roll the fleece thoroughly with a lint roller & it would frankly not work without one. Towels I just shake.

Most of the hair ends up at the bottom of the lid, I run an empty cycle after the fleece to avoid any stray hair ending up on the next wash of clothes. I usually just use white vinegar, or half & half with a small amount of detergent.

Make sure you brush your pigs regularily if you can, as this could lessen the shedding dramatically, and build a cage with a kitchen area where you keep the hay away from the fleece.
 

Iluvguineapiggs

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thanks :) ..............

lol I don't know what you mean by ''LID'' but i'll tell my parents that tomoro and we'll see what they say. I know other people have different methods so I wanna hear what they do.. thanks for helping! you helped a lot!
 
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4theLOVEofPigs

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Never been a biggie for me.

I've got a Small HE Front Loader, The detergent I use is just your basic run of the mill El 'Cheapo stuff and my two girls have never had a problem with it I use it at a double dose instead of the amount that they tell you to.
I wash the Fleece and the Under Pad together with any of my hidies I've got hanging on/in their cage.

I take both out back of my house and shake them off real good Hay is Gone, some hair left both before and after the wash, I dry on a low setting takes about a half hour to dry, And I wash on the Heavy Duty setting.
And I've never had any problems with any excess lint hair or anything clogging anything up.

Or getting on anything I wash afterwards....
If you wash them separate from any of the other wash/dry you should be fine. :)
 

HannibalLecter

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Well it depends on what kind of washer you have I suppose, the one we use usually have most of the hair collected at the bottom of the rubber rim on the inside of the lid, making it easy to just wipe off. :) A washer with the lid on top will obviously not do that though.

It's really time consuming rolling the fleece, and if I was the only one using the washer I probably wouldn't do it. It's really the worst part of pig care for me.
 

Hhbean

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I guess it depends if your piggy is long or short haired. My guys are both short haired and I've yet to have any issues with the washing machine. The dry lint trap has piggy hair in it but I clean that after every load anyway. I used to live in a household with 3 other females and our long hair was all over the place including the washer/dryer. That was way worse then piggy hair.
 

pinky

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I have 7 pigs in three cages and I take my fleece and uhaul pads outside to shake out. I know in Winter, I might change my mind about doing that, though. It gets all the debris out. I used one of those screens over my washer hose to filter out any hay or hair I missed so it doesn't go down the drain. I disinfect the washer with a cup of vinegar in an empty load after I'm done. If I have rugs to do, I'll just wash those instead of doing an empty load.
 

bpatters

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I think it depends on your washer. I've got a high-end front-loading Maytag, and the hair drove me nuts when I was using fleece. I could never get all the hair off before I washed it, and the filter in the washer would eventually clog. The filter is hard to get to and involves taking a front panel off to be able to clean it out.

I gave up and am using wood pellets.
 

Iluvguineapiggs

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thank you for all the suggestions/advice. I have a washer with the lid on top. I might just ask my parents to get a screen me go check the washer model ;)
 

Iluvguineapiggs

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ok its a Mayteg. Any way I can take a picture of it with my webcam and post it on this thread?
 

Iluvguineapiggs

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Ok here is what our washer looks like.. so what should I do?
 

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Texaschic81

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before I take out my fleece to wash it, I use my hand vac to get rid alot of the hair in advance. I can't get all the sides of course, but it helps get ALOT of the hair off.
 

Iluvguineapiggs

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and..........

111112-215913.jpg
 

4theLOVEofPigs

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OK question here.
Disinfect the washer after your done with a cup of vinegar?
Shouldn't your laundry soap do that for you?

And if you do rugs afterwards instead of your usual empty load.
Do you use a cup of vinegar with it as well?
Otherwise it wouldn't be getting disinfected would it?

Just wondering.... :confused:


I disinfect the washer with a cup of vinegar in an empty load after I'm done. If I have rugs to do, I'll just wash those instead of doing an empty load.
 

pinky

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OK question here.
Disinfect the washer after your done with a cup of vinegar?
Shouldn't your laundry soap do that for you?

And if you do rugs afterwards instead of your usual empty load.
Do you use a cup of vinegar with it as well?
Otherwise it wouldn't be getting disinfected would it?

Just wondering.... :confused:

Vinegar is a powerful antibacterial agent and is also an acid. Urine is a base (alkaline) so the neutralizing effect of the acid/base combination cuts the urine and urine buildup and gets rid of the urine smell on bedding. Vinegar also cuts soap residue. I add a cup of vinegar and laundry detergent when I wass the bedding and if I wash rugs after, without having run an empty wash cycle. I never add vinegar if I do a load of whites with bleach.
 

Iluvguineapiggs

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anyone have a answer based on my washer?
 

arionat799

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Actually I have a question about this too. If I hand wash the fleece then threw it in the dryer would i still be at risk for the hair clogging it up? Also how do you hand wash anyways??
 

4theLOVEofPigs

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I don't know this to be fact But.

If you used a Hand Washing Laundry Detergent like Cold Water Wash I wouldn't think it would be strong enough to get rid of the Urine Stains or any other filthiness for that matter even though it should be easy enough to rinse out.

trying to hand wash with regular laundry detergent would most likely work But it would be next to impossible to get rinse out properly.
"SO" I would say washing it in a machine is the only way. :?:

Actually I have a question about this too. If I hand wash the fleece then threw it in the dryer would i still be at risk for the hair clogging it up? Also how do you hand wash anyways??
 

arionat799

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My prob is my dad doesn't want me to wash fleece and towels in washing machine b/c he things its just straight out gross. The thought of guinea pig pee in thereis just revolting to him...even though he washes his sweaty socks in there.
I don't know this to be fact But.If you used a Hand Washing Laundry Detergent like Cold Water Wash I wouldn't think it would be strong enough to get rid of the Urine Stains or any other filthiness for that matter even though it should be easy enough to rinse out.trying to hand wash with regular laundry detergent would most likely work But it would be next to impossible to get rinse out properly."SO" I would say washing it in a machine is the only way. :?:
 
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