Fleece Fleece + Uhaul!

[rsgymjam]

Okay just making sure I got it all on fleece and Uhaul as I am still researching!!! (Ugh)

Fleece:
- wash until it wicks (2-3 times) with cheap detergent w/o fabric softener.

Uhaul:
- don't have to wick
- I heard it sheds; how do you wash and dry it?

Liners: (oops I mean Flippers)
- wash as normal?
- how to wash and dry sewn liners? (Same detergent?, etc..)

Thanks everyone!

-rsgymjam

 

[rsgymjam]

Can anyone help me?

 

[foggycreekcavy]

Since you are still researching I'm sure you'll find out the answers to your questions.

In the meantime, just wash everything in your washing machine. Use your normal detergent, just not fabric softener or dryer sheets in the dryer.

At at first my Uhaul pads shed in the dryer so I hung dried them. Now I'm too lazy and throw it all in the dryer. After a few times the uhauls don't shed as much.

 

[Traysea]

Prep your fleece:
I like to use warm/hot water, vinegar, and either dish soap or regular detergent. Most people suggest free and clear varieties of detergent because they have no odors and extra additives. I prefer dish soap because it' made to strip grease and grime off dishes (and unfortunate wildlife trapped in oil spill disasters). Never use fabric softeners, drier sheets or anything like that. Wash the fleece a few times and do a wick test to see how fast the water passes thru the fleece. The two goals of prepping fleece is to make it wick properly and to preshrink it before you sew it.

Prep your uhual:
pre washing will help the dye stop running. Uhaul seems to turn water blue the first few washes. I personally prefer to was the uhual separately from anything else when I am prepping it. Also, if you are sewing your own pads you want to pre wash and dry the uhaul so that you pre-shrink it.

If you are making your own liners it's especially important to preshrink your fleece and uhual or you might find your liners stop fitting well after a few washes. If you are using store bought flippers I believe these have already been pre-washed/pre-shrunk but still need another couple of washes for maximum wicking ability.

 

[rsgymjam]

I realized I asked so many questions after I submitted it! Hehe...

So I'll wash/pre-shrink/wick everything before I sew it, but how do I wash and dry the sewn liners? Like they will be thick- so I want them to dry fully for max drying ability? Would it just be easier (after pre shrinking, etc.) to not sew it and put it in the cage?

Thanks!

 

[StarTaleMaddnes]

My fleece and uhaul pads aren't sewn. I just layer them on top of one another. This works just fine, unless you have burrowing piggies because they like to snuggle under it. Even if that does happen just give them lots of cuddle cozies to snuggle into, that solved my problem. I also have a layer of towels on top of the uhaul pads for a little extra absorbency and so everything is a little more comfy and plush. Also wash the Uhaul pad BEFORE you cut it, because it shrinks a lot. I made the mistake of cutting it before had to go out and get another uhaul pad for the cage. I line dry everything too to prevent my dryer, and our clothes, from smelling like guinea pig- plus the girls always enjoy when I can bring a little of the outdoors in.

 

[rsgymjam]

I would have to dry mine outside too then; but in the winter, what would I do? I live in the northern part of the USA so snow and ice would be problems... in fact it snowed today! Only for like 5min, but snow is snow!!!!!

P.S. I don't have pigs yet, but I am hoping for some next year if only I can get my dad to say yes! Anyways- that's why I'm researching a bunch of stuff- I'm actually in the process of typing up a chart right now on care, and then need to do one on prices! Argh- so much to do- so little time! But, I love this forum. Everyone is so helpful and friendly!

 

[StarTaleMaddnes]

I would have to dry mine outside too then; but in the winter, what would I do? I live in the northern part of the USA so snow and ice would be problems... in fact it snowed today! Only for like 5min, but snow is snow!!!!!

P.S. I don't have pigs yet, but I am hoping for some next year if only I can get my dad to say yes! Anyways- that's why I'm researching a bunch of stuff- I'm actually in the process of typing up a chart right now on care, and then need to do one on prices! Argh- so much to do- so little time! But, I love this forum. Everyone is so helpful and friendly!

I'm not sure what to tell you about the line drying in winter, I live in las vegas so snow isn't really an issue. I imagine you're only going to have one or two piggies so you probably won't have to wash every week, you'll have to change the fleece and uhaul's but not enough for a full load of laundry usually. If you're religious about wiping down your dryer with a vinegar solution after the smell shouldn't be a problem, I do this with my washing machine, and you can always line dry in the summer. Another way to reduce odor would be to spray a little "nature's miracle" on the fleece/ uhaul's before washing to help breakdown the urine.

 

[korryn92]

I live in the Northern parts of the USA too and it snowed here as well.

The first winter I had fleece I didn't have a dryer that worked so I hung them over things to let them air dry. I put them in the warmest room in the house and let them hang until they dried fully. If you heat with a wood stove that is indoors I recommend hanging them in that room (away from the stove ) because it is really warm and the air is dryer in there.

 

[Traysea]

My liners are sewn up. I have 2 layers of fleece and 1 layer of uhaul. I never dry mine in the drier. I always let them air dry. I just hang them on the back of my kitchen chairs until they feel dry. If it is sunny out I try to lay them in a patch of sunlight but even when it's not sunny they still dry really fast. They will dry much faster if you don't sew them together into a pad but a 1 uhaul layer sandwich between 2 layers of fleece dries pretty fast. If you are air drying try to have at least 3 liners to give the first one time to dry by the time you get back to that one in rotation it will be several days later.

As for keeping the layers loose, that would dry the fastest but takes more time to set up in the cage and also might not work for chewers/burrowers. If you are going to leave them loose make the fleece long enough that you can run it up the sides of the coroplast and clip them OR you can tuck the excess fleece under the uhaul like it's a bed. I love my liners and they are super super fast to change. They are always nice and flat and I don't have to worry about uhaul shedding. But if you want to do 2 layers of uhaul you would be better off leaving them loose. If I was going to do it that way I would cut my uhual so it is 2x the size of my cage floor and then just fold it over rather than have 2 separate layers of uhaul to lay out. Faster to wash it and just as quick to dry.

 

[rsgymjam]

Okay guys- I think ill know what to do.

I will use fleece and 2 layers of Uhaul loosely, with binder clips like @Levenn uses. Thanks for all of your replies! @korryn92 we do have a stove, so I could do that sorta thing when its on I forgot about its magical drying abilities!

@Traysea I will do the loose layers because I want them to dry fast, and I don't mind the extra time involved! Plus, I want two Uhaul layers for maximum absorbtion.

I want to have the cage in my room- and yes, I know they might be noisy or annoying when I am trying to sleep, but I have already thought about these factors. I don't want it to smell, so how many layers would everyone suggest? Is one fleece, two Uhaul enough?

Thanks again to everyone who is taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it!

 

[rsgymjam]

Hey everyone! One last thing...

I want to have the cage in my room- and yes, I know they might be noisy or annoying when I am trying to sleep, but I have already thought about these factors. I don't want it to smell, so how many layers would everyone suggest? Is one fleece, two Uhaul enough?

Thanks!

 

[Traysea]

I don't know that adding any more layers than that will help with the smell. I think most people who do more than 2 layers of uhual (people who put towels or puppy pads under the uhual etc) do it for wetness, not for odor. I am not totally sure, but I think that it's just that after a certain amount of time you just need to clean your cage because there are several days of pee on there already. I think smell wise the best combination would be a kitchen or potty area with pine pellets or aspen shavings will help the most with the smell. Also how big your cage is and how many pigs are in it. If you don't want to do shavings or pellets then using a lot of potty pads in the messier areas and changing those every 1-2 days will make a big difference too. If I changed my loft everyday then I could go much longer between full cage cleanings since my pig uses the loft the most to make. Now that I have 3 pigs in the cage I am not sure how that will all play out. I just set it up yesterday so time will tell. I am hoping they all learn how to make in designated areas. I am probably going to have to set up a kitchen area though.

 

[rsgymjam]

@Traysea

Thank you so much! That really explains it!!! I will be typing up my bedding stuff today! I am making a chart on guinea pig care to help with my goal to adopt two pigs next year!

Thanks again to everyone who had replied!!!!!_