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Fleece how do you wash your fleece

CavyTV

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For all of you that use a washing machine to wash piggie laundry, does all of that pesky hair get stuck in the washer? My parents won't let me use it because they think the hair, feces, and hay will damage the washer or get on their clothes (I told them I shake out all of the poop out and as much of the hair and hay that I can but they still believe it will effect the washer negatively). Washing 2x8 liners and countless cozies in the bathtub by hand is NOT easy, so I am curious to know how you wash fleece or if you have ever been in the same situation. Thank you in advance.
 

bpatters

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You can buy king-sized pillow cases at a thrift shop and use hair scrunchies to close them up. Wash the bedding in the pillowcases. Problem solved.
 

CavyTV

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Thank you for your advice. However, I can't imagine finding a big enough pillow case that will allow the liners to wash fully. Is this how you wash your fleece? Also, wouldn't the hair just go through the fabric while in the wash? I'm not trying to say your idea is bad, it's just hard to imagine it working.
 

CupcakeCavy

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I have never tried these myself, but sugar and spice piggies on youtube got a pet wear wash bag that is designed to keep all the bits from getting into the washing machine. Here's the link to the video-https://youtu.be/gmOAak-mvIY
 

stray hares

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I have a horsewear washbag, and completely agree with Kelsie: they are well worth their weight in gold (or piggy hair!). I used to constantly have to unclog our washing machine with 20 or so piggies all living on fleece or fleece liners, but now, it's super easy to keep all the leftover fur contained in a zip-up bag.
 

bpatters

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I do wash fleece in pillow cases, and no, the hair doesn't come through.

If you don't think the pillow cases are large enough, buy some sheets at the thrift store and make your own bags.
 

Cleophauna

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I do wash fleece in pillow cases, and no, the hair doesn't come through.

If you don't think the pillow cases are large enough, buy some sheets at the thrift store and make your own bags.

How difficult is it to get the hay and hair off the pillowcase? I was just looking at the bags they're talking about and they look like they may be make of a vinyl like fabric. I can see the hair and hay sticking to the cotton of the cases. I'm seriously looking into either buying or making from sheets. Just wondering about the fabric.
 

bpatters

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I don't try to get it off. All I use those cases for is to wash pig bedding. I just shake them out when they come out of the dryer, and if any is left stuck to the case, it just stays there.
 

Tam Piggy love

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I use fleece strictly, and wash it weekly. You do have to be careful with the hay that clings to it. That can damage your washer. I take it outside and brush it off really good, using the brush from my brush and dust pan set, and shake any poo out that didn't get picked up when I vacuumed it using my Bissel pet hair remover hand held sweeper. I don't really find a lot of hair/fur from my pigs. But I don't have long haired pigs either, that could possibly be different? I just brush it off really good and shake it outside. Then put it in the washing machine, using Woolite, and a little white vinegar. Then put it in the dryer. You will have to clean the lint trap in your dryer right after! Fleece does build up on it, and possibly any hay you missed. But with 3 pigs, and regular washings I haven't found any damage to my washer or dryer. Just make sure you clean it off well before putting it in!
 

lisa325

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Ditto spy9doc, I used to add the vinegar in with the detergent at the beginning of the cycle, and also noticed that it kills the suds. Now I add it when it gets to the rinse cycle.
 

bungar

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For what it's worth, I cloth diapered my kids so my washer has seen much worse than guinea pig hair. LOL

Seriously though, I'm still new to this but today I scooped off all the poops and easy to get hay pieces and the took the fleece outside and shook it like mad - all the rest of the hay came off. Then washed it all with no problems. I do have a standard non-fancy top loader which I think is much less fussy to deal with than the newer and greater front-loading machines but it seems to handle the guinea pig bedding just fine. Time will tell but I feel like if I can manage cleaning cloth diapers, I can manage guinea pig bedding and so can you! =)
 

ginipigsinspace

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I have home-made liners with the u-haul blanket sewn in, and I just wash them in the machine. I do try to shake/brush off as much hair/hay/poop as possible, but there is still usually some on them. I add in vinegar and detergent, then let it fill up with hot water, and then turn off the washer for a bit to let them soak. Sometimes I will do a second cycle if I feel like they need it (the liners are two-sided, so there is usually about 1-2 weeks of urine in the u-haul by the time I wash them). Although neither my husband or I am too weirded out about washing our clothes in the washer after the pig laundry, I did buy packets of washing machine cleaner and usually do a cleaning cycle between pig and human laundry--just to be safe. However, I am now curious about the pet/horse bedding bags people are mentioning.
 

bpatters

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They'll get cleaner if you wait to put the vinegar in during the rinse cycle.
 

miss.lyonice

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I wash my piggies fleece by hand with a mixture liquid soap and vinegar. then I let it dry out doors. I used to put it in the dryer...but the hairs would get stuck in the thingy that captures the lint and it would be a mess. So I just wash mine by hand in my bathroom sink (you could use a large bucket though) and let it dry outside on my clothes line
 

equinox96

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I have a silky and a peruvian so hair is something I have learned to deal with and lots of it. I did try the laundry bags but they always opened during wash so thanks [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] for the scrunchy tip, I will try it.


What works WONDERS for me is the squeegee! Follow this link and you'll understand and even see a video


https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/91547-Removing-Hair-from-Fleece


It works on any size fleece, plain fleece, liners, cushions, cozys... and i really really works. Just remember to use short strokes.
 
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