Fleece Want to switch to fleece, but it's so expensive!

[Maplepig]

Hi! I am currently using aspen as bedding, but it is SO messy. It gets everywhere, and cleaning it is messy, disgusting, and hard. I want to switch to fleece because I think that it would be easier to clean and better for Maple and Steve, but it would cost so much to buy fleece for my 2x6 C&C cage.
I tried buying two fleece throws, (That was when my cage was a 2x4) but after like twelve prep washes, one was just barely starting to wick, and the other didn't wick at all. The second one also started to make tiny blue fleece balls that got EVERYWHERE!!!
So what I'm asking is:
1) Is there less expensive way to buy fleece?
2) If I use a fleece throw, how will I know which one to buy that wont get fleece balls everywhere?
3) How do I make them wick liquids?
And one more thing:
What should I use as an absorbent liner under the fleece? Would old towels work? How often would I have to change the towels? I've heard of people using wood chips under their fleece: would my aspen shavings work for that?
Thank you in advance,
Maplepig

 

[bpatters]

After the initial investment, it's way cheaper than any other bedding except wood pellets.

There's a whole forum on fleece on here.

 

[new2piggs]

I have a 4x5 with a 2x2 loft and I stocked up on the fleece throws,from,Wal-Mart that have been on sale for $2.50 each. They aren't very cute or decorative but that doesn't bother me.

Each throw is 50in by 60in. I use 3 on the bottom level (with some overlapping) and use one on the top level (2x2 loft). I do have a kitchen area on the bottom that is 2x2 as well and that area has carefresh because I strongly dislike getting hay off fleece.

The Wal-Mart throws took three pre washes and if you flip them over and use the "faded" side they wick and dry immediately.

I also use old towels for the absorbent layer and wash everything every 3 to 4 days.

 

[cdmcwilliams]

I do the same as new2piggs, Walmart throws for $2.50. Your cage sounds like you may be able to use a mattress pad like I do. Or if you are able to, get the uhaul pads. $7.98 when picked up at a Uhaul store and can be cut to fit? That's what I heard. I have a 3.5x6.5 cage. I buy quilted waterproof mattress pads, cut off the part that goes around the corners of the mattress (if that makes sense) and just use the topper. It fits pretty well, covered in fleece and the piggies' feets are like walking on clouds.

 

[bpatters]

Just wash everything in hot water several times before cutting it. All that stuff shrinks, and if you cut first and wash later, your bedding won't fit.

 

[Oregon Rain]

I have found fleece to be so much more cost effective than bedding! I use Joann Fabrics fleece, they have several brands that are anti-pill. I got most of mine from the remnant bin and it was very inexpensive, then I sew the pieces together to get the size I need. Or, use their coupons, they have them every month and it makes fleece very cost effective! I prefer them to fleece throws, last longer, don't pill as much, thicker. This is a great time of year to get fleece, it's on sale for Christmas and there will be lots of remnants if you don't mind piecing them together.

To wick them, wash with detergent and bleach, then dry. Usually once is enough, occasionally up to 3 times. Some people even put in a dash of Dawn dish soap. This method has never failed me. (I also usually do an extra rinse, especially if I used the Dawn) I did have two fleece blakets I bought used at a Thrift store that never wicked, I have no idea why, but the fleece was very different than what I buy at the fabric store. There might be something else in it, or even a fire retardent that would never wash off. I just don't know. Other blankets did wick, so there really was no telling what/where/ or why. But the fleece from the fabric store has always wicked after washing as above.

I did fleece with towels underneath when I first started. I got the towels at my local thrift store. I am now in the process of making liners, fleece on the outside, UHaul blanket in the middle, but my first method of just tucking fleece over layers of towels was effective too. If you have lots of aspen shavings left, you can use them until they're gone and then switch to a reusable layer like towels. It has saved me so much money! And my pigs love it too!

 

[Maplepig]

Thank you all for your helpful advice!
What is the best detergent to use?
Also, I noticed that the word "wood chips" (I meant wood pellets) on my original post was a link, so I clicked on it. It brought me to this Walmart page that I had never seen before. I don't know why that happened, but I want anyone who clicked on that link to know that when I said that some people use "wood chips" under their fleece, I wasn't talking about some "wood flavored chips" from Walmart, I was talking about the wood pellets that some people use under their fleece.

 

[Maplepig]

I buy quilted waterproof mattress pads, cut off the part that goes around the corners of the mattress (if that makes sense) and just use the topper. It fits pretty well, covered in fleece and the piggies' feets are like walking on clouds.

Are mattress pads really absorbent enough? All the mattress pads that I've seen are really thin.

 

[Oregon Rain]

I use All Free and Clear. My family has sensitive skin and we don't like detergent with perfumes, I figure our piggies are probably the same way!

I have seen other people using mattress protectors too and I always wondered the same thing you are wondering, "How can they absorb anything"? The inexpensive ones are just some polyester fluff that doesn't absorb well and the ones that are nice and thick and might have cotton are really expensive. But...maybe they're using something I'm not picturing correctly.

 

[new2piggs]

We also use all free and clear unless there are especially stained or,stinky fleece/towels then I use regular all and bleach with a double rinse.

 

[lisa325]

Free and Clear user here also. You really can't go wrong with the Uhaul as your absorbent layer. It's less than $8 a blanket and it's huge.

 

[CavyTV]

Got a 3 yards of patterned fleece at Joann's for 19 dollars and some change. I have a 2X6 as well; the fleece was big enough for 1 liner AND extra for homemade cozies I also get coupons on my phone from their store, which is what I used on my first purchase of fleece: printed, 4 yards. That one was around 15 bucks (with the coupon, $21 at regular price) which was great! I believe their width is 59 in. or something like that. Good luck!

 

[Oregon Rain]

Aha!!! Thank you, that makes so much more sense! Thank you for clarifying! I will add those products to my list of materials to look into when I need to make new liners. I'm not sure, but I would guess they might last longer than U-Haul blankets, although I have no complaints about those yet, but my liners are brand spanking new.

 

[cdmcwilliams]

The mattress pads I have are quilted. They are not thin at all. I also have the very thin ones. Those are not the ones you want. This is probably as thick as a quilt. Seems to be two layers of material with batting (something) in between. I have been using them for several weeks, no problems.

 

[HoodedPotato]

Hi! I, too am looking to switch to fleece. I'm no expert on fleece, but from what I've seen, you get your money's worth back very quickly. Hope that helped!

 

[2cocos]

I must be very lucky because all I have had to do was wash my fleece once and it wicked fine. Maybe it's the detergent I use? I am old school/crunchy and use the unscented powered stuff, washed on as hot as possible.

I'm in Canada. We have Fabricland which is like Jo-Ann. All of the winter fleece has been on sale since December and I got a beautiful, thick anti-pill with a cute animal print for $15 for 100" x 60". We have a 5x2, so this allows me to fold it in half for the width, and fold over the ends partway for the length, so that we have 4 layers thick in the corners where they pee a lot. Almost nothing gets through the fleece now!

Under the fleece, I initially used two washable incontinence pads from Walmart, placed end-to-end, which were good and did not leak but they shrunk a bit and I had a small 1/2 inch gap in the center of the cage (they go in the corners, so not really a big deal). I ordered three of these, which fit the full length of our cage with a bit to spare, and I am very happy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JY80XJM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 I've never had anything go through them, and they seem like they will last a long time. Highly recommend! Oxyclean powder right in the drum of the washing machine is great for helping to minimize the stains and smell over time.

 

[Cleophauna]

I made a couple of spreads using mattress pads and then I got brave and bought zorb from wazoodle.com To be honest, for the money, the mattress pads perform just as well if not better. They are lighter, dry faster and overall easier to handle. They are also fluffier and both of my piggies popcorn all over them after having the zorb spread in thier cage for a week. Zorb is a filler/fabric use in making diapers. Also, I believe that is what they use in the original piggy bedspreads that are sold on Guinea Pig Cages.

I really would recommend using a water proof mattress pad and just sew the fleece on top. The backing is waterproof to that's all there is to it. Also I got some great fleece from Walmart for $3/yd. so for less than $25 I was able to make my first bedspread over a year ago and it's still going strong. That's a lot of care-fresh you don't have to buy. If you watch coupons and if your Walmart sells fabric you should be able to make your own liners of spreads for $25-$30 a piece or even less depending on the cost of the mattress pad.

I have two sows who do most of their business in loft kitchen, so that pad gets changed out more often than the main cage. BTW I spot clean daily and change the spread once a week or so. One time I was sick and the spread was there for almost 2 weeks with no ill effects. The loft kitchen, which is easier to change out I usually get about 3 or 4 days out of it. Depending on how messy the little beasties are. LOL