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Australia Aussie u-haul alternatives? Anyone had any successes?

MissPiggyAus

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Ok so after my 1st week using the moving blankets as my absorbent layer, I have to say I'm pleased with the results. I'm still unsure whether ill continue to use them or go back to towels. Mainly because the towels make less of a mess in my washing machine. They seem to work just as we'll, if not better than towels :)
 

AussiePiggies

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Thank you so much for your review [MENTION=26958]MissPiggyAus[/MENTION]!!! Are they very thick/hard to dry? Perhaps we can attempt liners sewn out of them with fleece both sides so we can wash them and contain them at the same time? I am def interested in your "if not better" statement ;)
 

MissPiggyAus

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Not at all! They dry nearly as quick as the fleece, which is very surprising. Liners of course!!! What a great idea! Wish I had a sewing machine!!
 

grace&piggies

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I totally cheated and just paid to have liners made in the US and mailed out. Yes they were $80 each, half of which was postage. But they have performed brilliantly! I only recently bought a second. The first I've had for about a year. It is two layers of uhaul blanket with fleece on top. I was sceptical at first, but it has saved me so much time and money as compared to disposable bedding. My pigs stay cleaner too.
 

MissPiggyAus

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I totally cheated and just paid to have liners made in the US and mailed out. Yes they were $80 each, half of which was postage. But they have performed brilliantly! I only recently bought a second. The first I've had for about a year. It is two layers of uhaul blanket with fleece on top. I was sceptical at first, but it has saved me so much time and money as compared to disposable bedding. My pigs stay cleaner too.

where did u order your liners from? my lack of sewing skills is getting the better of me lol
 

grace&piggies

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Cassandra of Cassandra's cuddle-wee things. She has been super. When I went to reorder she had my cages measurements from the last time I had one done and whipped it together real quick. I think it took about a month from ordering which in my opinion, the opinion of a complete non-crafty person, is real quick!

Photo on 20-04-13 at 8.13 PM.jpg

This is the new one. It's made sort of like an inverted fitted sheet because I have a crazy adhd pig who would end up under it/trapping the other pig under it haha!
 

grace&piggies

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The liner I used for an entire year on it's own is still in really good shape. A little bit shrunk from the wash, but nothing too harsh.
For care I just sweep it out as necessary. Once a week I give it a proper clean which involves a quick sweep with the old dust pan and brush, a vacuum to remove some of the hair. I then spray vinegar/water solution on any dirty spots before washing it in the machine as you would with any other cotton/synthetic item. Works a charm and doesn't take to much time or effort!
 

AussiePiggies

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What were you using before you ordered your liner [MENTION=15002]grace&piggies[/MENTION]? Obviously you are happy with your liner as you have purchased another! Is easy to dry after washing? I am very tempted to do what you have done to get my hands on u-haul... it sounds to be cheaper than buying the blankets and having them posted!
Your new liner looks very nice, love owls. You made me LOL with your ADHD pig!
 

mari11

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I have an old summer quilt sewn between two pieces of fleece - it soaks pee well and is easy to wash and brush the hair off - but the basic target/ikea kind of mattress protector would be similar. Not the plastic ones, just the flat ones with elastic straps.

And on the subject of Ikea, anyone tried their fleece blankets? Not sure about the width but they look to be cheaper than Spotlight at $5 for 130cm.
 

grace&piggies

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What were you using before you ordered your liner @grace&piggies ? Obviously you are happy with your liner as you have purchased another! Is easy to dry after washing? I am very tempted to do what you have done to get my hands on u-haul... it sounds to be cheaper than buying the blankets and having them posted!
Your new liner looks very nice, love owls. You made me LOL with your ADHD pig!

I was using a mix of Carefresh and Small Animal Bedding (the newspaper cat litter type stuff). It was costing a fair bit but I didn't mind that because odor control was awesome. The big problem was that I was accumulating far more compost material than I could properly dispose of. My compost bins were constantly overflowing. That is why I gave the whole fleece thing a go and really it's been great.

Uhaul dries just as quickly as polar fleece does. Often I just throw it in the dryer because I'm lazy but line drying works just as well. You do need to clean it off before washing it, and then wash it quite well (long wash, with soaking, a zillion rinse cycles), but it has been far easier. It takes way less time, my pigs are a lot cleaner, and odor control is on par with what I was doing before. The cost of one liner is equal to what I was spending in three to four weeks of disposable bedding.

Winifred is crazy. She's a shock to anyone at first, but it definitely grows on you!
 

AussiePiggies

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Thank you for the info [MENTION=15002]grace&piggies[/MENTION], sounds like a great way to get our hands on a great product! I love the idea of not having to fight with towels and fleece to make them sit just right, and sounds nice and easy to care for :cheerful:

Winifred sounds brilliant! I like a little crazy :p Such a serene name for a firecracker!
 

Rizzy

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Hey everyone. Just a question to those who use Bunnings movers blankets. Are these supposed to be washed before use? The reason I ask is because I bought a blanket yesterday and it doesnt seem to absorb very well. The water sits on top, similar to fleece that has not wicked yet.

Any advice would be great. Thanks.
 

oldnewie

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Maybe it takes a little while for the new blanket to absorb. Mine are working well. I have washed one lot in warm water & plain washing powder; they lost their shape & shrunk a bit, also lost a lot of lint & came out thinner in places. But they dried quickly & are a lot softer, may even absorb better/quicker. If you want to cut & fit your blanket, it would be a good idea to wash first. I'm thinking 2 layers of blankets once washed may be a good idea also because of the thinning. What do others think?
 

AussiePiggies

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I have just washed my first Bunnings blanket up and it got a whopper of a hole in it so I decided to trail it in pads for the cage first to see how it goes before making liners. Made the pads on Thursday for a shelf the boys sleep on and so far I am impressed. 2.5 days, normally the fleece wrapped towel is soaked but the new 2 layer blanket covered in fleece seems to be working well, feels dry and seems to be both absorbing and drying well. Early days but I will be doing kitchen inserts next to see how they go too, but I am very optimistic at this stage.

I would definitely go 2 layers as [MENTION=26111]oldnewie[/MENTION] has said for the same reason, although the blankets are thick you do get thinner patches after washing.
I think fully enclosed in fleece as liners will be the only real option for them as the blankets will disintegrate fully in just a few washes I would say. They are sewable in the double layer, but I did bend my needle and have to go buy new ones to continue my trials :p sewing this lovely soft fleece has cost me more needles than in my years of sewing!
 

IllryiaRTBW

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I couldn't even FIND grids...apparently they're not even imported here any more. It's stupid the amount of things that we lack in Australia, I first made this discovery when looking for cruelty free make-up and cosmetics. Its really annoying how almost nothing is available here, stupid giant island (shakes fist). I think I might check out Bunnings and see if I can find the moving pads because the towels do really smell after a couple of days and one of my girls seems to pee a lot (on me in particular). It also sounds like you get plenty for your money which is pretty important when you're like me and saving for next years uni books with no job lol.
Thanks everyone for the reviews and ideas :D
 
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AussiePiggies

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Hey [MENTION=28706]IllryiaRTBW[/MENTION]! You can still get grids at a good price where I got mine from, $10 postage from Brissie ( (broken link removed) )
And the Bunnings removal blankets are fantastic for odor control, they just fall to bits in the washing machine :p If you have access to a sewing machine it helps to sew them between fleece. I have my kitchen loft and second kitchen done in them and they can go well over a week before getting pongy... and my boys wizz everywhere! Haven't done the main floor area yet as it will be such a huge area to jam in to the washing machine, still towels and fleece there for me, but I am planning to make sections for there :)
 

IllryiaRTBW

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Thanks heaps for the link [MENTION=26850]AussiePiggies[/MENTION] I'm still paying off a vet bill my girl had a genetic tooth condition that gave her an abscess so she needed an x-ray, a dental and while she was out for that my vet also drained her abscess. Thank god she's fine and all went well shouldn't happen to any of her other teeth according to the x-ray but it was still $600+, my vet does payment plans for Health Care Card holders though so I'm extra lucky.
Ah good thing they do minimise oder it will make my dad happier, I don't smell it until I have to clean the cage. I've got an extra accout where I put money for piggie supplies, we can for now just wash towels...I also use puppy pads under the towels in the hope that it will help prevent any urine getting on the coroflute (seems to work).
 

AussiePiggies

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Ouch! Glad your Miss Piggie is ok now tho :D
 

IllryiaRTBW

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As am I :) She was so much more her normal self when I picked her up the day after the surgery, she was a trooper though they never once had to hand feed her because she ate and drank on her own well :) In a month I should be able to grab one of those mover blanket things and I'll let everyone know how it goes.
 
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