Cleaning Getting things in order for the arrival

[Chicone]

My son is getting 2 baby guinea pigs in a couple weeks. We are getting everything together so we are ready to go when they get here.

We have a 2x3.5 C&C cage, making the fleece liners, tubes, water bottles, food dish, pellets, etc. My question pertains to cleaning the coloplast. We have a bottle of the cage cleaning spray from the hamster cage. Can I use that? I see on different websites that vinegar and water works well. Once I mix that, how long will it keep? Could I also use the Clorox Anywhere spray?

Just want to make sure we are doing the right thing.

Thanks in advance for the ideas and answers.
Chicone

 

[chas25]

I would not use the Clorox Anywhere and not too sure about the hamster cleaning spray. I personally use vinegar and water and just keep using it til I'm out which is usually a couple weeks and haven't had problems with smell. Of course I have 4 girls and not boys so it may be different for you.

 

[POOFA777]

Vinegar and water work magic for me my cage had stains for about 6 months, no matter how hard I tried to wash them off (even using soap) they wouldn't come off then I left the cage
soaking in water and white vinegar for let's say 5-10 minutes, ALL of the stains came off like I said it's amazing, honestly I can't think of anything better than water and vinegar. If you decide
to clean your cage NEVER use any kinds of cleaning sprays you never know what ingredients or substances they have in them that can harm, hurt or even (and very likely) kill your guinea pig(s).

P.S. Do yourself, your son, and the guinea pig's a favor and throw away that cleaning spray and buy a bottle of vinegar

P.P.S Just to make sure that the stench goes away after you soaked your coroplast in water and vinegar, wash the coroplast with soap so that it doesn't smell like vinegar

 

[gertieshmertz]

I'm not sure about the cleaning stuff, but if I read your other thread right, your boys will be like 3 weeks old, right? You should make sure that the cage is baby proofed so they can't get stuck. When I got my first 2 girls, they were 3 weeks old, and if I had had a c&c when I first got them, their head would have gotten stuck in the grinds. I don't know how big your boys will be, but I'd say maybe make the coroplast a bit higher, or double up on the grids. Again this is just my opinion, and would have pertained to me Don't forget pigtures when you get them

 

[Chicone]

Thank you everyone for the answers! We threw out the cage spray and are mixing the vinegar and water to clean it. Used it for the first time last night.. it got the job done.

Thank you again!

 

[ajweekley]

I use vinegar and water to clean everything in my house, including my pet stuff.

If you get something that gets really cruddy somehow (which it shouldn't if you're cleaning regularly), you can also mix half Dawn and half white vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake to mix well, and spray it on there. You'll have to rinse it well to get the Dawn residue off, but it takes off everything. That's what I use for my hard-core kitchen cleaner, and for my hedgehog's poopy wheel. Works like a dream.

 

[HannibalLecter]

A 50/50 vinegar & water mix really is the best & safest way to clean your cage & house. That said, I can't stand the smell of plain vinegar. URGH! I end up gagging & dreading cleaning day. If you have a sensitive nose then you can add essential oils to the mix to make it more pleasant, I use sweet orange essential oil in my mix.