To spot clean a guinea pig cage, remove any soiled bedding and visible waste, then fill in any gaps with fresh bedding. Next, remove leftover fruits and vegetables from the previous day. Pay special attention to corners and your guinea pig’s favorite hiding spots.
Spot cleaning a guinea pig cage is a daily task that helps maintain the overall cleanliness of the cage. It aids in keeping your guinea pig healthy and happy. It will also keep any odors from the cage from affecting the rest of your house.
Regular spot cleaning will decrease the number of times per week you need to do a full cleaning, saving you a lot of time.
What You'll Learn
Why Do You Need To Spot Clean Your Guinea Pig’s Cage?
It is a critical part of maintaining your guinea pig’s health to keep a clean living environment. A dirty cage can lead to respiratory illnesses and urinary problems. These illnesses can even bring about a shorter lifespan for your guinea pig. Spot cleaning needs to be done daily to support a healthy, happy lifestyle.
Spot cleaning also helps prolong the cleanliness of your guinea pig’s cage. You will typically only have to complete a full cleaning once per week as long as you spot clean daily. If you do not spot clean, the cage will get very dirty and your guinea pigs’ health will suffer.
How to Spot Clean a Guinea Pig Cage
Spot cleaning does not require the breakdown of the entire living environment. You do not even need to remove the guinea pig from the cage.
Remove Litter and Soiled Bedding
You will start by removing litter and bedding that has become soiled by your guinea pig. It’s best to use a small scoop. You will need to focus on any hiding spots your guinea pig has, as well as the corners of the cage.
If there are any other spaces that your guinea pig enjoys relaxing in, those spaces will also need to be tended. Removing feces will also benefit you by decreasing the odors coming from the cage.
Remove Clumps of Hair
You will also need to look for any clumps of hair that need to be removed. Extra focus will need to be put on this during times of excess shedding.
Remove Leftover Food
Next, you will focus on cleaning up any excess food that has been spilled. You want to make sure you remove the remains of any fruits and vegetables from the day before. Any extra hay that has come out of the hay rack will also need to be cleaned up. Your guinea pig will enjoy having a clean eating space.
Shake Out Fleece Bedding
If you use fleece bedding, you will need to use a stiff brush and dustpan or a mini vacuum to remove any extra feces. If necessary, you can remove the bedding to shake it out in the backyard. This bedding does not get thrown out like traditional bedding and will take extra effort to maintain.
Wash and Restock Food Bowl/Water Bottle
You will then need to wash the food bowl and restock it. You want to keep your guinea pig’s food source clean and safe. Remove the water bottle, rinse it out, and refill it. Restock the hay rack so it is full to overflowing, ensuring your guinea pig has access to hay for the entire day.
How Do You Do a Full Cleaning of Your Guinea Pig’s Cage?
You should fully clean the guinea pig cage once per week. In some cases, you may have to do it twice per week, depending on how messy your furry friend is.
Remove The Guinea Pig
For this type of cleaning, remove your guinea pig from the cage and break down the entire enclosure.
Remove/Wash The Accessories
Once you remove your guinea pig from the enclosure, you will remove the accessories. These include furniture, food bowls, water bottles, etc. All accessories will need to be washed. If you have a helper, it is also beneficial to give your guinea pig some roaming time outside of the cage.
Was The Empty Cage
All bedding will need to be dumped in the trash, emptying the enclosure. You will then wash the empty cage with hot, soapy water. A stiff-bristled brush works best for getting off caked-on debris. Once the cage is clean, let it air dry until all the moisture has evaporated.
Add Bedding and Accessories
Once the cage is dry, add bedding and replace the accessories. Refill the food, water, and hay. Put your guinea pig back in the cage.
If you use fleece bedding, you will not throw it away when you remove it from the cage. You will need to remove any feces from the bedding, so you may want to shake the bedding out outside. Then you will need to machine wash the bedding.
Make sure you use unscented, gentle detergent so you do not introduce any irritants into your guinea pig’s environment. Avoid using fabric softener as it will decrease the bedding’s ability to absorb urine.
Spot Cleaning is Vital
Spot cleaning is a daily part of caring for your guinea pig. It is essential to maintaining their health, preventing respiratory and urinary problems. If you do not spot clean, your guinea pig’s cage will quickly deteriorate, requiring multiple full cleanings each week.
Spot cleaning only takes a few minutes and benefits both you and your guinea pig. It removes the soiled bedding, feces, and food waste from the cage. It also removes any offensive odors that may affect the rest of your house.
Full cleanings are more time-consuming. They require the breakdown of the entire cage and the removal of the guinea pig. You will have a completely sterile cage after this type of cleaning is done, but again, you will need to do this less often if you perform spot cleanings daily.
