How To Quickly Clean A Bird Cage Effectively

Source: DHgate, Tag: Pets

Learn the best practices for cleaning a bird cage to keep your pet healthy and always have the surrounding in excellent condition.

• A bird is such a lovely pet to own. Birds deserve a clean environment because these keep away many kinds of diseases and make the bird feel comfortable. Keeping the birdcage clean is one of the best ways to show love to your feathered pet.
  You need to clean it regularly and change the accessories to freshen things up often. Here is all you need to know about cleaning your bird’s cage without too much hassle. Although the process can be demanding initially, it gets easier with time. Also, regular cleaning reduces the amount of work that you will do subsequently.

• • What You Need To Clean The Bird Cage
    You need to have all the essential material that you will use in the cleaning process before you get down to it.
    Water: First of all, you need to ensure that you have enough water to thoroughly clean the entire cage. Running water is good for cleaning because it washes away dirt and infectious agents more effectively. However, if you don’t have access to running water, you can make do it with the water in a container. The amount of water you need will depend on the cage size as well as the kind of cleaning you intend to do.
    Liners: the liners in the birdcage should be replaced daily. Some people initially lay down several liners so that replacement only involves removing the top piece that has been soiled.
    Clean Dishes: Cleaning a bad cage also involves replacing the food dishes. Ensure that the dishes are thoroughly washed using soap and then well rinsed. They can be cleaned in a dishwasher if they are made of dishwasher-safe material.
    Cleaning Cloths and Cage Wipes: Cage wipes are needed when you are doing monthly or weekly cleaning to effectively get rid of dirt.
    Sandpaper and Scrubbing Brush: You need to do some scrubbing to get rid of sticky matter in the cage. You can improvise an old toothbrush if you don’t have a scrubber.
    Disinfectant: you should also have a pet-friendly disinfectant in hand to get rid of potential disease-causing organisms.

• Empty The Bird Cage
  When you are doing your daily cleaning routine, you don’t need to do much. Changing the liner, providing clean water and dishes and some wiping is enough. However, for weekly and monthly cleaning, you need to reach every part of the cage and remove the dirt. For this reason, you need to remove the bird from the cage. You can put it in an alternative cage or let it roam around.
  Besides giving you unlimited access, vacating the cage also protects the bird from fumes that may come from your disinfectant. The bird is also kept away from the dust that will arise during cleaning. Having it in an alternative space averts the anxiety that you might cause if you clean while it is still inside.
  At this point, remove the perches and toys to get enough room to manoeuvre when washing and scrubbing.
  Preparing the Cleaning Solution for a Bird Cage
  The cleaning solution is crucial in cleaning the birdcage. There are many disinfectants available on the market. However, you need to be careful when choosing disinfectants. For cleaning your avian friend’s cage, you need a bird-friendly solution.
  Bleach is commonly used as a disinfectant and it works well when prepared appropriately. Ensure to dilute according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Read keenly to find out the strength of bleach you need to make and how to dilute.
  It is also possible to make a DIY cleaning solution that is safe for use in the birdcage. You can prepare one by adding 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 3 cups of water. Another disinfectant solution can be made by mixing water and vinegar in the ratio of 2:1.
  Use a clean spray bottle and always remember to wash it when you are done cleaning. Using a spray bottle that contained a different kind of disinfectant previously can lead to contamination.
  With these solutions, you are all set to start cleaning your pet’s home.
  Wash the Bird Cage With Hot Water

• You can spray hot water to the cage, making sure you get as much power as you can on the spray to remove any stubborn dirt on the surfaces. Alternatively, you can take the cage to your bathroom and turn on the shower to the highest temperature that you can work with. Some people prefer immersing the cage in a huge container of hot water.

• Scrubbing
  Now you need to apply the cleaning solution you prepared and then start scrubbing on the surfaces. It is important to scrub every corner of the cage. If your scrubbing brush is too big to reach the tight areas, use an old toothbrush. Scrubbing gets rid of the sticky wastes that could not be removed with the initial water wash. If you find it difficult to remove some debris, you can let the cleaning solution sit for some minutes before scrubbing.
  Rinse
  After scrubbing, run plenty of water to remove all the dirt and disinfectant solution. You can use warm or cold water. If you have a large container of clean water, you can immerse the cage in it to wash away soap and disinfectant.
  Clean The Bird Cage Accessories
  It is now time to clean the birdcage accessories. The perches, blocks, and toys that we removed from the cage should be thoroughly cleaned. The first thing is to remove any visible dirt. Use sandpaper to remove the stubborn gunk from the accessories of the cage. Wash with hot water first, just like we did for the cage, and then scrub with disinfectant solution.
  Remember to clean the dishes thoroughly using bird-friendly detergent. For ceramics, you can always use the dishwasher.

• Disinfecting the Cage and Accessories
  After washing, scrubbing, and rinsing, it is good practice to spray disinfectant solution to the cage and the accessories. This ensures that any harmful organisms are effectively dealt with. Remove the traces of disinfectant using warm water so that the bird is not exposed to any harmful substances.
  Drying
  Dry the clean birdcage and all the accessories before bringing back the bird inside. You can hasten the process of drying by first wiping using a clean, dry towel. Allow the cage and accessories enough time to dry completely.
  Sweep Up The Surroundings
  You need to keep the surrounding areas clean. How you clean will depend on whether the area is made of vinyl, tiles, or a soft mat. Sweep up the debris, use a vacuum to remove the dust, and wash the floor. If you have a cage apron, this would be the time to clean it and sanitize the other areas around the cage.
  Once everything is done, you can put in clean liners and dishes and replace the dry toys and perches. Bring back the bird to its clean home and wait for the next cleaning day.