How to Clean Pet Cages
How to Clean Pet Cages
Cleaning your pet's cage is important for the health and comfort of the pet and it also will minimize the chance of you or other family members becoming infected by contact with pet waste or pest infestation. Cleaning your pet's cage may mean cleaning a large outdoor kennel housing several dogs or a small wire cage with one parakeet in residence. Regardless, there is a definite procedure to follow that requires some thought, effort and materials.
Instructions
Preparing to Clean the Cage
1 Wash your hands before cleaning the pet cage. Remove any jewelry and scrub the fronts and backs of your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap for a minimum of 20 seconds, the time required to sing the Happy Birthday song two times. Diseases can be passed from owner to pet as easily as from pet to owner.
2 Wear disposable gloves when cleaning pet cages. When wearing gloves and while cleaning the cage, do not touch anything that will be touched by someone who is not wearing gloves. Dirty gloves will contaminate clean surfaces. Dispose of dirty gloves by pulling them off from the wrist down, which turns them inside out, then discard them in an outside garbage can.
3 Use a surgical or dust mask when cleaning cages, especially bird cages. The movement of pets disturbs litter in the cage and can put feathers or infected dust into the air, which should not be breathed in.
4 Clean the cage as frequently as required based on the number of days it normally takes for the cage to become mildly soiled, generally at least once per week.
5 Move the pet to a smaller cage or holding area while the primary cage is being cleaned.
Cleaning the Cage
6 Remove the cage liner, bedding, debris and feces from the cage directly into a garbage bag while wearing gloves and dust mask. Remove the water dish, food dish and all toys or removable parts of the cage for cleaning in an isolated area that can be sanitized after the pet cage parts are cleaned.
7 Use a medium stiff scrub brush to clean the cage and all removable parts with heavy-duty household detergent and hot water. This process is better accomplished outside if at all possible.
8 Disinfect the cage with a common household chemical, such as a solution of chlorine bleach and water, according to the directions on the label regarding concentration and contact time. Use a spray bottle to apply the disinfectant and make certain it is air-dried before returning the pet to the cage.
9 Spot-clean the cage during the week as necessary by removing all removable parts to clean and disinfect them. Change out the cage liner and bedding if necessary. Wipe the cage thoroughly with a disposable towel dipped into the disinfectant solution of chlorine bleach and water. Return the removable parts to the cage.
10 Remove the soiled gloves by turning them inside out and discarding them. Wash the fronts and backs of your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds. Use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60 percent alcohol.
