Cleaning the cages.

[fuzzy9]

Can anyone share ways to get rid of excess dust, and hair that builds up on the cages? My stackers are to hard to just move outside the rabbitry to clean. If I use a steel brush, the built up dust just flies all over. I'm curious if anyone with stationary cages has any great tips, or if there's a small vacuum that's more quiet than others?

 

[Justin]

Years ago I made the mistake of putting chlorine bleach in some water and scrubbing the wire cages. The cages rusted out that year.

I just use a garden hose with a spray attachment and a shop broom underneath when it needs it.

I bet you could use a mild detergent though.

I hope this helps in some way, unfortunately I don't have an easy fix for you. The wet broom has been my quickest fix. When the broom fills up with hair, I either clean it or pitch it.

 

[SMR]

Its a bit time consuming but I buy the cheap really flexible black bristle hair brushes at the dollar store and use them to clean in between total washes. They're like a dollar or two for a pack of them here. I wet them down a bit before brushing the cages to catch as much of the dust, dried skin flakes, and hair as possible. They get off the muck and hair that sticks to them and are easily cleaned/sanitized or just tossed with out a lot of cost. I always use bleach on the cages and carriers, I don't want any illness or parasites coming in and ain't taking any chances, but it MUST be rinsed off completely or whatever it is on will not last. It doesn't clean, it just disinfects so it has to be used on clean cages/carriers/etc any way to be effective. If you try to use it on dirty things, its not going to do its purpose.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I like using peroxide as a disinfectant. My cages haven't had to be cleaned yet- I have a wire bristle brush to remove the occasional stuck bunny berries, but that is so seldom it almost isn't worth mentioning.

If the cages get all furry with this upcoming molt I am planning on using a propane torch to burn the fur off.

As for the dust, I would use a damp towel. If it has built up for a while you may have to scrub the cages the first time, but I would think if you gave them a quick swipe weekly it would solve the problem.

 

[akane]

I don't have much issue with dust and hair. It's that stupid urine that's the problem. I'm going to make spray guards to go on my bucks themselves so when they run around they can't spray every inch of their cage, the neighbor's cage, the neighbor, and every wall within 8' (even the netherlands make 5'). Very damp days suck because when you go to open a cage door all the moisture settling on the metal makes the urine back in to liquid and you come out with reddish yellow streaks down your hands where the wire laid. I try to wipe them off on those days when they are already wet but you could wipe daily and the bucks would just spray daily. Everything in the horse stalls whether it's colony or cages is white, yellow, or occasionally red from rabbit urine.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I was cleaning some scrap dropping boards the other day, and found that lime-away breaks down that crusty urine residue.

 

[Rustina]

For cleaning the wire cages at the fair grounds every year i used a wire bristle brush and a small propane torch. Ofcourse be sure rabbits are not in the cages and remove all water bottles and cage furniture. Then burn off hair and dust use wire bush after words to brush off the wire. replace cage furniture and rabbits. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS WITH RABBITS IN SIDE OF THE CAGE !!!!!!!!!

Works realy well and can be done to wooden cages as well, just use common sense and care with the fire....<br /><br />__________ Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:20 pm __________<br /><br />Also if your bunnies have a favorite poo corner that gets messy, one of those horse hoof picks with the brush on the end is great for pokeing the poo out and then brushing over the area...

 

[currituckbun]

In between major cleaning, I have used a weak solution of **** and Span sprayed on one of those super absorbent cleaning cloths from the dollar store. For the big job of a complete clean I sprayed them down with the hose and got the blow torch out. Like Justin said. Wow does that stink , but it gets all the fur off and it is sanitized. I clean my pans with vinegar to break down the calcium in the urine. Be careful with that CLR stuff on metal pans I etched some of my metal pans smooth surface with it. They are now much harder to clean.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I clean my pans with vinegar to break down the calcium in the urine. Be careful with that CLR stuff on metal pans I etched some of my metal pans smooth surface with it.

The dropping boards I used it on were plastic, but thank you for the warning! I did put some in a rusty tray of an old cage though. Vinegar! Why didn't I think of that? I use it on hard water spots on glass surfaces all the time, and for cleaning the coffee pot.

 

[akane]

Anything acidic which includes vinegar and stuff that breaks down calcium (lime is limestone which is compressed calcium carbonate) will get rid of urine. The problem is the speed with which my bucks deposit it and not the difficulty removing it. Most of my wire is powder coated so anything will wipe it clean anyway but by tomorrow I will have rabbit pee on my hands or head and shoulders if I prop a top opening door open.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Yuck. Let us know when you get the metal undies designed! I'd be tempted to make the entire cage a "urine guard" except for top and bottom.

 

[sommrluv]

I HAVE to take those cages outside. We have the hanging ones as well, and there's just too much dust to do inside for my liking. It's not a bad weekend husband/wife activity. LOL

 

[Patricia]

Start with the taking away of the equipment indoor the rabbit hutches. Get the rabbits out first then the trimmings inside. Confiscate the food pot and the water bottle together with your rabbit toys. Fresh the hutches with a water and vinegar solution and wash strongly giving extra interest to areas where the rabbits usually arrange of their body waste. The hutches should be permitted to dry in the sun.

Newspapers are good inside layer equipment for the rabbit hutches. Layer it several times to make a relaxed surface where the rabbits can stroll on. Put more newspaper lining in the corner where the rabbits go potty.

 

[Bramble Hedge]

I wonder if one of those little rechargeable "dustbuster" hand held vacuums would work - especially if it was done regularly?

 

[ladysown]

get some bucks that don't spray on everything....

Are your pans wet on damp days due to ventilation issues? Or are they damp all the time because of the buck spray?

Plastic sheeting hung between cages can be helpful...or better than plastic sheeting use feed bags because they will stop the spray yet are somewhat more breathable.