Cleaning Protocols

Per our chat last week, I thought I would open a thread to allow us all to list our cleaning protocols and products.

Each of us has a different way of cleaning and keeping up on our protocols. It sometimes opens eyes to an easier or cheaper way to clean if we just share. If nothing else, it helps new people to read a bunch of different ways to safely and effectively clean cages, pouches, etc.

(I'll be back soon to post my own protocols and products)

For fleece:

I use All no allergens and odoban. Wash on gentle cycle and dry on low.

For toys:

I wash in the dishwasher with melaluca dishwashing soap and solumel.

For cages (Repts):

Bars - Wipe down with clorox wipes.

Rept covers - Wash same as fleece but no drying.

I wash once to twice a wk.

My cleaning protocol depends on the day. LOL.

IF I have a parasite issue going on (which happens a lot in rescue homes), then I move the gliders to a smaller cage (to make daily cleaning easier) and remove all fleece except the pouch from the cage. Then I change pouches every day. Dirty pouches get put in plastic bags and tied shut, then when I have several to clean, I boil them in a stock pot and then wash as usual.
Water bottles and food dishes are boiled daily (or autoclaved if I happen to be going to Amarillo that day).
Cage, wheels and toys get bleached heavily one day (and rinsed well) and then steam cleaned the next. I do this every single day until the treatment is complete, then move them back to their normal cage (which has also been bleached and steam cleaned).


WHEN NOT TREATING FOR PARASITES (i.e. usual procedure):

Linens (pouches, hammocks, cage pan liners, etc) are all washed with whatever detergent I have in the house. No fabric softener used. The only exception is all the stuff for one specific glider who has terrible allergies - that cage's stuff gets washed in Dreft always. I ALWAYS add a bit of bleach to glider laundry.

Toys and wheels are sprayed with Simple green or this cleaner:
http://www.petedge.com/product/Home-Kennel/Cleanup/Cleaners-Disinfectants/Top-Performance-256-Disinfectant-Deodorizer/pc/194/c/225/sc/427/46993.uts and then soaked in the bathtub with some bleach. Then rinsed in hot water.

Cage cleaning:

Spot cleaning is done with either Simple Green or the above Top Performance cleaner sprayed on a rag. Most of the time I use the Top Performance because it does not have to be rinsed off.

Deep cleaning is done with a steam cleaner or in the shower during colder weather. Cages are taken to the car wash for deep cleaning in warmer weather (provided the wind is relatively calm).

Cage pans are taken outside and emptied (if needed) and then sprayed with Simple Green or the Top Performance cleaner and taken to the bathtub for washing.


Schedule for cleaning:

Parasite issues - daily.
Open wounds - cage cleaned daily and pouches swapped every other day.

Otherwise:

Cage pans cleaned 1-2 times weekly.
Cages deep cleaned once monthly.
Cages wiped down every 3-4 days or as needed
Toys and linens swapped out and cleaned weekly.

Fleece: Soaked with vinegar and a little bit of dishsoap in lukewarm water, then rinsed well.. Laid flat to dry. Weekly.

Toys: The same as fleece. Weekly.

Cage: Wiped down as needed. Once a week, I will wipe it down with vinegar and water, which I have pre-mixed in a spray bottle so that I waste less "product" (speaking of which, someone had told me the other day that it is not okay to save the vinegar and water mixed -- true/false?). Sometimes, I do get lazy and it does end up being more like once every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks, but I wipe messes down as I see it. Anyway, I also occasionally use the Clorox wipes.. Regardless of if I use vinegar+water, or the wipes, I will either haul the cage into the shower, or --more often -- I will take a clean cloth covered in HOT water and wipe down the cage again.

On occasion, I will also use my hand-held steamer, but it does not do as great of a job as I would like. I am hoping to get the Wagner steamer in the near future though, which I hear will replace the scrubbing... (It really gets it clean enough to not have to spray any chemicals, or anything like that??)

Cage tray, I try to get to every day but sometimes it goes for 2 or 3 days before I wipe it down.

Glider kitchen: I have three, I switch them out every day and then throw the glider kitchen into the dishwasher so it's clean.

Water bottles: Washed with hot water and regular dishsoap daily.

My gliders have never been ill and my cleaning is probably fairly lax.

Every day: remove feeding dishes, wash w/dishwashing liquid.
Every other day: change pouches and floor cloths. Wash in no fragrance/color laundry detergent, dry in dryer.
Weekly: wash wheels, any dirty toys in sink w/dishwashing liquid. wash rept cover in no fragrance laundry detergent, hang dry.

Every other week or so, depending upon how it looks or smells: I take the rept frame outdoors, spray with liquid detergent and oxiclean, rinse with hose that is approved for potable water, let it dry in the sun before moving back into the house. I leave toys hanging on frame and they get sprayed, too.