How To Clean a Small Pet's Cage

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It's not the best part of owning a pet, but somebody's gotta do it.

To complete this How-To you will need:

An empty, dry bathtub
A large garbage bag
Paper towels or dishtowels
Dishwashing detergent or other mild soap
Clean bedding—aspen shavings, pelleted paper, or hay
And a dustpan and brush or vacuum cleaner
White vinegar

Step 1: Put your pet in a safe, enclosed place where he can stay while you clean his cage. An empty, dry bathtub or an empty wastebasket—clean, of course!—works well.

Step 2: Take all the toys, food dishes, and water bottles out of the cage.

Step 3: Dump the dirty bedding from the cage into a garbage bag.

Step 4: Using paper towels, remove any clumped bedding that's stuck to the bottom of the cage. Animals often use the corners of cages as their bathrooms.

Step 5: Soak a paper towel or dishtowel with water and a bit of mild soap. Use it to wipe out the entire interior of the cage—all the nooks and crannies.

Tip: If the cage still smells after you've washed it, you can wipe it down with a solution of equal parts of white vinegar and water. Then rinse it thoroughly.

Step 6: Use paper towels or a clean dishtowel to dry the cage completely.

Step 7: Line the cage with a few inches of clean, new bedding.

Tip: Pine and cedar shavings contain chemicals that can be harmful to small animals, so don't use them.

Step 8: Clean your pet's plastic toys, food dishes, and water bottle with mild soap and warm water, then rinse and dry them thoroughly.

Step 9: Replace any cardboard tubes, paper towels, and other nesting materials.

Step 10: Fill the dishes with new food, and put new water in the water bottle.

Step 11: Put the toys, food dishes, and water bottle back in the cage.

Tip: Rearranging your pet's toys and bowls each time you clean the cage gives him something new to explore.

Step 12: Use a dustpan and brush or vacuum cleaner to sweep up the floor or surface around or under the cage.

Step 13: Return your pet to his sparkling-clean quarters—and watch as he starts rearranging everything the way he wants it!

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[GuliblGuy]

LOL don't use pine, even though the bag he is using is clearly pine shavings.

[wspadisaster]

I hope you are joking because otherwise that sounds cruel, all pets should have access to clean water at all times.

[rachaelly1]

Step 1: take out your pet and everything else

Step 2: bring the cage outside

Step 3: use a hose to clean the cage

[Headrush54]

Its a sugar slider?? At first i thought it was a chipmunk lol

[1MikalaB]

the guy wipes down the area the animal isn't even in contact with. U clean the tub not the wire floor.

[cutieme115]

@flufftopia when you rinse it out the smell shold come away.

[0XBunnyta]

In my own opinion, i think the cage s far to small for an animal as active as a sugar glider and they are also social, s/he needs a friend. I am sure that this cage was used for demonstration only as it is small and simple to clean but if anyone is thinking of getting a sugar glider please do reaserch first and get a large cage and a companion to keep him/her stimulated :)

[0XBunnyta]

@EscaladeGurl Haha no its not, look at the label at 1:31 it clearly says 'pine bedding', although they say never to use it. Sill people... :L

[EscaladeGurl]

@GuliblGuy It`s Aspen, you dumbass.

[GotGorgeous07]

Aww, a sugar glider! :) we have 2 and they are so sweet.

[K9girl29]

was that a chipmunk or sugar glider?

[agatqb1]

I use the product Quick n Brite to clean my hamster cage and it works great! It is eco-safe and there are no fumes or chemicals which is nice for my pets home. I empty everything out of the cage, then wet it down in the shower with hot water and use a scrubbing bristle brush with Quick n Brite on it and it works wonders to cut through the urination and smell. If the cage is really bad I let the cleaner sit for 15 minutes so I don't have to scrub! I highly recommend Quick n Brite