How to clean a guinea pig cage so well that your home will be jealous 

In the pet world, guinea pigs are pretty low maintenance. You certainly won’t need to walk them twice a day like a dog, or pick up a steaming pile of the brown stuff when out enjoying the countryside. But. When it comes to making mess, they’re pretty good at it. You could be a new owner who’s setting them up in their lovely new home, or a long-term guinea pig fan – either way, we can all learn how to clean a guinea pig cage so well that our own homes will be jealous.  

How often do you clean a guinea pig cage?  

When it comes to figuring out how often to clean guinea pig cage, it’s going to be a regular thing. Guinea pigs may well be cute to look at, but the mess they can produce certainly isn’t. That’s why you need to learn how to clean guinea pig poop and do it often.  

So, how often should you clean a guinea pig cage specifically? Well, if you’ve got a really big guinea pig you’ll probably need to clean the cage and change bedding twice a week. Got a smaller one? Once a week should do. That’s the answer to how often should you clean a guinea pig cage. As for the poop pellets, you’ll want to clear them out on a daily basis with spot cleans.  

There’ll also be times when you’ll need to up to gunk clearance. Be guided by your eyes and nose. Is their poop everywhere? Is that cage starting to smell fusty? Trust your instincts.  

How to get a clean guinea pig cage – your equipment 

Getting a really clean guinea pig cage depends on two things – the method and the equipment. With the right approach you can turn their stinky pile into a luxury guinea pig pad with ease. First up, gather the following: 

• Clean bedding 
• Rubber gloves 
• Kitchen towel 
• Soapy water in a bowl or bucket 
• Old, clean toothbrush 

You’ve got everything you need, so let’s move onto the job itself, starting with the feeders and cage, then finishing with how to change guinea pig bedding.  

Cleaning guinea pig cage feeders 

They might not poop in or around the feeders – after all, even guinea pigs seem to understand the mantra ‘you never poop where you eat’. But it is possible. Gross! But that’s nothing to worry about. It’s all part of the pet owner experience. So, assuming there isn’t poop by the feeders, cleaning them is a job that’ll probably need doing a couple of times a week, along with spot clearance on a daily basis. Here’s what to do: 

1. Remove the feeder from the cage 
2. Scrape away leftover food and gunk 
3. Soak in hot soapy water 
4. Wipe out with kitchen towel 
5. Rinse, wipe, dry and replace 

How to clean a guinea pig cage 

Now it’s time to take the situation from a grimy stinky pit to lavish palace. We’re going to talk about changing the bedding in more detail in a moment, but for now let’s look at how to clean guinea pig poop and gunk from the cage: 

1. Put your guinea pig somewhere safe – you can’t really ask them just to lift their feet up whilst you clean round them. 
2. Pop on your gloves. 
3. Empty the cage. Bedding, feeder, toys, accessories… all out. 
4. Use soapy water to wipe down the floor, roof, sides and bars.  
5. Use a toothbrush to get into the nooks and crannies.  
6. Wipe out with clean water and dry with kitchen towel. 

If you’re working on a wooden hutch outside use water less liberally, as the wood takes a longer time to dry, and soaking it isn’t the best idea. Other than that, the same process applies. 

How to change guinea pig bedding 

You’ll want to remove pellets and pee-soaked patches daily, then scatter in some new bedding. But on a weekly basis (at least) scoop out everything – poop, pee… anything else that’s lurking in there. Then you can add the new bedding and return your guinea pig to the comforts they’re becoming accustomed to. Ready to fill it with their natural gunkiness… all over again. 

Tip: Plenty kitchen towel stays strong even when things get messy and wet. It holds moisture without breaking down, so is ideal for wiping away crusty sludge and slime, and removing poop when you’re laying down fresh bedding.     

From how often to clean guinea pig cage parts change the bedding to clearing away the stinky pee and poop, that’s your comprehensive guide. Remember, the mess is no biggie, and it's to be expected. Even though they can’t tell you through words, your guinea pig will appreciate the great job you’ve done!