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Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby Nevermore » Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:03 pm

For my GCC, the cage cleaning usually ends up a little more complicated. I have him in a massive cage compared to his size; meant for a larger bird really, but hes worth it.

Anyway, the problem is I am in Canada, and the available tubs are brand new. I have been forbidden from using them for the cage in fear of scratching or cracking the tub. Understandable; as his cage is heavy. Even the individual pieces.

To make things worse, as I am in Canada. I can't do my usual routine for cleaning his cage. Normally I take it outdoors. But in winter; that doesn't work so well.

I end up NOT cleaning the whole thing over the winter season. I'll remove parts of the cage; like the seed/poo catchers and the poo trays, and his toys and such, and wash those in the laundry tub, and wipe up any other obvious mess with a cloth. But the majority of it cannot be properly cleaned until the warm weather returns.

I also use dish-soap for the cleaning.

Under his cage I've got plastic shower curtain or a plastic table cloth to catch anything else. I leave it for a week or two, then toss it and replace it with a new one.

Since his cage is so big, I don't really have to change the paper on a daily basis; his mess ends up so widely dispersed that the paper is still effective.
Wild animals are called 'wild' for a reason. Keep them that way. Adopt your pets, or buy them from a certified breeder.
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage my discovery!

Postby StarbucksMom » Wed Mar 30, 2011 11:22 am

Ok, for all you veteran bird owners, you probably already know this--but for you newbies, here is a tip I discovered!

You know how when you try to clean the poop off your walls or bird cage the cleaner runs downhill and doesn't sit there long enough to soften it? So, if you're like me you scrub and scrub and scrub, and sometimes even take paint off the walls during the process. Here's what I discovered! Squirt the poop with cleaner (I just use Simple Green) and then put a small piece of paper towel over it, just like when men put toilet paper over a shaving cut. It will stick there. Then by the time you're done doing this to all your areas the first ones you did will just wipe right off! No scrubbing because the paper towel soaked with cleaner softened the poop! This works great on even the nuts and bolts on your cage, getting the little crevices.

Yay! The littlest things make me happy LOL.

StarbucksMom
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby Vikki » Wed Mar 30, 2011 11:41 am

One trick I actually got from my grandmother, who used this solution to clean floors back in the depression when they couldn't afford soap and it cleans like a charm and is completely safe and natural... in a bucket make a mixture of hot water, lemon juice and baking soda. It smells really nice and cleans poop easily.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds. - Aesop
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage my discovery!

Postby rebeccaturpeinen » Wed Mar 30, 2011 11:44 am

StarbucksMom wrote:Ok, for all you veteran bird owners, you probably already know this--but for you newbies, here is a tip I discovered!

You know how when you try to clean the poop off your walls or bird cage the cleaner runs downhill and doesn't sit there long enough to soften it? So, if you're like me you scrub and scrub and scrub, and sometimes even take paint off the walls during the process. Here's what I discovered! Squirt the poop with cleaner (I just use Simple Green) and then put a small piece of paper towel over it, just like when men put toilet paper over a shaving cut. It will stick there. Then by the time you're done doing this to all your areas the first ones you did will just wipe right off! No scrubbing because the paper towel soaked with cleaner softened the poop! This works great on even the nuts and bolts on your cage, getting the little crevices.

Yay! The littlest things make me happy LOL.

StarbucksMom


thats a very good tip! i will definitly be using it :thumbsup:
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby entrancedbymyGCC » Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:30 pm

Is Simple Green OK to use around birds? It has a strong odor and the MSDS sheet says it can cause irritation upon inhalation.
Scooter :gcc:
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby Vikki » Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:51 pm

Anything listed as an inhalation irritant is twice as dangerous for a bird since their nasal passages and lungs are so delicate and sensetive. That's why I won't even use bleach on my cages.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds. - Aesop
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby entrancedbymyGCC » Wed Mar 30, 2011 2:11 pm

That's why I was pointing it out. People often assume "natural" means its OK and it isn't necessarily so.

I'll use bleach, or a commercial disinfectant but not in the immediate presence of the birds. The actual bleach fumes evaporate quite quickly and any remaining slight odor after an item is thoroughly dried and aired doesn't seem to be a problem. I'd treat "simple green" the same way.
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby Vikki » Wed Mar 30, 2011 3:22 pm

Agreed. You really haved to read labels closely these days. Every cleaning supply mfr is jumping on that "green" bandwagon and most times, the product isn't green at all and sometimes its even worse than their regular brand. Like I mentioned, I use a concoction that I make myself and it works wonderfully, but there are others that are very safe that you can buy. From what I gather, sodium borate is very effective and is safe when dilluted.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds. - Aesop
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Vikki
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby StarbucksMom » Wed Mar 30, 2011 3:44 pm

Re: using Simple Green, I thoroughly researched it prior to using on the cages. Even the Corp office of Simple Green have parrots and that's what they use. Starbuck is always in another room and I do wipe down with plain water after cleaning.
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Re: Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

Postby StarbucksMom » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:18 pm

Vikki wrote:One trick I actually got from my grandmother, who used this solution to clean floors back in the depression when they couldn't afford soap and it cleans like a charm and is completely safe and natural... in a bucket make a mixture of hot water, lemon juice and baking soda. It smells really nice and cleans poop easily.


I will definately try that concoction. Thanks for the tip! :sun:
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