Fully Cleaning Your Parrot's Cage

[Cage Cleaner]

I don't see the point of using antiseptic/disinfectant solutions, when dish detergent and a dish sponge, and garden hose works just fine. Sure, it doesn't kill the germs, but the action of detergent is that it loosens the germs and they rinse off with the water.

This is how we clean our dishes, which we eat off of-- I don't know of anyone who dips their dishes in antiseptic solutions, and I don't see why we need to for bird cages. Further, the first thing they teach you in medical school is that antiseptic/disinfectant solutions don't even work when there is biological material present--which means that the cage has to be pretty much already clean for them to be effective.

I also really dislike the smell of most antiseptics, including the home made 'alternatives'.

Please enlighten me?

[marie83]

Well I dont get the whole disinfect everything all the time thing either because animals need exposure to some bad bacteria to keep the immune system working well, I do believe over cleaning is part of the reasons our immune systems are getting so bad at fighting things off amongst other reasons. That doesn't mean I would want them in filthy conditions though and I don't believe soap, water and a quick rinse gets rid of everything because bacteria is so tiny and there can by millions of them in the tiniest bit missed. I use washing up liquid and hot water mainly and wipe of the excess with a damp cloth or occasionally a bit of vinegar diluted with water. I do disinfect usually but only every month but at the moment its every 1-2 days til I find out what the hecks wrong with them.

[Polarn]

I generally try to avoid any strong chemicals, I do however occationally disinfect the cages but definitely not inside and they doesn't fit through the doorways so it is a complete disassembly to get em out. I do however run their stainless steel dishes through the autoclave after cleaned atleast a couple of times a week since I run it anyways for the tattoo supplies. Again there is no chemicals used there just pressure heat n steam. For the cages I usually use a handheld steamer and a sponge. Same with floors I steam em clean after vacuuming. And it's quite effective to remove any poo (hardwood flooring). But as cage cleaner is saying most disinfectants is next to useless for bio materials so for perches etc it doesn't really do the best work possible, however that debate is arguable on how to clean new branches when bringing them in, I mean personally I would perch my bird outside in a bird safe tree, yet if you read online there is this whole process for cleaning it (I agree though in city areas etc) but as for here you can drink the water out of almost any stream and the air is fairly clean. I scrub off any dirt that came on the branches as the tree hits the ground then usually just spray em down with a hose before brining them in. Anyways there is a difference between keeping a cage clean or keeping it disinfected won't use the word sterilize since that would require some big equipment I can only fit about a 2 square feet object in my clave and worry there it is fairly expensive medical equipment wouldn't even dream of the costs having one big enough for a cage...
But yeah I like hosing /steaming off items fairly frequent.

[crackofdawn]

I don't use chemicals on our cages at all. I pressure wash them. For the bird cage I pressure wash only the 'base grate' (which comes out separately) about once a week - it will strip off all poop and everything and requires no soap. The rest of the cage gets a pressure wash every couple months since it doesn't really get messy or dirty at all. I do the same for our sugar glider's cage but theirs needs a full pressure washing every week or so as they get pee all over every bar, perch and everything else.

I find pressure washing to require (by far) the least amount of effort and also seems to get things even cleaner than a sponge + detergent.

[Pralina]

I hose down my cages outside in the summer.

In the winter however its more complicated. The grates go in the shower, the wooden stuff too, just like Michael, with hot water and steam it all comes off...

On a daily basis, I use AviClean, its amazing and its safe around birds!!!! The enzymes dissolve any poop or sticky fruit or dried regurgitation or whatever mess your birds make...

But hey.... I just bought a STEAMER!!!! So I will definitely try it out and tell you about it!

[lee019]

Cleaning for parrot cage is not that so hard unlike cleaning home.It is really funny that i use to call puhdistuspalvelu or cleaning service at Finland country where i use to live now to clean my house but for my parrot i always have time to clean it because he always reminds me to clean his cage really amazing.

[Baylee4ever]

Thank You for the tips i found out its easier to clean with a vacuum and faster too.

[dan4]

I empty stueys cage paper twice a week and wipe a perch now and again that's about it, purely because he isn't happy with me and a sponge and he doesn't like to leave the cage for anything other than a quick flight. He's been ok for 2 years like this

[William]

My quaker parrots cage is squeaky clean!

*Squawks and flies away*

[lola carlson]

I went out and bought myself a hand held steam cleaner and I wipe down the bars with the steam . In the summer time I take them out side and hose them down and steam them before bring them back in . steam kills every thing