How to Clean a Guinea Pig's Fleece Bedding

Last Updated: April 22, 2022

Fleece bedding can be much easier and less messy than other kinds of bedding for a guinea pig cage. Fleece bedding does need to be cleaned occasionally, however, it is not very hard to do. Each day, remove any obvious dirt and debris from the bedding. Once a week, wash the bedding in a washing machine on high heat. With a little maintenance, fleece bedding can be a great choice for your guinea pig's cage.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Doing Routine Cleanings

1
Remove feces and food debris. At the end of each day, remove any loose stools or food you see on the bedding. You can use a plastic scoop, a small vacuum, or a small broom and dust pan. Pick up anything off the bedding that you can easily see.^{[1]
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2
Place loose hay in a single corner. Hay often gets messy because strewn all over the floor of a guinea pig's cage. Hay can sometimes get onto fleece bedding. If you notice any hay on the bedding, pick it up and set it in a single corner.^{[2]
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3
Use a curry comb to remove loose hair. Curry combs are small rubber combs used to groom horses. Curry combs are also excellent tools for removing hair from fleece bedding. You can purchase a curry comb online. Simply run it over the bedding a few times after removing hay, pieces of food, and feces from the bedding. This should dislodge a lot of the trapped hair.^{[3]
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4
Shake out the fleece to remove remaining debris. Remove the fleece bedding from the cage. Give it a few good shakes. This will get rid of any lingering dust or debris you missed.^{[4]
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- Shake the bedding over a sink or outside to avoid getting your home dirty.
- Offer your guinea pig a litter pan filled with straw where they can use the bathroom. Change the straw daily. This will encourage your pet to avoid soiling the fleece.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Deep Cleaning Fleece Bedding

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Do some prep work. Do not simply throw fleece bedding into the washing machine. Do your routine cleaning by picking up loose dirt and hay, running a curry comb over the bedding, and then shaking out the bedding. The bedding will come clean easier in the wash if you remove obvious messes first.
2
Place the bedding in a washing machine. Remove the bedding from a cage. Transfer it to a washing machine. Add your regular laundry detergent to the machine.^{[5]
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- If you have other laundry to do, you can throw in items of similar color and texture into the machine while washing fleece bedding.
3
Add vinegar. Pour about half a cup of white vinegar into the washing machine. White vinegar helps kill bacteria and also reduces odor.^{[6]
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4
Wash on high heat. Turn the machine on and run it for a cycle. Run it on high heat, as fleece bedding should be cleaned in warm water.^{[7]
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5
Dry the bedding. It's safe to dry fleece bedding at low or medium heat in your dryer. You can dry it with any other items you need to dry that day. You can also hang the bedding to let it air dry, but this will take longer. You do not want to delay returning the bedding to your guinea pig for longer than necessary.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

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Avoid dangerous, messy beddings. Certain types of beddings spread easily and stick to fleece bedding. They are also generally unsafe for guinea pigs as they may cause respiratory and other health problems. Avoid the following:^{[9]
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- Cedar bedding
- Clay-based bedding
- Sawdust
- Newspaper
2
Do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets are not safe to use for materials meant for guinea pigs. Strong smells can be irritating for guinea pigs and may cause poor reactions. Avoid fabric softeners and dryer sheets when cleaning fleece bedding.^{[10]
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3
Clean the bedding on a schedule. It's important to stick to a schedule when cleaning fleece bedding. Simply cleaning it occasionally will not control odor from your guinea pig's cage. Make a habit of doing a light cleaning each day. Every five to seven days, wash your fleece bedding in a machine.^{[11]
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