Care guide · Guinea pigs

How to clean a guinea pig cage: a simple routine

Checked against RSPCA: Creating a good home for guinea pigs, PDSA: The ideal home for your guinea pigs, University of Florida Small Animal Hospital: How to care for your pet guinea pig and 5 more on

To clean a guinea pig cage, remove droppings, wet bedding and old food every day, then change all the bedding and wipe the base at least once a week. Once a month, empty everything, scrub the cage with half white vinegar and half water, rinse, and let it dry fully before the guinea pigs go back in.

How often should you clean a guinea pig cage?

Spot clean every day and do a full clean at least once a week. That is the RSPCA's advice, and it says the right frequency also depends on how big the cage is and how many guinea pigs share it. The PDSA adds a monthly deep clean, and the University of Florida's vets suggest changing soiled bedding every other day.

Clean bedding is a health job, not just a smell job. Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue warns that ammonia from built-up urine can lead to respiratory infections, and PetMD notes that urine soaking into skin can cause sores and infections.

How often Jobs
Every day Remove droppings, wet bedding and uneaten fresh food; refill hay; fresh water; sweep fleece
Every 3 to 5 days Wash fleece liners and the absorbent layer
Every week Change all loose bedding; wipe the base; wash bowls, bottle and hides
Every month Empty the cage; scrub inside and out; clean toys and shelters; dry fully

The daily spot clean

The daily spot clean takes a few minutes and does most of the work. Guinea pigs tend to toilet where they eat, so the hay corner is where to focus.

  • Scoop out droppings and wet patches, especially by the hay
  • Remove uneaten veg, which goes off quickly
  • Throw out old pellets and give a fresh portion
  • Empty, rinse and refill the water bowl or bottle
  • Top up hay so there is always more than they can eat
  • Sweep droppings and hay off fleece
  • Check each guinea pig is eating and passing plenty of dry droppings
Look at the droppings while you scoop. The RSPCA says fewer or no droppings is a reason to see a vet immediately, and the daily clean is when you are most likely to notice.

How to clean a guinea pig cage: the weekly clean

Once a week, change all the bedding and give the base a wipe. Here is the order that keeps it quick.

  1. Move the guinea pigs. Put them together in a playpen, run or large carrier with hay and a hide, away from other pets and draughts.
  2. Take everything out. Remove hides, tunnels, bowls, the water bottle and toys.
  3. Bin the bedding. Tip all the loose bedding into a bin bag or compost (paper bedding, hay and droppings compost well). For fleece, shake it off outside and put it in the wash.
  4. Wipe the base. Spray with half white vinegar and half water, as the University of Florida's vets suggest, wipe it clean and rinse with plain water.
  5. Wash the kit. Wash bowls and the bottle in hot water. Wipe plastic hides; brush out wooden and fabric ones.
  6. Dry it fully. Leave the base to dry completely. Damp bases soak into fresh bedding.
  7. Rebuild. Lay 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) of fresh bedding, put the hides and kitchen back in the same places, refill hay and water, then bring the guinea pigs home.

Putting everything back where it was keeps the cage familiar. If you want to change the layout, see our guinea pig cage setup guide first.

The monthly deep clean

Once a month, the PDSA suggests emptying the cage completely, scrubbing it inside and out with a pet-safe cleaner, cleaning toys and shelters, and putting the guinea pigs back only when everything is fully dry. RSPCA Australia suggests disinfecting cages, bottles and dishes with a guinea pig-safe disinfectant, hot water at 60 to 80°C (140 to 176°F), or both.

  • Scrub the base, corners and any bars or grids
  • Soak bottles and bowls in hot water and brush out the bottle spout
  • Scrub or replace chewed wooden hides and toys
  • Wash fabric hides and cosies
  • Remove urine scale from corners (see below)
  • Check for chewed or sharp edges and replace damaged items
  • Clean the floor or mat under the cage

What to clean a guinea pig cage with

Use plain, safe cleaners that rinse away completely: a half vinegar, half water mix (University of Florida), hot water (RSPCA Australia), or a disinfectant labelled safe for small pets (PDSA, RSPCA Australia). Rinse well whatever you use.

Guinea pigs live with their noses at floor level, and Purdue's vets point out how keen their sense of smell is. So skip strongly scented sprays, air fresheners and plug-ins near the cage. If you use a stronger disinfectant, follow the label, rinse thoroughly and let it dry before adding bedding.

Never put guinea pigs back on a wet or freshly sprayed base. The PDSA says to return them only once the cage is fully dry. Damp bedding chills them and encourages damp growth.

How to get urine scale off a guinea pig cage

How to clean fleece liners

Sweep fleece every day and wash it every 3 to 5 days, as Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue advises. Shake or brush off hay and fur outside first, so it does not clog your machine. Wash with detergent and no fabric softener, and add half to one cup of white vinegar if it smells. Avoid softener and dryer sheets, which stop fleece wicking. Our guinea pig bedding guide explains how to set fleece up properly.

How to make cleaning a guinea pig cage easier

  • Put a tray of paper bedding under the hay rack to catch most of the mess
  • Use a cage with sides that open fully, such as a C&C cage
  • Give enough room: a bigger cage stays fresh for longer, as the Humane World for Animals notes
  • Keep a dustpan, brush and bin bag next to the cage
  • Keep two sets of fleece or hides, so one is clean while the other dries
  • Put a washable mat under the cage for kicked-out hay

Our guinea pig cage size guide has the sizes that make cleaning easier, and floor time and playpens gives you somewhere safe to put them on cleaning day.

Signs the cage needs cleaning more often

If you can smell ammonia, see wet patches by day three, or notice the guinea pigs have stained feet or fur, clean more often or add more bedding. If a guinea pig has crusty eyes, sneezing, sore feet or a wet rear end, check our guinea pig health guide and see a vet. For the whole routine in one place, see our complete guinea pig care guide.

Guinea pig cage cleaning questions

How often should you clean a guinea pig cage?

Spot clean every day and do a full clean at least once a week, says the RSPCA. That means removing droppings, wet bedding and old food daily, then changing all the bedding weekly. The PDSA adds a monthly deep clean, emptying the cage and scrubbing it. Small cages and groups of three or more need cleaning more often.

What can I use to clean a guinea pig cage?

A half white vinegar, half water mix, says the University of Florida's vets, rinsed well and dried fully. Hot water and a pet-safe disinfectant also work: RSPCA Australia suggests water at 60 to 80°C (140 to 176°F), a guinea pig-safe disinfectant, or both. Avoid strongly scented sprays, which linger where they breathe.

Why does my guinea pig cage smell so fast?

Usually the bedding is too thin, the cage is too small for the number of guinea pigs, or the toilet corner is not being cleared daily. Ammonia from old urine builds up quickly. Deeper bedding, a daily spot clean of the kitchen corner and a bigger cage all help. A sudden new smell from the guinea pig itself is a reason to see a vet.

Can guinea pigs go back in the cage while it is still damp?

No. The PDSA says to put them back only once the cage is fully dry. Damp bases soak into fresh bedding, chill guinea pigs and encourage damp growth. On a cleaning day, wipe the base, let it air dry while they have floor time or sit in a carrier with hay, and then add fresh bedding.

How do I get rid of the white crust on the cage base?

That crust is dried urine scale. Spray it with neat white vinegar, leave it for 10 to 15 minutes to soften, then scrub it with a stiff brush or plastic scraper and rinse well. This is our practical tip rather than a vet guideline, but it uses the same vinegar the University of Florida recommends for cleaning.

Where do I put my guinea pigs while I clean?

Somewhere safe and enclosed, with hay and a hide: a playpen, a run, or a large carrier for a quick clean. Keep them together so they stay calm, away from other pets and out of draughts. A full clean usually fits nicely into their daily floor time.

Sources

Read next

Best bedding for guinea pigs: what is safe and what to avoid

Use dust-free paper bedding 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) deep or fleece over an absorbent layer. Aspen is fine. Avoid cedar, pine, sawdust, straw and corn cob.

Guinea pig cage setup: layouts and ideas that work

Use one level of at least 1 m² (10.5 sq ft), a hay kitchen at one end, one hide per guinea pig plus one, deep soft bedding and water in a calm room.

Guinea pig care: the complete guide

Keep at least two together, give them about 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) or more, unlimited hay, fresh veg and vitamin C every day, and a yearly vet check.

Guinea pig health: signs of illness to watch for

Not eating, fewer droppings, laboured breathing, drooling, hunching or hiding all need a vet fast. Check teeth, nails, coat, bottom and weight weekly.

Guinea pig cage size: how big it really needs to be

Two guinea pigs need at least 10.5 sq ft (about 1 m²) of floor on one level, such as 76 × 127 cm (30 × 50 in). Boars and bigger groups need more.

Guinea pig floor time and playpens

Pick a playpen with at least 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) of floor, sides 30 to 46 cm (12 to 18 in) high and a washable, non-slip base, and use it every day.