How to Properly Clean a Bird Cage

Any pet, birds included, deserves a clean and fresh-smelling home. Cleaning your bird’s home is relatively easy. We’ve put up a comprehensive guide on how you can effortlessly clean a bird cage and how to keep it that way.

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What You Need to Prepare

Regardless of the type of cage that your feathered friend calls home, it is very important to keep it clean and tidy so that it will also feel a lot happier and live a much longer life. And like any other cleaning activity the very first thing you have to do is to prepare for it. Here’s how.

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Assemble your cleaning paraphernalia 

No cleaning activity can commence without having all of the tools and materials you will need. For everyday cleaning, you will need a fresh set of cage liners and several clean rugs as you will need to wipe clean the bars of the cage. However, for weekly and monthly cleaning, make sure you have the following on hand.

• Fresh set of cage liners
• Cleaning cloths
• Cage wipes or paper towels
• Sandpaper
• Scrubbing brush or even an old toothbrush
• Appropriate disinfectant

Empty the bird cage 

Cleaning your bird cage requires unrestricted access to every square inch of its space. This means you will have to relocate your bird into another cage, preferably a carrier cage so it will not escape and be unduly stressed out. Removing your avian friend from the cage will also help prevent it from being exposed to dust, dirt, and fumes that may be elicited during the cleaning process. Remove the accessories, too, including the cage liner. It is often necessary to take your birdcage and dump it over your garbage bin so that larger debris will naturally fall off. If your birdcage is quite large, use a vacuum cleaner instead.

Prepare the cleaning solution 

If you have to use a commercial cage disinfectant, make sure to use only those that are bird-friendly. If you’re not really comfortable using such products in your birdcage, you can actually make one yourself. One of the safest and equally effective cleaning solutions is baking soda. You can combine 3 tablespoons of ordinary baking soda, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 3 cups of warm water. Alternatively, you can mix 2 parts of warm water and 1 part white vinegar. You can also add 3 drops of ordinary dishwashing liquid into any of these solutions. Now put the solution into a spray bottle and get ready to clean.

How to Clean Your Bird’s Home

Now that you’re more than prepared, it’s time to start cleaning. Here we’ve outlined the different steps you will need to thoroughly clean your bird cage.

Rinse 

The best way to rinse your birdcage is to immerse it in hot water. Bring your cage inside your bathroom, open your shower, and turn it into the highest possible temperature that you can tolerate. Alternatively, you can bring your birdcage outside your home and spray it with water. The more powerful the water spray the better it is to remove any gunk or stuff that may have wedged in the bars.

Scrub 

Get your scrubbing brush and prepared cleaning solution or the one that you bought. Make sure to scrub every square inch of the cage. If there are spaces that are rather tightly spaced, use an old toothbrush instead. The point is to brush all the surfaces and spaces of the cage to help remove any dirt or debris that have not been removed by the initial rinse. If the gunk is quite stubborn, you may have to let the cleaning solution sit for a couple of minutes before scrubbing.

Rinse again 

Give your birdcage a good rinse to remove any cleaning solution residue. You can use either hot or cold water, although some would prefer giving it a warm wash. The point is to never leave any residue in the home of your pet, otherwise you’re exposing them to potential danger.

Wash or clean the accessories 

Once you’re done with the cage, turn your attention to the rest of the birdcage accessories. Hopefully, you chose ceramic dishes as these are typically dishwasher-safe, making it a breeze to clean. If not, make sure to wash any other accessory with an appropriate detergent or cleaning solution, one that is safe on pets. This is especially true on bird feeders and other feeding accessories.

Disinfect 

In addition to the cleaning and rinsing, it is highly recommended to disinfect the surfaces of the cage as well as all birdcage accessories. This is especially beneficial if your bird was recently sick. Chances are some of the microorganisms that may have shed during its illness are still present in the various surfaces. It is for this reason to ask your vet for the most appropriate and most effective disinfectant for such a purpose.

Now, if such a solution is not available, you can make a bleach solution by combining a gallon of water with about half cup of bleach. Make sure that when you spray this on your birdcage and its accessories you have all of the windows and doors fully opened to allow the fumes to dissipate completely. Additionally, don’t forget to rinse the cage as well as the accessories with warm water. This is to help ensure you’ve removed any trace of bleach on these items. If you cannot smell the distinct odor of bleach, then that would be it.

Dry 

You can either dry the items under the sun or wipe them dry using paper towels or even a clean kitchen towel. It is imperative that the cage is thoroughly dried before you can entertain the idea of returning your bird to its cage.

Clean the cage surroundings 

Don’t forget to sweep and clean the floor upon which your birdcage is propped on. If there are stains on the floor, clean and disinfect these with an appropriate solution as well.

Now, before you return your feathered friend to its cage, put on its cage liner and return all of the accessories inside. Make it comfy for the little one. Only then can you safely return your bird into its cage.

Sources:

1. Parrotlet Care, Animal Humane Society
2. How to Clean a Bird Cage, HowStuffWorks
3. Rick Axelson, DVM, Cage Hygiene in Birds, VCA Hospitals