Build up inside cage

[searchand_dstry]

I was taking some pictures of Baxter earlier & when I uploaded I found this :

See the build up in the corner of the cage? I have never noticed this before until this picture. As soon as I saw the picture though I obviously went and checked it out. It's not nearly as noticeable in the light in my basement, but it appears to be urine build up? I thought it was rust, but it looks more like urine and dust build up.. It will come away with some force leaving the regular surface, but doesn't come off easily.

Once I year I take the cage apart, clean the shelves, and take the cage outside to wash it. It's really way too big for me to power wash it at any car wash or gas station (I have no truck or friends with trucks or anything and have a tiny sports car) so what do you suggest I do in the meantime? It's freezing here, no way to take it outside! But I cannot imagine it being good for them to live in that.. I'm tempted to move them to the unfinished ferret nation so I can take the whole thing apart:/

Once a month I do wipe down the cage bars (inside & out) with a bleach and water mixture so obviously that isn't helping much. Anyone have this problem? Anything I can do to prevent it? I am assuming they are peeing on the shelf above and it dribbles down. I am replacing shelving once it's warm out and I can clean the cage completely, but in the meantime I would like to prevent further build up.

 

[Eric4144]

I use clorox naturals surface cleaner to clean the cage. I've never had a great deal of build up and not b/c I clean my cager better or more often than you it's just not been a problem. However what does build up on my cage looks exactly like that. The clorox naturals breaks it right up and then it wipes off easily.
Hope this helps you out.
Eric

 

[searchand_dstry]

I use clorox naturals surface cleaner to clean the cage. I've never had a great deal of build up and not b/c I clean my cager better or more often than you it's just not been a problem. However what does build up on my cage looks exactly like that. The clorox naturals breaks it right up and then it wipes off easily.
Hope this helps you out.
Eric

Do you dilute it or rinse it off afterwards? I think I have some here maybe it'll work. I'd just be afraid to leave it set on the cage..

 

[WhiteTree]

It's always in the corners on my cage so I've placed something in every corner. I have several levels to my cage and a good deal of corners but I put the water bottle in one, the food dish in another, the hay rack in another, a hammock, a house, and in the main corner they peed in I put a litter pan (a scatter-proof one it has a grid to keep them from touching the soiled bedding). My cage is so much cleaner. They say that an animal won't pee where it eats or sleeps, so if you have a food dish, water bottle, hay rack and a hammock or fleece house you have four corners right there. When they pee on the bars or the litter pan it can turn into calcium deposits, it's not really a lack of cleaning thing it's just that it's hard to get the cage 100% spotless. Try a litter pan it really does help, only with the pee though because they can't control the poop but the poop doesn't bother me. Good luck.

 

[Rickman]

For the really caked-on areas, I've had good luck with a round wire brush you put on the end of a drill. Gets it off with a little pressure, and leaves a polished surface so the build-up has less to stick to. Make sure you do it in a well ventilated area, though, as the dust is horrendous, [maybe outside?] and wear a dustmask. I think I got a selection of brushes at Ace Hardware.

 

[Cory]

Mix vinegar & water 50/50 and put it in a spray bottle, spray where you want to clean and then use a hard bristled nylon scrub brush (like what you'd use to clean a tub) and it should come off.

 

[Stackie]

If it's urine I would spray hydrogen peroxide on it, then wipe it off with a warm damp cloth. It really helps clean up urine spots and stians.

 

[Spoof]

I'm with Cory, I use strait vinegar for the thick spots like that, 50/50 for everything else. Eats it right off.

Granted your house will smell like a salad for a few days...

 

[TillyChinchilla]

Straight vinegar is just fine to use. I use it in the corners of my pans when they get a little gunky.

 

[Eric4144]

I'm sorry I should have said that I wipe it off with a cloth that's dipped in warm water. I wouldn't leave it on there I don't trust it that much.

 

[Olallie]

Im not sure about you, but my chins like to pee on the all my shelves all over even near their hay. I've taken to wiping up the wet spots, but still its gross. I have no idea what to do.

 

[TillyChinchilla]

If your chins are peeing on wood shelves, you can take them out and sand them down.

If they are metal and have the residue, there isn't much you can do.

 

[Sesame]

A brush (a bathtub one, or even one of those super-duper dish ones) would help. The only other thing would be to just try and wipe down constantly or to try and litter train your chins. Since you know they like that corner, maybe try sticking a high walled litter pan there?

 

[Carol~Anne]

Hydrogen Peroxide: The 3% solution works wonders on wooden shelves. Pour/spray it on the stains, let it sit for a few minutes and then thoroughly rinse off with water. Just make sure your chinchillas are not in their cage when you start spraying the HP.

There's loads of other uses for HP as well.

http://www.angelfire.com/az/sthurston/hydrogen_peroxide.html