can you clean wood stuff?

[JennyBug]

Sorry if someone has already posted this question, but how do you clean wood shelving or wood houses for chins? I would hate to spend big dollars and have to replace a month later because they have been tinkled on...

 

[Riven]

There are many methods depending on what you want to achieve.

1/10 bleach to water will help disinfect, or if you want that new shelf clean look, get a little sander and sand the shelves down.

 

[macygray]

I sand my shelves. Works well. Replace them every once in a while.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

I rotate mine out (have several sets) so I can clean them well with vinegar and water and leave them in the sun to dry, sometimes I sand them if they need it as well.

 

[iayla]

I boil water - pour it over the shelves (in my tub) and scrub like crazy. Then disinfect with a 1:10 bleach water solution. I dont put them back into the cage until they are compltely dried, and like Jean Marie mentioned, I try to have at least 2 sets per cage, so they'll have a "new" set while the old one is drying.
~Barb~

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I use hot water with just a tad bit of soap, and bleach. I then rinse them off, and dry. I cheat as well, and sometimes flip the shelves over to make them look like new again!

 

[Chinniechantel]

I like the sanders- quick and easy and the chins think they are new again!

 

[Harleychin]

Somtimes I use 50/50 hot water and vinegar.
Somtimes I use a sander.The sander is quick and they look great after.

 

[alli713]

I wipe mine down with water and vinegar mix and when they start looking really bad I sand them.

If you're worried about bacteria or something you can always bake them in your oven for a while at a lower setting, probably like 250 or so.

 

[amsue0222]

I wipe mine down with water and vinegar mix and when they start looking really bad I sand them.

If you're worried about bacteria or something you can always bake them in your oven for a while at a lower setting, probably like 250 or so.

ooh What a great idea!! I left mine soak in the vinegar and water solution and scrubbed them a bit, but the oven would probably help them dry faster and kill bacteria.

 

[feistychins]

I use vinegar and water. It is non-toxic and works great. We replace shelves, houses, ledges when they are chewed to much.

 

[Cuddlebug]

I use peroxide to clean my chins' shelves. Works great and doesn't leave a residue.

 

[Teekachin]

Ah, just the thread I was looking for!

When I built my cage, I made all the shelves melamine (edges protected, of course). It's time to change them and I don't have quite the time and assistance as before. But, my girls are very much the "pee wherever you happen to be when ya realize ya gotta go" type :banghead: So, I've avoided plain wood shelves up to this point, but...

Thanks for all this info... Light-weight, easy to put in shelves, here I come!