Cleaning a bird cage is an important exercise that should be conducted frequently. By cleaning your bird cage often, you will be able to keep the enclosure safe and comfortable for the birds to live in. Bird cages that are regularly and properly cleaned will always feel more conducive and appealing. Besides, bird cage cleaning can also help in preventing a series of health risks that usually result from unhygienic structures. On the other hand, bird cage cleaning can also go a long way in preserving the condition of the enclosure for longevity.
Cleaning a bird cage usually involves various activities and should touch on all the parts, components and accessories. The following are basic guidelines on how to clean your bird cage;
Have all the bird cage cleaning supplies at hand
The first step towards proper bird cage cleaning is obtaining the cleaning equipment and supplies. For an easier time, you should simply buy a complete bird cage cleaning kit, which contains all the requirements for the procedure including, cleaning cloths, bird cage disinfectant, scrubbing brush, cage wipes among others. Besides, you will also need clean water and garbage bin for emptying the wastes removed from the enclosure.
Relocate the birds, bird cage toys and accessories to a safer place
Before you start cleaning the bird cage, it is also important to remove the birds from the enclosure to a safer place, preferably a clean enclosure. This will give you freedom of cleaning the structure properly and fast. Besides, you should also remove all the toys and accessories inside the bird cage to give space for effective cleaning.
Remove seeds, bird droppings and all lose dirt
Loose waste and dirt from bird cages should always be swept away before applying water or disinfectant. In fact, you should also dust off any particles of dirt or debris to prepare the surfaces of the enclosure for proper cleaning. In case there are some hardened waste, you should use a scrubbing brush to carefully peel them off without scratching the surfaces of the bird cage.
Apply hot soapy water and disinfectant
After preparing the surfaces, you should then apply hot soapy water and thoroughly scrub the entire structure. You can simply pour water onto the structure, dip it in a tub or use a hand-held spray to apply the hot soapy water. When doing this, always be very keen not to damage any delicate parts and components. Carefully rinse the bird cage with clean water.
In order to effectively drive out bacteria and other germs from the surfaces of the bird cage, you should also apply a disinfectant. This can also be done by spraying the solutions onto the structure or dipping it in the disinfectant. After this process, you should also once again rinse the bird cage thoroughly in clean water.
Leave the bird cage to dry completely
Putting your birds back in without drying the bird cage can cause discomfort, health conditions and also attract germs. The best way to dry your bird cage is leaving it in the sun. However, you can also use other techniques. Despite the drying method, always make sure that the structure is completely dry before it is used.
Dust, scrub and disinfect the bird cage toys and accessories
As the bird cage dries, you should also clean the toys and accessories used in the enclosure. Before disinfecting the toys and accessories, make sure that they are properly dusted and scrubbed to remove any droppings or waste stuck on the surfaces. Once this is done, you should also dip them in disinfectant and rinse thoroughly. Besides, the bird cage toys and accessories should also be air dried before putting them back into the cage.
However, it should be noted that there are some bird cage accessories that do not require cleaning like, liners. These are simply tossed in the garbage can and replaced with fresh ones.
Clean the areas around the bird cage
The last step in bird cage cleaning should be cleaning the surrounding areas including, the floors and walls. This is important in preventing any forms of dirt that could easily find their way back into the enclosure after cleaning.
Depending on the condition of your bird cage, habits of your birds and the environment, bird cage cleaning can either be done daily, weekly, monthly or as frequent as you wish.