We seem to have a lot of you guys reach out for the same issues regarding their guinea pig fleece bed liner that all come back to one simple reason. The issues we mostly hear about are things like lacking in absorbency, shrinkage or your liner starting to smell (YUCK!). Sound like you? We suggest scrolling through this tutorial a bit to pick up some tips!
As always, if you are not a fan of reading, feel free to scroll to the bottom where we will link the Youtube video that explains this process!
Who wants a smelly piggy cage? Isn't that one of the reasons you switched to fleece lining for your guinea pig anyways? Here we will explain our "deep cleaning" method that is sure to keep your liner in the best possible shape and to make sure these things do not happen- and how to fix them.
Let's start by explaining WHY this happens. Well, it can happen because of many reasons, however, the most typical being that there is some sort of heat damage, which is very clear when you look at these images:
All of the wrinkles in the diamond pattern indicate that these liners have been severely damaged by some sort of heat. Both of these guinea pig fleece bed liners have also been shrunk and in result have the wrinkles in their diamond pattern. Heat damage can usually not be fixed.
What we hope the reason you are having issues with is urine or detergent deposits building up or that you are using a fabric softener. We do want to note that some detergents have fabric softeners in them, so of course please make sure this is not the case for you. As for built-up deposits; our liner's bamboo layer is super absorbent. If enough water is not cycling through the liner for whatever reason (like your washer not using enough water during it's cleaning cycle), then urine and detergent could hinder the functionality of your liner.
For the first step, you are going to want to fill up your tub with water. Make sure it at least fills the entirety of the bottom of your tub as it has to fit your liner.
Make sure to flip the pocket inside out to allow the water to pass through it easily.
Make sure to lay the guinea pig fleece bed liner liner completely flat so that none of the bamboo layers is hard for the water to get to. You are going to want to let it soak for a couple hours. Our liner is very absorbent, so we want to make sure it is exposed to all of the build-ups and break it down for it to clean properly. Feel free to squeeze it here or there to encourage built up urine and deposits to escape.
After it is finished soaking, we want to wring out the liner. Please note that the liner will be VERY heavy when it is wet. To prevent any injury to your back and spine, please lift with your legs, not your back.
Lastly, we are going to wash your guinea pig fleece fabric liner like normal. Same settings as in our "Laundry Day" video (link below) and our cleaning blog post. For reference, cold settings only. Cold wash, cold dry, only detergents with no scent or colors and absolutely no fabric softener. If you want something to use as a fabric softener, we recommend using vinegar.
We hope this helps resolve some of the issues you may be facing. For the entirety of the video and for a bit more explanation, check out our Youtube videos on our process!
You can read our other blog post If you want some tips on how to spot clean and wash your GuineaDad Liner.
11 comments
Can I wash more than one fleece together. (I have 7 piggies, 2 cages and 3 liners to be washed at a time.)
So excited for liner . My piggy is spoiled for sure
Hi I was wondering if the liners smell or make you washing machine smell?
Hi, I wanted to know if its safe to use bleach when washing the fleece liners, I’ve noticed that the three I have a few stains that hard to get out. As those spots are in high traffic areas that my piggies like to walk, and play through.
Hi could you tell me how many times a day you feed your piggies the meals you stated once or twice a day Thank you