3 Easy Homemade Cage Cleaners

Owning a pet means lots of cleaning. A lot of cleaners are expensive and not all are safe for our pets. To help you out, we've compiled a list of alternative cleaners that are safe for animals and as a bonus - you can make them yourself!

Comment below which method you prefer and let us know about other homemade cleaners that we can add to this list!

Grapefruit Seed Extract

• Rich in essential oils and antioxidants
• Contains potent compounds that can kill more than 60 types of bacteria and yeasts
• Kills bacteria by breaking down their outer membranes, causing them to burst open after just 15 minutes of exposure
• Kills yeast cells by causing apoptosis, a process in which cells self-destruct

What you Need:

• Spray bottle
• liquid grapefruit seed extract
• water

For Cages:

• Mix 30 to 60 drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract with 32 oz of water

For Wood Perches and Toys:

• Apply a few drops of GSE to the cleaned wood while still wet. Let stand for half an hour before rinsing

For Handfeeding Supplies:

• To sterilize syringes, pipettes, spoons, and other handfeeding utensils, make a solution of 15 to 30 drops of GSE per pint of water. Soak between feedings

For Baby Birds:

• To disinfect towels and cloths used for baby parrots, add 30 to 50 drops to the wash cycle, or add 10 to 15 drops of GSE to the final rinse to ensure that the laundry is free of fungi and bacteria.

Vinegar & Water

• Vinegar is a natural by-product of plant fermentation
• Very effective at breaking down moulds, grease, and bacteria
• The acidity of vinegar also serves as a mild antiseptic that hinders the growth of some bacteria

What you need:

• 50% White vinegar
• 50% water

Lemon Juice & Baking Soda

• Lemon juice contains natural enzymes that act as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and help break down organic material
• Do not put the mixture in a previously used spray bottle
• make a new batch for each use
• Rinse the surface with water after using mixture

What you need:

• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• baking soda
• lemon juice

What to do:

• Mix together 3 cups hot water, 3 tablespoons baking soda and 3 tablespoons lemon juice.