Cleaning a cage that you can't reach farthest corners?

[katlovesaandw]

Ok, issue with new cage.
It does not come apart, it is a solid piece unless I break it. And it has 4 dish doors, 2 small doors and 1 door on the end but that is about 9 x13.
Not big enough to put upper 1/2 of body in to reach far corner and too small for my tall boys to reach across with their long arms as their shoulder doesn't fit.

CRUD!

And with bottom tray out, it is still not wide enough for an arm to get under.

I have tried it all..... I cannot clean the back corner without something.
I am thinking of rubberbanding some rags with cleaner on them to a yard stick and trying it that way.

Any other ideas? Anyone bought a cage and then realized deep cleaning of it is impossible?

[katlovesaandw]

It is 2 ft. deep x 3 ft. wide x 4 ft. high for the cage itself.

[katlovesaandw]

And the only "large" door....the 9 x 13 one is on the end... not in the middle like it SHOULD be. If it was...then I would have easier time to reach everything.

[jonvill]

I bought a long handled brush to clean my outdoor cage.
I found it at the dollar store!

[katlovesaandw]

Good idea! Now I am really wishing we had just did the pressure washer.... might have removed some paint but it would be cleaner....

[Airlyn]

In the fish section at the pet store (or online) you can find aquarium algae scrubbers. They are scrub brushes on a handle for cleaning algae off of glass. Maybe that would work?

[katlovesaandw]

Good idea too Airlyn!
I am just upset that I didn't think about this earlier..... I still would have bought the cage as it was a great deal but....

[lovezebs]

Bummer!
Is there any way of taking out the tray and popping in there from underneath?
The only other way I can think of is as already mentioned, a long handled brush or mop of some sort. Do you have it inside already? If was still outside, I would say, scrub with mop or brush and hose down ( weather permitting). Inside a little more difficult and much messier. I still wouldn't recomend the power washer

I wish I could offer something more helpful.

[katlovesaandw]

Nope it is inside and as heavy and bulky as it is...not going out.
Cant remove tray and go under from that way. Solid bottom underneath. It is a freaking solid cage which is nice. No worries about dogs or cat getting to it.

I got it clean. Took me whole 2 hours of naptime today. I will be buying a brush or something like that for future cleanings.

Using the extender handle from the dustbuster type vacuum taped to my regular small scrub brush and then to a rag after that to wipe down the loosened crud....not fun but it is clean.

[Nerien]

Mentioning your dustbuster thing made me think of a possibility. We have a small shop vac, it's got about a one or two gallon capacity, cost about $29 at Home Depot or Sears (we've had more than one over the years). If you had something like this, after scrubbing/knocking the crud loose, you could shove the hose inside and suck the crud out, helping it along with a spray bottle of water. If you used this with birds in the cage, you would want to make some sort of guard over the end, and be really really careful, however, have heard of people vacuuming up a little bird who flew too close to the end in a panic.

BTW, That little shop vac is the greatest. Cleans up any kind of crud, wet or dry or inbetween. Dog or cats do something gross on the rug--suck it up, dump lots of water on the area while sucking it right up, vacuum it until nearly dry, no stains, no smelly spots, good as new. A carpet cleaner guy taught us this little trick. Turns out he put himself out of a job in doing so.

[lovezebs]

What a grand idea.

Have to get me one of those. Living as I do, with all my aminals, it would be just the thing. Thanks Ruth.

Kat... You go girl. You did it! Even if it was a pain in the butt. Strange plan for a cage though. My flight has has 8 doors. On the front, there is a large door in the bottom with a little door inside of the big one. Then on the sides, there are two small doors in the bottom and two in the top. And at the back, there is a large door at the top, with a small door in the middle of the big one. That way, you can reach all corners .

Anyway Im glad you managed. Let us know the day of the big move and how it goes.

[katlovesaandw]

I will!
And I agree on the doors. It has 7 but 6 are small. 4 for dishes, 2 for access but both are maybe 5 x 8 it that. And then then 1 large(HAHA) door that is 9 x 13 but it out on end. The tray slides out but can't access much of the cage via that. The cabinet underneath is solid so no access there.

Great that it is a solid cage BUT.....

Adding branches tomorrow. Will hit dollar store for some ivy garlands. Transfer nest baskets, etc. and then.... we will move the gang.

Today is painting the board for the top...if I am lucky. Full house of stinker preschoolers.... so we will see.

[lovezebs]

This is so exciting! I can just imagine the reaction of the kids when they get into their new home. Oh boy, oh boy....

[katlovesaandw]

I know! It is 4.26 x bigger than the cage I just bought them and I figure about 8x bigger than the cage they came in. They have room to flit and fly in the cage they are in now compared to what they came in. I can't wait to see them zoom all over in this new GIANT cage!!!

AND I have space with that cabinet underneath to store all their food, the rat food, the cat food and get it out of my kitchen cupboards or laying all over.

Plus with the board on top, I have more room for storing things!!