What kind of detergent does everyone use for rat beds etc?

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September555

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2007
Messages
209
Location
Kansas City, Missouri.
Ok...I posted on other post about my girl Lilys eye, and possible stress/reaction to stuff. It may be her bedding. So I took out the bedding and decided to like the cage with material.

:? I did wash her bed and the house hammock and cube a week or so ago. Now that I have material in the bottom, I will be doing alot more washing of fleece beds, hammocks, cubs and lining etc. Wanted to know what is the best thing to use for a sensitive girl? Detergent wise? I mean...she pees in her bed off and on, and we all know how bad just the stink can be in general....so they of course need washed frequently.

Thanks
Paula
 
I personally use the same detergent that I use for cleaning. I'm not big on scents, I like a nice clean smell so I don't have flowery soap. I was using Gain but I didn't have any problems at all. I don't use liquid fabric softener, I do use unscented sheets for the dryer.
 
I can't remember the brand name at the moment (Arm & Hammer maybe) but I use the environmentally friendly laundry soap that comes in a green bottle. Shopper's Drug Mart also has a brand that's not overly expensive. And use less than normal because rat pee, etc. is very water soluable. Before I do my rattie wash I pre-rinse everything in the laundry tub beside my washer. I just fill it 1/2 way, smoosh the stuff around a bit and wring them out to get most of the pee out before I even put it in my washer.

If I want to wash just a couple of pieces I pre-rinse them and throw them in with my regular wash.

For the dryer I use the spiky blue dryer balls. You can pick them up for $2 at No Frills. They work! I never buy dryer sheets or fabric softener anymore! No scent, no chemicals, no garbage.... they're great!
 
I just use baking soda in the wash. about 1/4 cup baking soda and warm water gets my hammys clean with no soap smells. My poor Misty has had soooo many bad reactions with any soap I use.
And those blue spiked dryer balls are awsome!!!! We grabbed ours at no frills as well but found shortly after that dollarama has them now 2.
 
For sensitive skin/allergies, Dreft. You can get it at Babies R Us, yes its expensive. One of my homecare clients mixes 3 TBsp of Dreft with 2 TBsp of vinegar for her laundry...

My girls just get whatever I have on hand.
 
I too use Arm n Hammer, with vinegar...
as far as how much vinegar I use, I just fill the fabric softner thingy up and it goes into the wash automatically...

not sure if that's how everyone else does it, but it works for me, and my ratty-men all are fine!
Brill, and Toby, Murdoch, and Henry ALL had the sneezies when we first got them, but they were on Aspen, (not sure about brill, and Toby) as soon as I got the fleece, they stopped sneezing...
I find the vinegar helps with the smell, I use it on my bunny towels too!

:heart:
 
I live in an apartment in a small converted century building. Sadly we only have 1 washer/dryer and there is no exhaust off the room, so I have to wash all my rat laundry in the tub... :doh:

I use a big splash or more of vinegar (from the biiig container) :cheeky:
 
Thanks for all the intput everyone.

First off...Zooy, you have a Mike that does the laundry??? Where can I get a Mike that will do MY laundry?? Shoot, does he clean and cook too? If so....I gotta get one...maybe I can find a petstore that has one that needs adopted. :cheeky: Just playin....lol sorta...would be nice to have a Mike around to do laundry. :thumbup:

Secondly, just curious, most of you said something mixed with vinegar, what does the vinegar do? Just help with the smell?

I did line my bottom with fleece, thought the girls would freak, they went down, walked on it, smelled it, laid down, looked around and went about their business. They seem fine with it. So I am gonna try that now instead of the litters and anything else down there. I am curious to see if that may clear up Lilys eye. My girls are pretty clean, they poo in one corner and they use the litter box 80% of the time to pee.
 
Hmmm I've never thought of using vinegar, I will have to try that! I just use the same detergent as we do for our clothers, which changes often but I never have a problem.
 
September555 said:
First off...Zooy, you have a Mike that does the laundry??? Where can I get a Mike that will do MY laundry?? Shoot, does he clean and cook too? If so....I gotta get one...maybe I can find a petstore that has one that needs adopted. :cheeky: Just playin....lol sorta...would be nice to have a Mike around to do laundry. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Mikes only do laundry, they don't cook or clean but it saves me from having to drag the laundry up and down 3 flights of stairs.
 

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