How to Get Rid of Guinea Pig Urine Smell
Keeping guinea pigs as pets is great. That is until they start to smell. At this point, it can become a little off-putting. But, for the most part, the most common cause of stench from the cage is the result of urine.
So, how do you get rid of guinea pig urine smell?The best way to remove foul urine odors from your guinea pig cage is with a deep clean. Removing bedding, lining, and accessories, thoroughly spraying the cage/area down with a pet-safe disinfectant before replacing is a useful approach. Cage granules and air purifiers are other strategies to try.
We'll be looking into a complete how-to guide to removing guinea pig urine shortly.
But that is the gist of it.
Whatever you decide to do, putting your guinea pig somewhere else during any cleaning is essential.
This will keep them safe and away from any product or chemicals that could otherwise do them harm.
One other thing to consider here is the odor itself.
How strong is it?
Has it got worse?
Is it particularly fishy?
The reason I ask is that your guinea pig's urine can say a lot about their health.
Strong smelling urinecan be anindicator of a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) and may require support from a vet.
This is something to consider definitely; perhaps even investigate.
Nevertheless, with this caveat now in place, let us now look at the step-by-step guide to removing guinea pig urine as fast as possible.
Contents
- 1 How To Get Rid Of Guinea Pig Urine Smell
- 1.1 Step #1: Place Your Guinea Pig In A Safe Place
- 1.2 Step #2: Remove Bedding
- 1.3 Step #3: Remove And Wash Any Fleeces/Towels, Toys and Accessories
- 1.4 Step #4: Disinfect The Cage
- 1.5 Step #5: Place Some Cage Granules Into The Bottom Of The Cage
- 1.6 Step #8: Replace The Bedding
- 1.7 Step #9: Replace Your Guinea Pig!
- 1.8 Step #10: Consider An Air Purifier
- 2 Finally
- 3 Related Questions
- 3.1 Can I Put Baking Soda In My Guinea Pig Cage?
How To Get Rid Of Guinea Pig Urine Smell
Guinea pig urine can be particularly smelly, especially if the urine has a chance to build up or is not quickly removed.
Whether it is in the cage, a fleece or an area in which they may have been; thankfully there is a simple process you can follow to remove any odors.
Let us now walk through it:
Step #1: Place Your Guinea Pig In A Safe Place
First and foremost, you will want to move your guinea pig to a safe place; this could be another cage, or it could even be in an enclosed pen in your home.
The reason for doing this is to keep your guinea pig safe from any product, while at the same time allowing you to clean deeply on the affected area.
Just be sure that you place your guinea pig on a surface that could collect urine if they did need to go while you did clean.
For instance, you wouldn't want them to urinate on your carpet – or this process will start all over again!
This is why pens that have a washable base/floor are ideal. This one is a great example on Amazon and one to get if you are in the market.
Step #2: Remove Bedding
Next up, you will need to remove any bedding that you have in the cage (if this is the area in which you are cleaning, which is likely).
Soiled bedding is perhaps the most likely cause of foul odors from the cage.
So, you will need to collect up all the bedding whether this is shavings or paper.
This should be disposed of and quickly removed from your home (through the appropriate means and channels).
You'll also want to remove any disposable liners you may have, like puppy pads (for instance).
Step #3: Remove And Wash Any Fleeces/Towels, Toys and Accessories
At this stage, remove any fleeces, towels, or anything else within the cage.
These will need to be washed and dried before they can be replaced.
For fleeces and liners, be sure to use a small amount of white vinegar along with a pet-safe laundry detergent.
Vinegar is known to take foul odors out of the fleece and will reduce the number of times you will need to put them through the washing machine!
Baking soda is another particularly effective solution.
When it comes to cleaning toys, be sure to use a guinea pig safe product, such as this best-seller on Amazon.
You should also use it to clean the cage/area in the next step so be sure to get a bottle!
Kaytee Clean Cage Habitat Deodorizer Spray, 16 Ounce
- Fresh smelling formula safely cleans and deodorizes cages for fast acting and long lasting results
- Safe to use for small animal habitats
- Regular use of Clean Cage will contribute to the quality care your pet needs and deserves
- Medium size 16-ounce easy to hold bottle has trigger pump action
Step #4: Disinfect The Cage
It's time to pair on a pair of marigolds and get ready for scrubbing.
Run some luke-warm water in a bowl and add a little washing-up liquid.
From here you are going to want to wipe down all of the cage.
Spraying the cage or area with a safe deodorizer/disinfectant simultaneously is a particularly effective approach.
Be sure to wipe down, and spray, all areas, including right in the corners.
You are going to need to leave the cage to air dry so be sure not to get it too wet or add too much water during this process.
Step #5: Place Some Cage Granules Into The Bottom Of The Cage
Once the cage is all dry, you can look to start replacing all the items.
But first, start with some cage granules.
These are the ones to buy from Amazon.
Granules will help to break down any future guinea pig urine and odors going forward.
Step #7: Replace Lining
This could be newspaper, your washed and dried fleece, or even puppy pads.
These should be laid over the granules.
Step #8: Replace The Bedding
At this stage, you'll need to put fresh bedding down.
There is a range of odor controlling bedding that you should consider here.
This should help to remove any urine smells going forward and should reduce the need for the next cleaning by up to two weeks.
Kaytee Clean & Cozy Extreme Odor Control Bedding
- Absorbs 6x its weight in liquid
- 99.9% dust-free for a cleaner cage
- Safe and comfortable
- Neutralizes odor for a fresh, clean cage
- Ideal for guinea pigs, rabbits, Syrian hamsters, dwarf hamsters, gerbils, and chinchillas
Step #9: Replace Your Guinea Pig!
It's time for your guinea pig to be returned to their new clean, fresh and pleasant-smelling home!
Step #10: Consider An Air Purifier
Lastly, you could consider an air purifier for the room where the cage is kept.
This will help to minimize any odors that will arise.
Besides, they also help to remove any dust and dander that your guinea pig will release into the atmosphere.
It actually makes the air quality considerably better for both you and your guinea pig.
This 5-stage filter is undoubtedly the one to buy from Amazon.
Finally
Guinea pig urine does smell, but with a consistent effort to keep the cage clean – you'll certainly be able to keep any foul odors at bay.
And ensuring that the bedding and the lining effectively absorbs any urine is essential here.
So it may even mean a bit of additional investment and replacement of some of the items you already have.
On top of this, be sure to conduct regular spot cleans.
Daily, or every other day can be useful here.
Replacing liners in as little as 3 days will ensure that any urine cannot collect, build up, and begin to smell.
At the same time, air purifiers can help combat the odor from the outside, and generally increase the air quality.
But before we finish up today, do consider these things.
- Have your guinea pigs diet changed?
- Have they chewed on anything that they should not have had?
- Does your guinea pig show signs of a UTI or other infection (blood in the urine, straining or crying when urinating, weight loss, lethargy, or lack of appetite).
These are all things to consider.
Very foul-smelling odor could indicate a problem.
And contacting a vet is not always a bad idea.
At least to rule it out.
So, if you do notice that even after your extensive efforts to clean the cage and remove the odor if it returns with a vengeance – be sure to seek further veterinary help!
Can I Put Baking Soda In My Guinea Pig Cage?
You should not put baking soda in your guinea pig cage. First and foremost, baking soda is a lung irritant to these rodents, likely to cause irritation to their sensitive respiratory systems. Secondly, baking soda can cause intestinal bloating and digestive upset if ingested.
I am a practiced pet owner with decades of experience owning a number of different pets. I am also the main writer and chief editor here at Pet Educate; a site I created to share everything I've learned about pet ownership over the years and my extensive research along the way.
How to Get Rid of Guinea Pig Urine Smell
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