Am I the last one to learn this? The power of vinegar in cleaning cages?

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Teejay

Teejay

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Hi all

I bet this is a case of "teaching your grandmother to suck eggs" but I was mooching a rabbit forum yesterday, and I found a thread about methods of removing urine scale from cages/litter trays. I've tried everything over the years......wallpaper scrapers, scourers, blunt knives, brillo pads, all sorts of cleaners, bleaches, disinfectants, loads of elbow grease, etc....nothing really works :{

But.....drum roll......this thread I found suggested using hot vinegar to get rid.....and do you know, it only blimming well works! Yay! Just heat it up on the stove (stinks a bit though!) and then pour it on, leave it to stand for a few minutes (til it cools) and then just tip it out and rinse, hey presto!

Try it - you'll be gobsmacked! My cages (especially the Ferplast ones with the horrible hatched bottom) are sparkling!

Tracey x
 
Wow thanks tracey, do you have to scrub at it afterwards or does it literally clean it off with no hard work?
 
Ive heard of white vinegar being good but didnt know you needed to heat it, i will try it as i was planning on buying more correx for my kitchen area (i dont get any marks where i have cageliners) thanks for posting
 
I read the same tip and it really does work. I had a very badly urine stained litter tray after a recent pair bunnies hols and the hot vinegar took off every single mark, no scrubbing required:) I have used vinegar for years, but always cold. Give it a go folks, it really is brilliant. I warmed my vinegar in the microwave but you can also do it in a pan on the hob.
 
It's a chemical reaction that occurs. As long as there is enough vinegar to react with the calcium deposits it will miraculously disappear. Heating it helps the reaction to happen quicker. Science is amazing! :{
 
4piggiepigs said:
Ive heard of white vinegar being good but didnt know you needed to heat it, i will try it as i was planning on buying more correx for my kitchen area (i dont get any marks where i have cageliners) thanks for posting
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Hiya, like RabbitFan said, I think the heating of the vinegar justs speeds up the process. I'm all for speeding up processes! LOL! xx>>>
 
RabbitFan said:
It's a chemical reaction that occurs. As long as there is enough vinegar to react with the calcium deposits it will miraculously disappear. Heating it helps the reaction to happen quicker. Science is amazing! :{
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Science really is amazing, and every day's a school day!
 
PS: White vinegar with a bit of lemon juice (for smell) is equally good for cleaning your fridge. White vinegar with a bit bicarbonate soda does wonders for your bathroom tiles!

My problem is getting hold of it. I can't see much in the supermarket that is not flavoured for pickling!
 
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Teejay said:
Hi all

Try it - you'll be gobsmacked! My cages (especially the Ferplast ones with the horrible hatched bottom) are sparkling!

Tracey x
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Whoever designed the bottom of those cages should be shot, its a nightmare to get clean! Have used cold vinegar but will try heating it up. Can never get it spotless.
 
Saysie said:
Whoever designed the bottom of those cages should be shot, its a nightmare to get clean! Have used cold vinegar but will try heating it up. Can never get it spotless.
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Agreed! Awful aren't they? I suppose I can see some logic in having a hatched bottom, but like you say, they're a nightmare to keep clean!
 
Wiebke said:
PS: White vinegar with a bit of lemon juice (for smell) is equally good for cleaning your fridge. White vinegar with a bit bicarbonate soda does wonders for your bathroom tiles!

My problem is getting hold of it. I can't see much in the supermarket that is not flavoured for pickling!
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Thanks for the tips; I also use vinegar in water to clean my windows (once in a blue moon - I hate cleaning windows :{) - they come up a treat!
 
When introducing a new piggy i wiped cage down with lemon juice and that helped get rid of the wee stains and made my piggy house smell lovely. Might try vinegar and see if it has a better effect, doubt it'll smell as nice though :p
 
I use white vinegar to clean out my piggies cage, though usually cold. It gets rid of the stains perfectly. If the piggies have been holidaying at my sister's or my mum's place when we are away I add a little hot water to the vinegar to give their holiday cage a good clean down. It's great stuff, even if the house smells a bit like a chip shop afterwards. ;):))

Wiebke said:
PS: White vinegar with a bit of lemon juice (for smell) is equally good for cleaning your fridge. White vinegar with a bit bicarbonate soda does wonders for your bathroom tiles!

My problem is getting hold of it. I can't see much in the supermarket that is not flavoured for pickling!
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Great tips, must try those. Though I've just given my fridge a major clean out yesterday. mallethead (Using Dextox.)

Teejay said:
Thanks for the tips; I also use vinegar in water to clean my windows (once in a blue moon - I hate cleaning windows :{) - they come up a treat!
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It's great for leaving windows streak free. I dry them off with a rub down using newspaper to leave them sparkling.... Though at the moment you wouldn't think it looking at my living room window: The dogs like to do some "nose painting" whilst watching what's going on in the street. rolleyes
 
I use white vinegar loads for cleaning and its fab!

Gets soap scum off the shower door, cleans windows, cleans washing machines (when poured into the drum and then the machine put on a 90 degree wash).

Its generally best used when you add a small amount to a bowl of warm water.

It can also get rid of nasty smells so it does work brilliantly on animal cages and no nasty chemicals. Just use sparingly otherwise everything smells like a chippie :))
 
claire8234 said:
I use white vinegar loads for cleaning and its fab!

Gets soap scum off the shower door, cleans windows, cleans washing machines (when poured into the drum and then the machine put on a 90 degree wash).Its generally best used when you add a small amount to a bowl of warm water.

It can also get rid of nasty smells so it does work brilliantly on animal cages and no nasty chemicals. Just use sparingly otherwise everything smells like a chippie :))
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I use it like that just after I've washed out the dogs' beds. We have a leaky lurcher here who occasionally leaks on her beds, so a dash of it in the wash with her bed gets it smelling much better.
 
Well, white vinegar sounds like a wonder product! I'm definitely going to use it in my washing machine.....now, just need to get to ASDA to stock up! LOL!
 
I use common or garden brown malt vinegar at 13p a bottle to do litter trays. It doesn't have to be the white stuff :(|). If I was cleaning something that might absorb the product and stain, then I'd use the white vinegar.
 
Yup, popped to ASDA and got myself 4 bottles of the 13p brown vinegar - it's only for the plastic cage bottoms, so it won't stain.
 
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