Fleece: adding an extra interior coroplast bottom piece

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Lucille

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I'm always looking for ways to clean faster and better, because I would rather spend my time watching and enjoying the piggies.
A few weeks ago when I was switching over to fleece from shavings, I decided to buy an extra coroplast sheet for the bottom of each of my 2 story C&Cs. It has no sides and it it meant to clip the fleece and other layers (absorbent layer, waterproof pad)to.
The flatter and more taut fleece is, the easier it is to vacuum. Plus, there is an added benefit for the lower level: on one long side I've fixed it so the grids can be folded up in one piece, and I did not tape the coroplast on that side. This means I can reach in. unclip the soiled bedding that is clipped to the coroplast piece, roll it up and remove it, and then actually slide out that extra coroplast piece. It then can be wiped down and (I have a top on my cage) placed on the top of the cage, and be easily made up with the layers clipped to it, and then slid back in the cage fully made up. This is considerably more easy that trying to work in the lower level itself.

I found a vendor on Ebay that was selling large two inch bulldog clips and I bought 5 boxes (60 clips). They are immensely useful for clipping piggy bedding and also make cheap clips to seal potato chip bags and the like in the kitchen, so it was a worthwhile purchase.
 
I saw those, and thought they were a good idea, but they are all sewn and in smaller pieces. The way I do mine with the one piece of coroplast is to me, easier and faster and not sewn. And when I unclip, the layers come apart and are easy to wash. I have to pay particular care when vacuuming along the edges since poop tends to get lodged there, I imagine if one had 3 or 4 pieces that problem would be magnified. But both the flippers and my one piece take advantage of the concept that fleece pulled tight is much, much easier to clean and vacuum.
 
Lucille said:
I saw those, and thought they were a good idea, but they are all sewn and in smaller pieces. The way I do mine with the one piece of coroplast is to me, easier and faster and not sewn. And when I unclip, the layers come apart and are easy to wash. I have to pay particular care when vacuuming along the edges since poop tends to get lodged there, I imagine if one had 3 or 4 pieces that problem would be magnified. But both the flippers and my one piece take advantage of the concept that fleece pulled tight is much, much easier to clean and vacuum.
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Yeah I thought the whole cutting and sewing into small pillow cases looked a bit too difficult for me :))

I like your idea though, seems much easier, might have to steal it ;)
 
I'd love for you to use the idea. I think one of the reasons people get frustrated with using fleece is the daily cleaning. And I can see that it would take much more time if the bedding was just sitting there and not pulled tight somehow. People already do that by putting bricks and whatnot on the edges. But the extra coroplast piece and bulldog clip idea is so inexpensive and easy.
 
Lucille said:
I'd love for you to use the idea. I think one of the reasons people get frustrated with using fleece is the daily cleaning. And I can see that it would take much more time if the bedding was just sitting there and not pulled tight somehow. People already do that by putting bricks and whatnot on the edges. But the extra coroplast piece and bulldog clip idea is so inexpensive and easy.
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Yeah as much as I love fleece I find it really difficult to sweep up daily as the fleece catches on the brush and gets pulled around the cage! I am sure using a hoover would send it up the hose a bit lol. Having it stretched out and secured would mean it would stay in one place while you are doing all of that :)
 
My latest timesaver find: I use a waterproof pad and then layers of cotton diapers, and then the fleece on top. I found that the several layers of diapers were heavy enough so that I could just tuck the fleece (which I cut about 6 inches bigger than the coroplast piece), under the coroplast, and it stays tucked. The only place I need clips is at the ramp entrance from the second floor to the first floor.
 
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