Fleece vs Bath Mats...?

Guinea Newbie

Guinea Newbie

Junior Guinea Pig
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After carting out the latest bag of wood shavings after a cage clean last night my husband has finally agreed to fleece/bathmats! He’s been very against using fleece as he doesn’t like the idea of it being washed in the machine! Apparently every time he goes to the tip they ask how many Guinea pigs we have 😂! Maybe I am being too diligent on the cleaning front!

Anyway, he’s agreed we can switch and after people raving about bathmats I thought i’d try them rather than fleece. But, what do those who have used both prefer? I was going to get the Ikea mats, but would love to hear what people’s thoughts are. Was thinking if there are 3-4 mats in the cage I can just switch out and wash the wettest one every 3 days or so and the whole cage weekly. There is a definite area in our cage that gets very wet.
Thanks
 
I use a mix of fleece and bath mats. The beauty of bath mats is that when you shake them outside less hair and hay sticks to them than does to fleece. So I use them in the heavier traffic areas where the hay trays are.
However both fleece and mats need really to be washed in a horse wash bag at 60 degrees to kill off bacteria or they will smell and harbour bacteria for potential infections. Mats are heavier in the machine when wet so I believe you have to weigh that up when considering your washing machine load. But overall they are good to use and the piggies seem happy to lie on them
 
I use cage liners and have a couple of the ikea bathmats. I agree the hay does not stick to the bathmats and they're easily shaken. However i feel you'd need to put something under them that's absorbent, ie towels, washable bed mats, puppy pads, newspapers.
 
I use both. The mats sit on top of the fleece and it does help in that I can go longer before changing the fleece - mats can be changed out mid week.
 
I use 2 bath mats (wood shavings/hay in other areas & puppy pads underneath) but it does save money & is easier to clean. I shake the mats off every night over the back fence & launder once a week (unless they need changing sooner) in a laundry bag along with any other fleece/towels etc I've used for extra warmth (mine live in a shed).

I can only imagine what my neighbours think I'm doing in the dark waving my mats around with a head torch on 😂😂

Main thing is- the mats work for sure!
 
I use both in our c & c cage... I have fleece liners then bath mats on top.. I prefer the bath mats on top as the hay does not stick so much... I have 5 in ours and I can wash these in one go in the washer in a horse wash bag... the fleece HAS to go to the launderette - also in a wash bag - as my washer can not cope with the weight.. I use the IKEA bath mats which are nice and soft and I never really feel a wet area.. I change the top layer twice a week and the under layers of fleece will last for 2 weeks now.
 
Just a question to all of you who use fleece/bathmats etc. Don't you find your washing machine starts to smell? I only wash little bits of vetbed, that go in the pet carriers, in my washing machine. They are only used for that trip to vets and then washed, but I am having to do a few empty cycles to get rid of the smell! I really hate it and feel my clothes don't smell clean, if I don't do those empty washes in between washing the guinea pig stuff and my own washing.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Just a question to all of you who use fleece/bathmats etc. Don't you find your washing machine starts to smell? I only wash little bits of vetbed, that go in the pet carriers, in my washing machine. They are only used for that trip to vets and then washed, but I am having to do a few empty cycles to get rid of the smell! I really hate it and feel my clothes don't smell clean, if I don't do those empty washes in between washing the guinea pig stuff and my own washing.
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Not that I have noticed... gonna go sniff it now..as just done bath mats .. 90 degree wash with white vinegar....
 
Yes a bit but moreso on the mats themselves, i mostly do them at 90 so its probably the heat & residue smells but sometimes there are hairs which get left behind. I wipe the machine inside afterwards with a cloth & window cleaning spray & that does the trick.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Although in saying that, I don't think the vetbed smells, I think my washing machine smells!
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I don't know if it's going to be frowned upon but I use "laundry cleanser" in the softener drawer of my machine. The liners smell lovely. And I also wash at 60 degrees. I don't think it smells.
 
I use white vinegar in the softner compartment in the machine drawer and it doesn't smell. Surprisingly the fleece doesn't smell of vinegar either which was a worry the first time I did it! My old washing machine used to smell but I think that was the machine, if I didn't remember to pull the drawer out and clean under it often enough it went mouldy.
 
I’ve got a pretty old washing machine (please don’t break now I’m talking about you!), not sure how it copes as I wash all of my piggy bedding on a 90, feel bad but only way it’s doesnt still have a fusty smell! Did the same with ratty hammocks etc too. I wash nicer tunnels for pigs on a lower temp but have found it’s the only thing that got the pong out!
I might have to give the vinegar a go as I’ve been reading lots of others use it with good results.
 
I don’t think ours smells...I’ll check when I go downstairs. I generally do a 60c wash except for the mats which I tend to wash at 40c. I always add vinegar in the softener drawer.

What does laundry cleanser do?
 
Just had a peruse myself as I'm all for making life easier! Looks like an antibacterial liquid that makes clothes fresher at lower temps....sounds good! I'll give that a try as I dont like washing at 90
 
Thank you all for the advice. I think bath mats will be the way to go with it for us, with an absorbent layer underneath. Where do you get the laundry bags from? As I right I’m thinking people use horse wash bags?

Yes - laundry cleanser is like disinfectant for laundry. Dettol made one and now the supermarkets have their own brands. It’s supposed to kill off bacteria if you do a cooler wash (I suppose less than 60). I use it very occasionally if one of the children has been sick on something that can’t go on a hot wash. Some people put it in every wash.
 
Guinea Newbie said:
Thank you all for the advice. I think bath mats will be the way to go with it for us, with an absorbent layer underneath. Where do you get the laundry bags from? As I right I’m thinking people use horse wash bags?

Yes - laundry cleanser is like disinfectant for laundry. Dettol made one and now the supermarkets have their own brands. It’s supposed to kill off bacteria if you do a cooler wash (I suppose less than 60). I use it very occasionally if one of the children has been sick on something that can’t go on a hot wash. Some people put it in every wash.
Click to expand...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=moorla...&sprefix=Moorland+,aps,143&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_9
 
Not sniffed and now I’m upstairs I can’t be bothered to go down!
 
i use napisan/or laundry cleanser in the wash.i also use Halo sports wash occasionally it is non bio,has properties to kill fungal,bacteria.i buy this from sainsburys £4.00.you can buy this online but i found it is more expensive !
 
Does anyone tried to use Diatomite Mat under Fleece instead of Pee Pads? Thanks
 
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