Things You'll Need
- Slotted hand shovel
- Rubber gloves
- Cage bedding
- Bleach
- Vinegar
- Spray bottle
- Buckets
- Washcloths
Instructions
Clean spills, shed skin, urates and feces daily. Sift out the urates and feces with a slotted hand shovel and discard it in the trash.
Remove cage bedding, so you can clean and disinfect the entire cage. This should be done weekly.
Take out the items in the cage and wash them thoroughly in hot water and soap. Then rinse with clean water. To disinfect, use a mixture of one part bleach and 16 parts water -- 1 cup to 1 gallon. Spray the mixture on the surface and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse with clean water. Disinfecting helps to kill, or minimize viruses, bacteria and fungal growth. Cleaning is not the same as disinfecting.
Use a vinegar solution to naturally neutralize odors. A ratio of one part vinegar to three parts warm water should be sufficient. Spray a vinegar solution on the cage items and cage. Wipe dry or let it air dry thoroughly.
Place new bedding in the cage. Opt for a vinyl or newspaper lining instead. These do not soak up smells as easily. Discard any carpet pieces that you may have placed in the lizard cage. These will soak up and hold unwanted odors.
Clean around the lizard cage. Open the windows to get a fresh air flow. Vacuum the carpet and wash anything you can in the immediate area. This may cut down on unwanted odors.