How to Clean a Bar Cage

While bar cages can house a variety of pets, they are most commonly associated with birds. No matter what type of animal you keep in a bar cage, however, they are easy to clean. While mammal debris can easily be cleaned from bar cages, bird waste is a little more difficult to clean. Birds produce large amounts of uric acid in their waste that can stain the cage's bars where the droppings hit and dry. Cages should be lightly cleaned on a daily basis with a more thorough cleaning conducted on a monthly basis -- or as needed.

Things You'll Need

  • Tub/sink
  • Bleach
  • Water
  • Sponge
  • Scrubbing device
  • Dish washing soap
  • White vinegar
  • Cream of tartar
  • Soft, dry cloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the bottom of the cage. Soak the cage bottom and the sides for half an hour in a tub of warm water containing bleach. Use approximately 3 tbsp. of bleach if you are using a sink to soak the cage in or 1/4 cup for soaking in a bath tub. The cage should be submerged at least half way in order to soak properly. Do not forget to flip the cage over to soak the other half as well.

    • 2

      Scrub the cage parts with a sponge with a scrubbing side. You can also use nylon pads made for pot scrubbing. Add a bit of dish washing soap as you scrub. Rinse the cage parts thoroughly with clean water.

    • 3

      Mix a 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar with 2 tbsp. of cream of tartar to form a paste. If the paste is too thin, add more cream of tartar until the paste is the consistency of hand lotion.

    • 4

      Rub the paste onto the uric acid and other stains found on the bars. Let the paste dry. This can take a couple of hours or longer, depending on where you live and the amount of humidity in the air. The more humid it is, the longer it will take for the paste to dry.

    • 5

      Wash the dry paste off the bars or cage bottom. Dry the cage's components with a soft cloth. Reassemble the components and place your pet back inside.

    • 6