11.13.2013

4 Easy Steps to Preparing Fleece for Your Guinea Pig

Article 4 of 7 from Guinea Pig 101: Fleece Bedding Guide.

4 Easy Steps to Preparing Fleece for Your Guinea Pig. Guinea pig Poof sleeping in a fleece cozy

Fleece requires a small amount of preparation before it can be used as bedding in your guinea pig's cage. Here's why:

New fleece has a protective barrier that causes liquid to pool on the surface. The prewashing process breaks down that barrier, allowing moisture to pass through. However, certain treatments such as fabric softener can restore that barrier.

Fleece is not ready to be used as bedding in guinea pig cage when liquid remains pooled on the surface.
Liquid pooling on the surface indicates the fleece needs another wash.

Sounds complicated? Not at all! Follow the steps below for a hassle-free experience.


INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Load your fleece into the laundry machine, add detergent, and wash in hot water. Remember not to use any fabric softener!

  2. Dry the fleece after washing. Do not use dryer sheets.

  3. Repeat 3-5 times.

  4. Once the fleece has dried, test to see if it is ready by placing it over your chosen absorbent material (towels or furniture pads are well suited for this purpose). Pour water on it.
    • If liquid pools on the surface instead of sinking through, repeat Steps 1 & 2 before testing again. It can take anywhere from 3-7 cycles before the fleece is ready to be used as bedding.
    • If the water flows through the fleece it is ready to be used in your guinea pig's cage. 
It's that easy!

29 comments:

  1. That's why I keep getting suckered by cute critter fabrics haha! And pillows.. and centerpieces... along with an assortment of other adorable things I don't need. Sigh. Well, at least I can justify a pair of cute hedgies for the dryer!

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  2. I know, right?! Why use boring old blue Bounce-brand balls when you can have *more* cute critters in your life?!

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  3. Yeah that's why I always check a new set before using it for the first time. Sometimes they're good to go after 3 washes, at other times they need another wash or two. Must avoid giving extra piggy baths when possible!


    My gosh those hedgies are the cutest! I'll have to pick some up the next time I'm near a World Market :)

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  4. Aww I love your cute feet Poof :)

    I remember the first time I put one of my pigs on fresh new fleece for a photo op...and she was soon swimming in a pool of pee because it pooled on the surface - ew! I usually pre-wash 3 times before making my cage liners.

    You can also use plain white vinegar as a fabric "softener" to make the towels & fleece softer without ruining the moisture-wicking abilities. Then I use dryer balls (these super duper adorable hedgie-shaped ones from World Market! http://www.worldmarket.com/product/hedgehog+dryer+balls%2C+set+of+2.do?&from=fn) which helps remove a lot of the static from the fleece while in the dryer.

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  5. Hi, if you suspect signs of illness it is best to see a vet. Guinealynx has great tips for finding a cavy knowledgeable exotics vet as well as a list by state: http://www.guinealynx.info/vet.html

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  6. i need help one of my pigs pee and its like really cloudly im sure she drinks water but im not sure if its normal its like a puddle beacause i dont put a towel under their play pen

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  7. I spot clean with a handheld pet vacuum daily, change out the "kitchen area" underneath their hay rack every 2-3 days, and do a full cage change every 5 days. It requires a bit more maintenance than Carefresh, but definitely saves $!

    Here are other articles about choosing fleece, how to clean it, pros & cons, etc., you might find helpful if you're interested in making the switch:
    http://www.calicavycollective.com/search/label/cage%20and%20bedding



    Hope that helps :)

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  8. I also use carefresh and if I could make the fleece bedding that would save a lot of $! How often do you change yours out and wash it? We spot clean the carefresh every few days then do a deep clean every week and a half or so.

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  9. I have my pigs on carefresh right now, but would like to try this fleece idea. After you buy the fleece and do the multiple washes to break it down, and then the pigs USE it....when you go to wash it do you need to do the multiple washes again? or just wash it once, from then on.

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  10. Just once from then on, always without fabric softener or dryer sheets. The multiple washes is only needed for the initial prewashing process. After that you're good to go with only one wash whenever you change the cage.

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  11. The liquid should pass through within a few seconds. The fleece may be a bit damp to the touch afterwards, but mostly dry.

    Two things - first, have you tried placing the fleece over an absorbent material (a towel will do) prior to pouring water on it? Sometimes even when fleece is ready to be used the water can sit there unless there is something underneath to "pull" it through.

    The other issue may be the laundry detergent - it won't work with "alternative" detergents. I've found that regular powdered Tide or similar works well. Not sure how effective liquid detergents are. You might want to try another detergent.

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  12. How quickly should the liquid pass through the fabric? And does the fleece stay damp for a bit? I've washed my fleece 8 times now and it still seems like the liquid is pooling on top. It eventually seems to move through, but then the fleece still stays pretty wet. HELP!

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  13. I will add extra snuggles during play time tonight! lol

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  14. Okay! Thanks!
    They are my three babies
    Patch (left), Oreo (right), and Cally (back)!

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  15. Nope! Just clean off the fleece (I use a rubber brush to get the hay bits and hair off) then wash once with detergent in the laundry before using it again. The preparing process is only for brand new fleece so after the initial prep work you're good to go.


    Thanks for sharing the photo of your pigs by the way!

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  16. For washing the fleece after it's been in the cage, would you wash it with detergent and then repeat the process of preparing it again? currently working on switching over to fleece bedding for my three pigs

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  17. First, have you tried placing the fleece over an absorbent material (such as a towel) prior to pouring water on it? Sometimes even when fleece is ready to be used the water can sit there unless there is something underneath to "pull" it through.

    The other issue may be the laundry detergent - it won't work with "alternative" detergents. I've found that regular powdered Tide or similar works well. Not sure how effective liquid detergents are. You might want to try another detergent.

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  18. I have spent 2 days washing my new fleece & it's still pooling. Help?

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  19. After many washes I went to powdered soap & still nothing. I put towels under the fleece & everything. I have no idea what is going on.

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  20. Perhaps try using another laundry detergent? Also make sure you're not using dryer sheets - they rebuild the protective barrier that causes surface pooling.

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  21. I did some more research & decided after my million washes I would try just letting Penelope potty on it for a bit & wash again. She is just talking away in there since I put it in so I hope it turns out. Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that my washer cycles always end on a cold note. Even when it starts hot or warm?

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  22. I wash my fleece in hot then cold and have never had a problem, so I'm not sure what could still be causing liquid to pool.


    At least you know that Penelope is a fan!

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  23. Hi there! We just got two Guinea Pigs this weekend for my son's birthday. Your article about how to use fleece bedding is the best article on the subject I've come across. It takes into account those of use newbies and not just experience owners looking to change their bedding method. I have also found the same with other topics on your blog. Thanks for that!! Other places I seem to come away with more questions than answers. But I do have a question though, about how you use the UHAUL furniture pad. I am all ready to set up the fleece bedding using the furniture pad as one of the absorbent layers. Of course the pad is much larger than the Midwest Habitat Cage we have. Do you cut the pad to size or fold, etc.? What have you done and your most successful method of using the pad?

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  24. Just letting you know that I answered your question over here: http://www.calicavycollective.com/2013/11/absorbent-liners-for-fleece-bedding.html#comment-1775611968

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  25. I washed it for the first time and it went through but the fleece was really really wet like I could ring the water out should I be able to do that?

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  26. Try washing it for several more cycles, then check - it should pass straight through if you have a towel or other absorbent material on the other side.

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  27. What do you put under your fleece? I am using some other stuff and it doesn't seem to working and holding the pee. My pig likes to lay in her pee, and I'm new at using fleece. She has UTI's so I am trying to figure out a best way to get that pee dissolved :-/

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  28. I use a combination of towels and U-haul furniture pads. Here are several other absorbent materials you can try:


    http://www.calicavycollective.com/2013/11/absorbent-liners-for-fleece-bedding.html

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