Is it safe to use bleach on hamster cage to disinfect it?

Is it safe to use bleach on hamster cage?

Table of Contents

Bleach is a very strong chemical and the only time it’s recommended to use bleach to clean out a hamster cage is when the hamster has died and the cage will not be used for a while. Even when the cage is rinsed off after being cleaned with bleach, a residue stays behind on the plastic, which is still very strong for your hamster. Great alternatives to bleach are a vinegar/water solution, store bought cleaning products safe for pets and fragrance-free, mild dish soap.

Is bleach harmful to hamsters?

Bleach is dangerous for hamsters as it’s too strong and the chemicals can make your hamster seriously ill. Consider the smell of bleach, and the size of your hamster. Always use pet safe disinfectants when your hamster is living in the cage. These can be natural like baking powder or vinegar, store bought pet safe disinfectants, or simple fragrance-free dish soaps. To be very clear on ‘is bleach harmful to hamsters?” – answer: yes it is!

I want to use bleach for cleaning my hamster cage, how can I make it safe?

Bleach is a very strong chemical, but it’s also widely used and accepted as an excellent antibacterial agent, so many will want to use it for cleaning cages and pet products. However, the only way to make it safer for your pet is by diluting it, preferably as much as possible. To keep the beneficial cleaning power of bleach, dilute the bleach with 10 parts of water. This way, the bleach is far less strong but still powerful in its cleaning ability. Always thoroughly rinse the cage after cleaning and wait a while before you put your hamster back in his cage if you can.

Recommended further reading:

How to disinfect a hamster cage?

It’s important to disinfect your hamsters cage once a week, or at the very least, once every two weeks to keep bacteria at bay and to keep your hamster healthy.

Follow these steps to quickly and thoroughly clean your hamster’s habitat:

Put your hamster in a safe place
Empty the cage completely
Thoroughly clean the cage, including the bars, the floor and the corners with your cleaning product, a brush and warm water
Thoroughly clean all toys, water, food and sand bowl, house etc.
Rinse the cage, toys, house and bowls well
Dry the cage and related items thoroughly
Add clean bedding, food and water

Can I use bleach to clean out my hamster’s cage?

It’s best to use a product which is either natural or approved for use with pets and pet products like toys and bedding, as many chemical cleaning products, including bleach, are too strong for hamsters, even to the point of being dangerous. If you insist on using bleach, dilute it with 10 parts of water and rinse the cage thoroughly afterwards. Is it safe to use bleach on hamster cage? In short – NO.

How often should I clean my hamster’s cage?

Take out dirty bedding, left-over fresh food and any waste daily. This is by far the best way to keep your hamster’s environment as clean as possible. Then every week – or at least every two weeks, remove all bedding and clean the cage itself, as well as all food and water bowls, toys, house and wheel. It might seem like a big job at first, but once you’ve done it a couple of times, you’ll find that you get into a little routine and the job can be done very quickly.

What happens if I don’t clean my hamster’s cage?

If you don’t remove waste and dirty bedding from the cage, bacteria start building up. This also happens when fresh foods, especially fruits and vegetables are left in the cage. This can make your hamster really ill, but it will also make your hamster unhappy. Nobody wants to live in a dirty house, including your hamster. So do your little friend a favor and keep their cage nice and clean.

Recommended further reading:

Will vinegar kill hamsters?

Vinegar is bad for hamsters when used in food and should be avoided at all costs. However, vinegar is safe to use as a cleaning product to clean your hamsters cage and toys. Make sure to dilute the vinegar with water (50/50). White vinegar is the best vinegar to use for cleaning and it’s a good natural disinfectant to use which will not harm or kill your hamster.

What is a good DIY hamster cage cleaner?

If you are looking for an alternative cleaning product which is a great DIY hamster cage cleaner which you can put together at home, then you can try some of the following mixes:

baking soda with vinegar made into a paste
vinegar/water solution (half/half).
Diluted bleach – 10 parts of water 1 part bleach
Hydrogen peroxide –water mixture (50-50)
Drop of dish soap, cup of hydrogen peroxide and tbs baking powder

What are good pet friendly cleaning products?

Good pet friendly cleaning products are products which have no chemicals in and use natural ingredients instead. These are safer for pets, humans and the environment which is a win win all round. The big question is, do these products work? Yes, they do! Have a look in your local pet store for options.

Recommended further reading:

What are good pet friendly cleaning product brands?

Some brands you can consider are:

Bean & Lily
Eco Me
Clean & Green
Biokleen
Better life
Puracy

What do hamsters need?

To keep your hamster happy, they need some of the following:

A clean, large cage with enough floor space to run around
High quality food
Healthy snacks
Toys to entertain them (consider a sand bath in their cage as well)
Clean and fresh water
A house or hideout
A wheel for exercise
High quality bedding and nesting material
A quiet, stress-free spot for the cage
The right room temperature of between 65- and 75-degrees Fahrenheit.

Does my hamster need a hamster wheel?

In nature hamsters travel up to 4 miles per night in order to find food. This means they are very active, and it’s impossible for your hamster to move that much on the floor of their hamster cage. Therefore, it’s very important to install a high-quality hamster wheel in your hamster’s cage. If your hamster doesn’t get their exercise, they become unhappy and can develop cage rage which is a horrible condition which can be fatal for your hamster.

How big should my hamster cage be?

Your hamster should have a cage with a floor space of at least 24 by 12 inches; however, this is on the small side for a larger hamster like the Syrian hamster. Always make sure there is a lot of floor space in the cage and avoid plastic cages with lots of tubes and levels but little floor space. They might look more interesting but will make your hamster unhappy.

Is 500 square inches enough for a hamster?

Yes, that would be enough for a dwarf hamster, though even they could do with a larger cage. The bare minimum is 450 Square inches, so 500 is on the small side. The larger the cage, the happier your hamster will be as they will need space to roam around. If you have the space in your home, consider a larger cage with 2 floors. This means you can add toys, a sand bath and still have lots of floor space for your hamster.

Are large cages harder to clean?

While it could be that it’s a bit harder to handle a larger cage, this should not be a reason to buy a small cage for your hamster. They still need enough floor space to roam and be happy. It will also take longer to clean a larger cage as there is more to clean, however, hamster cages are never particularly large, so overall they will be easy to clean and carry.

Recommended Further Reading:

Is bleach bad for dogs?

Bleach is harmful to all animals, including humans as it’s a very harsh chemical. While it’s widely recognized as a bacteria killer and widely used for cleaning, including in food processing machines and surfaces, as well as water, it’s harmful for the environment and harmful to life. Keep bleach away from your pets and use an alternative cleaning product if you can.

Are bleach fumes bad for hamsters?

Yes, bleach fumes are bad for hamsters so it’s best not to use bleach on their cage or toys. However, if you do, make sure you rinse everything off well and don’t introduce your hamster to it until the bleach smell has subsided. You can dilute bleach with water to make this process quicker, without losing the cleaning properties of the bleach.

Is it safe to use bleach on hamster cage to clean it or should you try to find an alternative? In short a natural alternative should be used to avoid making your hamster ill or even shortening their lifespan. Bleach is simply too strong a chemical to not affect your hamster.

Read more on safe pet cleaning solutions here.

Is it safe to use bleach on hamster cage question answered.

Is it Safe to Use Bleach on Hamster Cage?