Skip to main content

How to clean a bird cage the right way

A bird who brings music and joy to your life deserves a clean living space. A bird cage needs regular maintenance and a deep clean routine to provide Tweety with a cozy home. Your bird will feel pampered and loved by you while also enjoying better health in a sanitary cage. The key to easy bird cage cleaning is to stick to a schedule. Follow our guidelines to make the task effortless and give you more time to play with your feathered friend.

Daily maintenance

Person cleaning a bird cage with cloth
victoras/Shutterstock.com

Daily cleaning of your bird’s cage helps prevent unwanted infections and keeps your bird’s home in top condition. With everyday maintenance, basic cleaning of your cage is a quick and easy task that takes minutes to complete. Here are the steps to follow:

Related Videos
  • Change the cage liner: Every cage needs a liner to capture your bird’s droppings and the food that falls from their beak. When you change the cage on a daily basis, you help prevent disease and unpleasant odors.
  • Clean the dishes: At the end of the day, your bird may have some leftover food or water on their plates. Tossing these leftovers and washing the dishes every night prevents the growth of harmful bacteria. Before putting the plates back in your pet’s cage, be sure to give them a good rinse and dry.
  • Wipe down accessories: Toys, birdbaths, and any other cage accessories require daily cleaning with a wet rag or paper towel. If your bird is a little messier, you can also wash the accessories with water and soap. Don’t forget to scrub down any droppings that accumulate in your bird’s perch.
  • Clean surrounding area: For your personal comfort and the health of your family, remember to sweep or vacuum the surrounding areas to remove food, feathers, or droppings that fall on the floor.

Deep cleaning

Depending on your bird’s habits and their space, your cage may need weekly or monthly deep cleans. Typically, larger birds need to have their cage thoroughly cleaned once a week while smaller breeds can go a month between deep cleans.

These are the supplies you need for this:

  • Cage liners
  • Paper towels or rags
  • Bird-safe disinfectant
  • Scrub brush

Once you have a set schedule for your full bird cage cleaning, be sure to stick to it and follow these steps:

  • Empty out the cage: Place your feathered friend in a safe area and remove everything from their cage.
  • Remove and wash the cage tray: Take out the tray at the bottom of the cage and give it a good scrub. Even though this tray is usually covered by the liner, it still needs a wash to remove any droppings that get past the liner. Remember to dry the tray well before putting it back in the cage.
  • Scrub the cage: Using a sink or garden hose, wash the entire cage thoroughly with water and soap. Pay special attention to cracks and crevices that accumulate debris. Rinse the cage well to remove all soap.
  • Disinfect the cage: Spray down the whole cage with bird-safe disinfectant. For an organic alternative to disinfectant, make your own solution using white vinegar and water or baking soda, lemon juice, and water. Then, let the cage air dry.
  • Clean or change the perch: For a deep clean, soak and scrub your bird’s perch to remove dirt and waste. If it’s looking worn, simply rotate or replace your bird’s perch for a new one.
  • Sanitize and change toys: Wash your bird’s toys on a daily basis. If you have multiple toys, consider rotating them so your bird always has a clean toy and stays entertained.
  • Change the liner: Once the cage is clean and dry, replace the liner before putting the bird and toys back.

Tips and tricks

Here are a few tips to make cage cleaning an easier chore:

  • Place a mat or old sheet on the floor before you start cleaning the cage. This is especially helpful if you have carpet.
  • Keep your bird’s food bowls half full. This helps keep things neat and prevents your bird from becoming a picky eater.
  • Having extra plates, perches, and toys make daily cleaning easier.
  • Consider a steamer for easier removal of stubborn droppings.
Yellow bird on perch in its cage

With discipline and love, you can offer your sweet bird a clean cage that they’ll love. While it may seem like a lot of work, it’s easy to keep your bird’s home neat as long as you’re consistent about daily maintenance and regular deep cleaning. Once you’ve gotten the hang of bird cage cleaning, you’ll be able to do it quickly and with less effort. This means you’ll have more time to spend with your healthy and happy feathered friend.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
What do painted turtles eat? This is the only feeding guide you’ll need
Find out what to feed them and what not to feed them
Painted turtle eats a mealworm

You bring home a little turtle to a beautiful habitat and realize you forgot one big thing: What do baby painted turtles eat? Because these turtles are an aquatic species, they spend most of their time in the water — both in the wild and in your house. This greatly impacts their diet, especially because as they consume meals, they must swallow under the surface.

Painted turtles are also omnivores and like a wide variety of foods. While many of these can be placed in their housing, you should also have a separate feeding tank, which will massively cut down on the mess. All food from the main tank will have to be scooped out daily; otherwise, it rots. Nevertheless, feeding your turtle can be fun, and occasionally they can even eat what you do.

Read more
Why do birds fly into windows? The truth is kind of sad
There's a lot you can do to keep neighborhood birds from flying into windows
Bird takes flight off a branch in slow motion

Watching birds from the windows is one of the many perks of living near wildlife: we can stay warm and gaze out on the flocks that frequent our feeders. But sadly, these windows that allow us to view the outdoors can harm the creatures in it. Animals experience the world differently from us, and they see differently, too. Therefore, it's important to take steps to make your windows visible to birds (and other fauna) in order to help spare them from unnecessary death or injury. But why do birds fly into windows? We'll explain what the problem is and also give you some advice on how to prevent it. With a few simple tricks, you'll still get to enjoy the bird show and keep them from getting hurt. 

Why do birds fly into windows?
Turn off the lights inside and go out during the early morning to look at your windows. You'll likely see a dim version of your own yard reflected back to you. While it only gives you a moment's pause, birds don't understand that a plant can show up in a piece of glass but not really be there. Unfortunately, this means when they fly into your windows, they're actually trying to get into the trees. That's because there's a wide-open sky in the panes of your home welcoming the avians of your area.

Read more
Are ducks good pets? 8 things to consider when thinking of adopting these cute feathered friends
Cute duckling sits in the yard

Many have yearned for an ugly adorable duckling to call their own, but don't dive into this journey without some planning first. Under the right circumstances, ducks make great pets — they're cuddly, they're very intelligent, and they're social. These birds specifically love to be part of a group, sometimes called a raft, and will bond with both you and one another. As with many pets though, owning a duck comes with a list of good (and not-so-good) things to consider before you gather your flock.

Are ducks good pets? Here's what you need to know
As with all pets, it depends on what you're looking for. Be mindful of their need for space, water, outdoors, companionship, and protection. Ducks are not for everyone but will add a spunky sense of fun to the right home. Think about these eight things before getting ducks.
They live outdoors
Rule number one: Your pet duckling must live outside. They just can't be happy in any type of fully indoor enclosure, though you will want to provide some respite from the elements. Only dabble with ducks if you can secure sufficient outdoor space for them — free from predators, including dogs and cats who might mistake your cute and snuggly pet for a meal.
They need a house with a pool
Many folks keep their pet ducks in a shed or doghouse to provide a perfect cozy spot for them. Include a comfy straw bed and protection from wind. Of course, ducks need a pool for swimming, too. A pond or kiddie pool will do well, depending on how big your flock is. Ducklings can't fly, so you don't have to worry about them escaping, but they won't thrive unless they have ample space. Fencing around your yard will help keep pets in and predators out.

Read more