Arguably the worst part of caring for parrots is the regular cage cleaning that is required. At Barton Bird Care we clean a lot of bird cages and have learned a few tips and tricks to make it extra speedy. We have found a system that takes only about five minutes per cage–it can be done! Read on to learn how you can save time and impress your parrots (and guests) with sparkly clean cages. 

Within Arm’s Reach

The first step to a speedy clean is to store your bird cage cleaning supplies together and nearby the bird cages. If you have to go upstairs for the vacuum, to the laundry room for your spray bottle and the linen closet for your cleaning rags you will invest a significant amount of time cleaning before you actually clean anything. Instead, keep all of your supplies grouped together, ideally in the same room that you keep your birds. My cleaning supply corner includes vinegar, a spray bottle, my favorite bird-safe poop cleaner, paper towels, old newspapers and a small shop vacuum.

Spray, Scrub and Roll

First things first, remove the bird and the water bowl to avoid sloshing ‘bird soup’ all over your hands while scrubbing. Then, start with the vinegar. I dilute our vinegar with water and add a few drops of essential oil to improve the scent (just shake before using). Spray the grids on the bottom of the cage and any areas of the cage where your parrot has left his mark. Let the vinegar sit for a minute to do its magic. Next, scrub with your favorite sponge or bird-safe poop cleaner. Roll up the newspaper on the bottom of the cage, quickly vacuum any additional parrot debris and disinfect the tray with vinegar. Replace the newspaper in the tray and vacuum the floor. Rotate the parrot toys and perches for extra credit. You are all set! 

Rinse and Repeat! 

Another key element of a speedy cage cleaning is the frequency in which you clean the cages. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you clean the cages more often they will be easier to clean and you will spend less time cage cleaning overall. As a bonus your parrots will thank you. We recommend deep cleaning about once a quarter. 

How do you quickly and effectively clean your cages? Leave us a note! 

Warmly,