Hamsters are generally quite clean animals, but staying on top of cleaning their home helps to keep them happy and healthy. Not to mention, a cleaner cage will smell much better for you!
Knowing how often you should clean out your hamster’s cage, how to do it and what products to use are all part of being a hamster parent. To get you all caught up, we’ve curated this how-to guide, so keep reading on to find out more.
How Often Should I Clean Out My Hamster’s Cage?
How often you clean out your hamster’s cage will depend on a few things. The more hamsters you have, the more you will need to clean them out as there will be more poop and pee. The type of bedding you use will also play a part. Some bedding can mask odors very well, while others needs to be changed more frequently.
Hamsters are a pretty hygienic pets — they pee in one corner of their cage, and their poop is dry. Generally, you should aim to spot clean at least every other day, if not every day. This is when you remove the most soiled bedding, and any leftover food. You will then need to partial clean every week, which is when you replace all of the bedding.
A deep clean, when you remove your hamster’s from their home and clean the entire cage and accessories, should be done about every month.
What Should I Use To Clean Out My Hamster’s Cage?
To clean out your hamster’s cage you will need products that are safe for your hamster, but can also cut through the dirt and germs.
You shouldn’t use any bleach or ammonia-based cleaners or anything that is labeled toxic or dangerous. Also don’t use anything perfumed, as this can mask your hamster’s natural scent and make them stressed.
Some safe products to use to clean out your hamster’s cage are:
- Mild dish soap that should be diluted in hot water.
- Food-safe disinfectant that can be used on your kitchen countertops.
- White vinegar which can be found in most grocery stores.
- Cage cleaning spray that is designed for small animal homes. This can be found in pet stores, but make sure it isn’t perfumed.
We also recommend you wear rubber gloves as you clean, and use sponges and scrubbing brushes on the hamster’s cage. You may also find a litter scoop convenient to help pick out droppings.
How To Clean Out Your Hamster’s Cage
Every Other Day: Spot Cleaning
At least every other day, if not every day, you should spot clean your hamster’s home. Spot cleaning helps you to keep on top of the mess your hamster makes, so it doesn’t get too dirty which can be harder to clean. It also helps to keep your hamster safe and healthy in their environment.
You can spot clean your hamster’s cage while your hamster is still in it. To spot clean your hamster’s cage:
- Remove any poop from the cage using a litter scooper. You should check all over the cage, including in the sand bath.
- Remove any old food to stop it from going moldy.
- Remove any wet bedding or soiled bedding and replace if needed.
- Remove the water bottle and food dish. Wash them in mild, soapy water before drying them, refilling them and returning them to your hamster’s cage.
- Check your hamster over for any health issues while you are in their cage.
Every Week: Partial Cleaning
Every week you should partially clean your hamster’s cage. This will really help you to keep on top of any mess or smells, and make deep cleaning every month a lot easier. Many of the steps are similar to a spot clean.
To partial clean your hamster’s cage:
- Remove your hamster from their cage and put them in a secure location, such as in a carrier or a cardboard box. We do not recommend hamster balls here at My House Animals.
- Remove any poop from the cage using a litter scooper. You should check all over the cage, including in the sand bath if you have one.
- Remove any old food to stop it from going moldy.
- Remove and replace all of the bedding within the cage. Put back a small amount of the old bedding so your hamster recognizes their home when they go back.
- Remove the water bottle, food dish, toys, hides, wheel, sand bath and shelves. Wash them in mild, soapy water before drying them, refilling them and returning them to your hamster’s cage. Learn how to clean the sand bath at the bottom of this article.
Every Month: Deep Cleaning
It is recommended that you deep clean your hamster’s home about once a month. Follow our steps below on how to do this.
1) Remove Your Hamster
You’ll need to remove your hamster from their cage and take them to a different room in the house while you clean, so they don’t breath in any dangerous fumes.
You could put your hamster in a carrier you have for them, or even in a cardboard box. We do not recommend you put your hamster in a hamster ball, because there is concern that these balls are stressful for your hamster, because your hamster is trapped inside. They can also be too small for your hamster, causing them to strain their back.
Wherever you put your hamster while cleaning them out, just make sure they can breathe properly and aren’t going to escape! You could add some food, water and toys to keep your hamster occupied.
2) Empty The Hamster Cage
Next, you need to empty your hamster cage. Remove the water bowl or bottle, food dish, sand bath, toys, wheel, hides, tunnels and any shelves that detach. Throw away any chewed up cardboard hides, toys or tunnels that can’t be used anymore.
Then remove all the bedding. To remove all the bedding use a dustpan or scooper, or even your hands. You can put the used bedding in the trash or on a compost heap.
3) Clean The Hamster Cage
You will then need to clean the hamster cage thoroughly and disinfect it. To do this, use pet-safe cleaning products, such as dish soap and water or food-safe disinfectant. You shouldn’t use any bleach or ammonia-based cleaners or anything that is labeled toxic or dangerous. Also don’t use anything perfumed.
Once you have cleaned it, rinse the cage out a few times to make sure all the cleaner and any chemical type smells are no longer present. You should then dry it using lint-free paper towels or a cloth.
4) Clean The Cage Accessories
Having cleaned the hamster cage itself, you’ll then need to clean all the accessories you removed: the water bowl or bottle, food dish, toys, wheel, hides, tunnels and any shelves. Place all of these items in a large bucket or bowl of water with some dish soap or white vinegar.
Give them all a good wash, using a scrubbing brush or sponge. Make sure to rinse them properly and you can then dry them using lint-free paper towels or a cloth.
To clean the sand bath, follow our steps at the bottom of this article.
5) Replace The Bedding
Once the cage is all clean and dry, replace the bedding. Your hamster should always have at least 6 inches of bedding. Learn all about hamster bedding here.
If you want to change your hamster’s bedding to a different type or brand, make sure you do this gradually by mixing their old bedding with the new bedding. This will ensure you don’t shock your hamster as they do not like change.
6) Replace The Cage Accessories
Next, replace all the clean and dry cage accessories. Take this time to add in any new toys or tunnels or hideouts to replace any that you had to throw away.
Don’t forget to fill their water bowl or bottle with clean water and their food dish with fresh food.
7) Put Your Hamster Back In Their Home
Once everything inside the cage has been replaced, you can return your hamster to their home. You may find that your hamster is a little on edge for the first few hours they are in their cage. Don’t be alarmed, this is just because their cage might smell a bit different. Your hamster will quickly start to feel at home again.
Important Things To Remember
Don’t Move Hides Or The Food And Water
Hamster’s don’t like change. For this reason, it’s important for you to put their food bowl, water bottle/dish and hides back in the same place when you have cleaned them out. This is because they will remember where they used to be and won’t understand why they have moved.
Hamsters use their hides to store their food and if they are moved, you might see your hamster sitting with their food in their cheeks for over a day! This is because they won’t recognize that their hide has moved elsewhere, which can cause them stress.
If you had to throw some homemade cardboard hides or tunnels away and replace them, do not stress. Just make sure there are some of the original ones in their home.
Don’t Take Too Long Cleaning Out Your Hamster
Hamsters are very sensitive animals and don’t like to be away from their home for very long. If you’re doing a clean where you need to remove them from their cage, try not to take longer than 30 minutes.
Put Back Some Of The Old Bedding
When you’re done cleaning out your hamster’s cage, don’t forget to put some of their old bedding back in with their new bedding. This will help them to familiarize themselves with their home when you put them back.
Hamsters have very sensitive noses and won’t quite feel right if their cage doesn’t smell familiar!
How To Clean Your Hamster’s Sand Bath
Cleaning the sand bath is simple; empty the sand out and clean the dish out (using hamster safe cleaning products). You can then either throw the sand away and replace it with clean sand, or you can actually clean the sand yourself and reuse it.
To clean the sand, make sure you sieve the sand first to remove any clumps or debris in the bath. Transfer the sand to a container and add a towel to your sieve. Place the sand back in the sieve, on top of the towel, and cover in water. This will effectively “wash” the water.
Allow the the water to drain through the sand. Once it is drained, transfer the sand to an oven proof dish and bake the sand at 400 degrees to kill any pests and dry it out. Once it is cool and dry, you can place it back in the clean sand bath dish, and return it to your hamster’s home.
Learn more about sand baths here.
