I wanted to share one of my cleaning tricks in case anyone wants to try it out. I use Hibiclense (it can be picked up from Walgreens for about $10) and mix that with water in a spray bottle.

One bottle will last you a while since you can make a couple of batches off it. Some vets use it to wipe down rooms in between patients, etc. It's pretty much the pink liquid if you have seen it before.

Hibiclense is also known as Chlorhexedine Gluconate solution 4.0% w/v. It is an antiseptic/antimicrobial cleanser that is used as a surgical hand scrub, skin wound and geneal skin cleanser. Not only can you use this little liquid in case something happens to you or your suggies (wounds, etc) but it works nicely to disinfect the cage. It doesnt have a strong smell and I find that my gliders do not go nuts scent marking after cage cleaning ( I have 3 boys). It can also be used to clean animal laundry but you have to follow bottle directions because using this with chlorine will actually stain the materials.

Also, I use this in between cage cleanings to wipe down their cage!

Let me know if anyone else does this and if you try it, how it works for you!! Just wanted to pass this on....

I never used it but I will be waiting to see the replies to your info. Thanks for sharing!
Pat

This is awesome! I'm going to pick some of this stuff up. Thanks for the tip!

walgreens tomorrow......thanks for the tip!

I will be getting some, and I'll post when I use it! Thanks

I used to work at a place that did hair transplants, and we had all the "pre-operative" people use it for a few days before their procedure, and all "post-operative" people use it for a week or so afterwards... it is some non-allergenic, sanitary stuff! I will be watching for results from everyone!

sounds cool.. I have a Walgreens about 2 miles from me. I will have to check it out. Thanks for the info. I will give it a whirl.

My vet has me use a chlorahexadine rinse to clean my gliders teeth. I got it from the vets tho rather than Walgreens.

OOOO good point! The dental formula will have a lower percentage of the ingredient since there is the potential of swallowing during use. The dog and cat percentage is typically 0.12% of chloraheaxidine (vs. the 4% in this particular bottle) since its internal and there is a chance of swallowing. I am guessing suggies would need a different sort of dental rinse mix which is why your particular formula would have to be made at your vet

This stuff bubbles up at a higher percentage so it definately wouldnt be a good idea to use as a dental rinse. In fact, the bottle tells you not to use it in the eyes, ears and mouths. Permanent eye injury can occur and deafness can occur if used in the ears. And in the mouth, well... thats cnosidered internal and this product is for external use only.

Hey, does it look anything like this?

http://www.exoticnutrition.com/en746.html

LOL. The liquid can be around that color depending on how much of it you use. I would love to get my hands on that ingredient lists

Edit: I looked around and even magnified some of the pictures but couldnt get a clear shot of the ingredients. If anyone has this particular product on hand, please be kind and post those

perhaps I didnt read this thread correctly...is the product being recommended here the same one that was stated to cause permanent eye damage? sorry I have one of those migraines that make you dizzy so perhaps my brain isnt functioning right now....LOL...ooooh that one hurt dont laugh so loud!
if so I wouldnt feel happy using it.

Depending on the percentage, it becomes safe for internal use. This particular one is at 4% and should not be used without watering it down. You only want to use a couple of ml and then fill the rest of the bottle with water. That should lower the percentage. Thats why I originally mentioned that you could get a couple of batches out of one bottle. Other than that, I dont know what spraying this liquid into the glider's eye would cause and I wont be trying it

When I clean my cages, I start off by putting it in the shower and running hot water on them. Then I spray the liquid on it and just let it sit for about ten minutes. Then I do another spraying and rinse with hot water again. The only time I wipe the cage is afterwards to dry it up.

thanks....now what are you doing to help my head? LOL

Maybe those Kix will help!

JillMarie, get some sleep!

astronoc... So, you don't even "scrub" the cage? It works that well? I am liking this more and more as I read.
I don't know how I will be using it yet, because my cage does not fit in a tub, nor can I get it outside easily. (it's about 7 feet, by 5 feet, by 4!) I do, however, use my wagner steam cleaner on it, so I'm thinking spray it, leave it for a few minutes, and then steam clean. Hmmmm... I'll be watching for other reviews...

Thanks again!
(and I won't be spraying it in my gliders eyes either!)

Now, about that dental rinse, HOW do you do that? (I realize you have a different product)... do you actually brush your gliders teeth?? I know it's off topic, but this is very interesting...

Yes, I do brush my kids teeth with the chlorahexadine rinse that my vet gives me. I'll dip a Q-Tip in the solution and gently brush their incisors front and back to remove any food particals that might be caught there. I will also put it in a syringe and squirt it into their mouth in the area that needs cleaned and let them shake it out....I call it gargling for gliders LOL.

sleep? what's that?
LOL

dental cleaning

neat idea!

Do you know the percentages, and if this is the same thing? I wonder if we can further dilute it, and it be safe for the teeth? Don't worry, I wouldn't try it unless I knew it was correct!

This is very cool though. When you hear about dental problems w/ gliders, you don't EVER want to have those!

Thanks everyone for sharing!!

I can tell you it should be no more than 0.12% since that is what is done with the cats/dogs. Maybe glidrz5 can call her vet and ask I'm guessing it should be somewhere around 0.06% which is pretty low.

No need to call the vet, I can just check the bottle LOL It says
Dentahex Oral Rinse
Chlorhexidine 0.12% with Zinc
Oral hygiene Rinse for dogs and cats

I picked up a bottle today. I was looking for a gallon jug or something because I thought I'd never find it - lol..

What size spray bottle do you use and want % do you mix 1/2 stuff 1/2 water??

I'm doing a deep clean of the glider room this week-end and going to use it from top to bottom

Its only an 8Fl oz. bottle. You only need a couple of mLs. In a 32 oz bottle, I will put in about 1 tablespoons of the stuff and fill the rest with water.

If you do a search for the product on a search engine, you will come across their website and read some more. Its more marketing but there is info there and you can see what it looks like.

Thanks!! I found it by the proxide and alcohol finally. I'm going to try it out this week-end

I used it straight from the bottle to wipe the poles down, and then wiped them down with a wet rag (with water.) Will it be okay, or do I need to wash the poles more? I hadn't seen this thread since last week, and I don't want to make the rept unsafe for them. D:

I would imagine that using the Hibiclense would even make cleaning BETWEEN cleanings easier. That is some slick stuff! Our hospital uses it as a pre-surgery soap. When I had my gallbladder taken out last year I had to wash head-to-toe with it and lemme tell ya... I was SLICK! LOL It takes off everything! And your hair will totally stand on end! Then after you dry off, even your favorite lotion won't stick to you for a couple of days. I think that is why it is so uselful as an antimicrobial, it breaks up anything that wants to layer or stick to you. I will have to start using that for cages too. Great thinking!

There's a similar product that I spotted at Central Market, that says it's "safe to use around animals, even birds."

Bi-O-Kleen's Bac-Out.

The bottle at the store had a lime-verbena scent. I like it, but I don't want to use anything on their rept that might smell like food.

Hmmmmmm, I wonder if you could add it to the laundry when washing reptariums........

Yes but please dont use chlorine as that stains material! Please, please, please read the product before using. My only intention when giving this tip was for proper use and I would hate to see it incorrectly used!

I used this when I laundered my rept screen last night, but I added only a little, ran it, and then ran it again to make sure it was all washed out. I didn't use anything else with it. So far so good, and the screen smelled really nice after it came out.

I took my suggie mansion, and hibiblense, and a tarp, and I'm doing a cleaning bonanza!

The tarp is layed out in the middle of the living room, the cage was pulled over the tarp, I stripped the cage, sprayed it down completely, inside & out. I am now waiting the 10 minutes, then I guess I'll spray it down w/ clean water, and wipe it dry. I'll let you know how it turns out! I can't wait!!

(my cage is about 7 feet tall by 5 feet long by 3.5 feet wide, so I couldn't do it in the tub, or outside!)

I would take pics, but my camera is laying on the kitchen table in pieces, because I broke it, and hubby is trying to fix it!

Good luck. sounds like some real work for you to clean your cage!

I'm curious to find out how you like it. I've been outdoor spray washing since my steamer broke. I have a new steamer now, and am wondering how the two would work together.

Also your cage size brings me to thinking about the new cages I am making: I want them as big as possible, but I also want them to be able to slide through doors quickly in an emergency. (I have a friend whose Suggies went through a house fire, so I am thinking about that now.)

Well, for me, some of my cages with multiples, I can't depend on everyone being in pouches in an emergency. So I think I will make sure my new cages can slide out the doors easily.

Back to the original subject: How did the cleaning go?

How did the cleaning go?

I use this stuff when I have abscesses. It works wonders. I also use it after I play with my suggies so I don't get infections and it helps heal all those little bumps.

I never thought about using it on the cages but am definitely going to try tonight or tomorrow night. Thanks for the idea.

I sprayed my cage down...and wow it does work!! Great idea... I love it now!

Yep, worked GREAT!! Next time I'll use it in conjunction w/ my steamer, and I don't think it gets ANY better than that!
Thanks for the tip!!

(oh, and I find myself wanting to use it for many other things now too!)

I'm going to give it a try this week-end.

OT...Sari...what type steamer do you use?

The wagner 905, and it is AWESOME!

I called the local emergency vet to see what they knew about Hibiclense, and they told me it's "100% safe." They use it on them all the time, and to quote the vet tech I spoke to, "if one of them had to have surgery, we'd put it all over them."

I use it to clean everything of theirs now. I diluted it in a spray bottle with some water, and washed their rept screen in it last week. So far, so good!

I just found this post. I need to talk to my vet and see what he has to say about using it. I know my son uses it after wrestling practice & matches - keeps the cooties off of him!