How to clean a rabbit's cage so it doesn't smell
Cleaning kennels is no fun for pet owners, but making cleaning as easy as possible and following a schedule will make it easier and just become part of your routine.
There are no rules about how often to clean it, but doing a little daily cleaning will help keep your rabbit's cage clean and your rabbit healthy and happy. As a general rule, plan to clean your rabbit's cage at least once a week.
However, your rabbit's cage may need to be cleaned more often depending on the size of the cage and how well your rabbit is trained. If you have more than one rabbit, you may also feel the need to clean them more often.
Daily cleaning
Remove fresh, uneaten food (vegetables, leafy greens, etc.) from the cage daily (ideally twice a day, morning and evening).
Remove hay from the cage floor. If you're not using a hay rack, at least get rid of any wet or dirty hay.
Wash food bowls and wash and refill water bottles.
Place small clean debris such as water spills or lost litter boxes to make it easier to clean the cage every week.
Check and retrieve or replace and clean the litter box as necessary (see below for more information on litter box care).
Weekly Rabbit Cage Cleaning
Remove and wash all accessories from the cage.
Lift and clean all bedding from the cage.
Clean the cage with hot water (use vinegar to remove urine deposits). If you have a smaller cage, you may want to disassemble it and rinse it in hot water (in a tub or with a hose).
Wash dinner plates, water bottles, straw racks, and litter boxes in hot water.
It's a good idea to regularly disinfect your cage, but any disinfectant needs to be rinsed well and is not a good choice for wooden cages (which absorb chemicals) or cages that don't move easily to areas that can be sprayed.
A bleach solution (one part bleach to ten parts water) can be used to disinfect the cage and other equipment (soak in this solution for 30 minutes for best results), but be sure to rinse everything thoroughly.
Cleaning Trash
The litter box should be checked daily. This is important because it gives you the opportunity to monitor your rabbit's urine and droppings to make sure there are no changes that could indicate a health problem.
However, the frequency with which the litter box is replaced and cleaned will depend largely on the type and amount of litter you use. If you are using a shallow layer of soil, you may want to clean the litter box daily or you may choose to use a little more and turn it less frequently (perhaps scooping the dirt daily).
Even with deeper bins, you may need to replace them every three days or so. Vinegar is an excellent litter box cleaner because it easily dissolves calcium deposits that result from rabbit urine.
Tips for Cleaning Rabbit Cage
Store a small amount of vinegar in a spray bottle to quickly clean the trash can and spray dirty parts of the cage. If your litter box has more stubborn deposits, just soak them in vinegar for 10-20 minutes and you'll be able to get rid of them.
Training your rabbit with litter (and choosing a good litter) will make cleaning the cage easier.
Choosing an absorbent bed will make cleaning the cage easier.
Choosing the right cage is important. Large cages are best for rabbits, but look for cages that are easy to clean. The exposed wood surface absorbs urine and other debris and is difficult to clean.