Vacuuming Cages

[mishellyshel]

So I am rethinking my whole metal covering the shelves idea and in doing so realized that i might be able to clean better with a vacuum.

any recommendations on small vacuums for the cages. i would prefer one that is quiet, not so much because i dont want to scare the chins, but because i usually do a thorough clean every night and a quick clean in the AM when my son is still sleeping.

 

[AZChins]

I'm not sure what type of vacuum you'd want to use. Probably just a small shop vac? Any of them would be fine, I wouldn't worry about the noise scaring the chins. Mine do not care how noisy any of my vacuums are...most of them sleep through it. HOWEVER, I wouldn't want to wake up your son in the early mornings!

I have seen some of the canister/shop vacs labeled as being quiet. Maybe you could go to the Home Depot and Lowes to try them out and see which one is quietest?

 

[Sherry Elaine]

I use a shop vac, and it's loud. However, I got my babies with colic to sleep by using the sound of the vacuum so they don't mind. I'm not sure that any shop vac would be quiet. I wouldn't recommend a normal vacuum used for floors, though. I would imagine the only thing that can handle that kind of volume would be a shop vac.

 

[mishellyshel]

it would be mostly for poo & hay, as my cage will have fleece liners & a removable trays.
although i guess i could vacuum the litter in the 2 litter boxes. okay so a small shop vac. any other suggestions??
i know there was a thread recently about another option, i will "search" more diligently.

 

[Chinniechantel]

A used a shop vac and it worked well. Hay is the real problem though it always clogs them up. I don't think you will find a quiet one that is powerful enough, but maybe!

 

[ABBY W.]

I have tried many different vaccums, including handheld cordless, and regular floor vaccums. The only thing I have found that can handle the hay is a shop vac. I have a 4 gallon shop vac with the long hose connector to reach into the cages without lifting the canister.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

Hay can be a real pain with shop vacs - it always clogs them up. Most shop vacs I've used are either not powerful enough or loud...

 

[Jen-n-Tys-Chins]

I use a small hand held cordless hoover vacuum. I just pick up all big pieces first like hay and through it out then throughly vacuum the cage. it works for us and it was only 17 bucks at walmart. it isn't too loud either!

 

[Carol~Anne]

I use a large commercial shop vac to clean the two big cages and just a little brush to clean the small metal one. Before I even start up the vacuum, I gather all the hay up by either hand or a dustpan and dispose of it b/c it does clog even the heaviest duty vacuum. I then sweep up most of the shavings with the dustpan too and throw that out and then the vacuum gets all the leftover bits and pieces plus all the poo. I would love to find a small quiet vacuum that I could use between cleanings but I haven't found the right one yet.

 

[AZChins]

Dee - if you have the smaller one, buy a larger diameter hose for your shop vac....it helps so much. I bought three sections of the 2.5 inch hose and it works so much better than the little hose that came with the vacuum.

http://www.shopvac.com/dept.asp?id=11

 

[jujubee]

I use a Shark dustbuster... I have to empty it out fairly often when I'm vacuuming but it's really easy to do and it works pretty well.

 

[PaperMoon]

I use a hand held Black & Decker vacuum that I got from Target for 40 bucks. It's decent priced and definitely does it's job. I empty it everytime I use it, so it's a clean slate everytime I use it. The only thing I don't like is the hay problem. Sometimes the hay is too long and can't get completely sucked into the trash container, but you can easily pull it out with your hands

 

[whiskers387]

What i do is brush everything into the liner and throw it out, then scoop some stuff up that is still on the bottom with my hand then use a small handheld vacum for the leftover small stuff, but every 3 days when i change the liners, i just use like a 50 gallon i think it is shop vac and the hose is large enough for hay to easily go through

 

[3CsMommy]

Here's the one I use:
http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/4-Gallon-Vac/EN/index.htm

Pick up: It gets a 9/10. I've only had issues with socks (and tonight, one of Cleo's bandanas) getting stuck in the tube, which weren't supposed to be there anyway. Hay? No problem!

Noise: It gets a 7/10. I'm sure there are quieter ones, but I doubt they'd pick up as well. I just try to use it during 'godly' hours when I know I won't wake our nice neighbor. (The other one has slept through tornadoes and regularly wakes me up with his snoring, so I don't think he'd notice it.)

Upkeep: 7/10. The filters are expensive, but can be run through the dishwasher or hosed off in the yard. They should be replaced about once a year with frequent use. They're a PITA to get back on it, though.

Style/Looks: 2/10. It's ugly, clunky, and there's no tidy way to store the hose. It's pretty much an eye sore, and it's too big to stick under my cage.

Functionality: 7/10. Long cord and long, fairly large hose make it easy to use, but a B-word to store. Doubles as a light duty leaf/snow blower if you swap the filter and hose intakes. If you don't live in the northern half of the country, though, it's kind of a moot point.

 

[starleomach]

I use a smaller shop vac. The chinchillas are quite used to it in fact some of them don't even move off the shelves when I am trying to vaccum. The only down side is the long hose which is usally great doens't do well with loose hay.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Just to vacuum off the shelves I use a Bissell 3 Way.

I dont remember where my dad got it.

 

[yummychinchillatoys.com]

I just use our home vacuum. we have one of those vacuums that are built in the wall and you just plug in the hose to a wall socket... They have great suction power and get everything...

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

^I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds pretty neat.

 

[Spoof]

I don't have pans and use a 10 gallon industrial shop vac to clean the cages. I can get 16 of them into it before it needs to be emptied.

Most of the chins know to get on shelves when I start, but I've got a few curious troublemakers that like to get in the way. )

Compared to previous shop vacs it's actually rather quiet. I've not owned a 'quiet' vacuum, my parents have one of the house systems mentioned above and it is louder than my shop vac!

 

[Cloverr]

I have a mini Dirt Devil that I use for the daily cleanings, $20 at Target, works like a charm