Guinea pigs are adorable pets, and one of most important things that should be taken care of when owning any pet, is what kind of place is available for them to live. This also applies to the part of leash and collar that is used for guinea pigs fleece bedding. Even though it serous comfort out there available some cuddly straps opt for guinea pig fleeces due success to increase comfort economically friendliness and other benefits.
In this post, we will walk you through everything you need to know about guinea pig fleece liners. We will explore the reasons one should consider fleece liners, the things necessary for making a liner and explain the process of making a liner at home in a sequential order. In addition to this, we will include the methods that will help keep the fleece liner clean and in good shape for a long period of time. Let us begin!
Why Use Fleece Liners?
If one has any other bedding than fleece liners, there are some disadvantages associated that can make one feel uncomfortable. Here is what most of the guinea pig keeper is trying to do the former.
Comfort: Rather than hard floors or paper bedding that scabbed and causes stress to the pigs, fleece liners give a soft and even surface to the pigs that lessens the chances of sores and bumble foot, which is an infection caused by rough or hard surfaces.
Absorption: If properly used, fleece has the ability to pull moisture away from the surface such that it remains dry and comfortable for your guinea pigs while an absorbent layer underneath collects the moisture.
Cost-effective: In contrast to the disposable bedding which, due to its nature, should be replaced after being used for a short time, fleece liners have possible utilization for many months or even years, which is eventually a more cost-efficient decision.
Eco-friendly: The waste generation is minimized, for fleece liners are reused again and again, making this more practical in terms of ecology.
Odor control: When properly taken care of, fleece liners can do better in the management of odor than the traditional bedding.
Now that you know the benefits let us go into the details of how you can make your own fleece liner at home.
Materials Needed
As you prepare to make a durable, absorbent, and comfortable fleece liner for your guinea pig, some materials will be needed for that process. In this section of the materials required for the project, a total of five items are listed with an explanation of their use?
Fleece Fabric
Fleece is an artificial fabric that is hot but comfortable to wear. When selecting a fleece, it is better to go for anti-pill fleece or blizzard fleece because these types do not pill over time which helps in ensuring that the fleece liner is smooth and comfortable for your pet guinea pig.
How much fleece will you need? Take measurements of the guinea pigs cage if you how much fleece fabric is to be covered with (this is what we shall cover in the next chapter). Normally, one large piece of fleece will be able to serve this purpose of enclosing the entire cage floor.
Absorbent Layer
The fleece liner cannot remain useful until, the basic structure on which the fleece lies, the absorbent layer is removed. This layer is very important in absorbing the wetness and preventing any kind of excess moisture on the top surface that could be due to urine.
Some of the materials that are most often used as the absorbent layer include:
Old towels: Most guinea pig owners keep these towels already without extra expense as these are inexpensive. They are quite thick and strong as well as hold a good volume of moisture.
Furniture pads: These pads are made of recycled cotton and highly absorbent materials. They are small and thin but do the work and a lot of guinea pig masters believe in them.
Cotton Batting: A fabric most often used in quilting, cotton batting can also serve as a car drafting cushion; especially when it needs moisture-wicking. It’s very thin and uses a layering system to enhance absorption.
Waterproof Layer
Should the owner notice that the bottom of the cage does not have a waterproof layer or simply wishes to protect the cage against extra moisture, one may incorporate this extra waterproofing within the liner. This layer also enables the easy cleaning of the cage and helps combat odors as it prevents the absorption layer from letting through any urine that reaches the absorbent layer to the cage floor. One such commonly utilized material for this purpose is the PUL fabric (polyurethane laminate) which is regularly used in cloth diapers.
This may be a rather optional layer, but, if included, makes your liner last longer as less mess is deposited in the bottom of the cage.
Sewing Supplies
You will require a few basic sewing supplies in order to assemble your fleece liner. These include:
Scissors: You may require a specific pair of cutting scissors – fabric scissors- which prevents any inaccurate cutting of fleece and absorbent materials.
Pins: These are to secure the fabric layers while sewing.
Sewing machine: Using a sewing machine makes it faster and stronger because the stitches are tighter but in the absence of it, the liner can be sewn using a needle ad thread quite a good each for strength.
Measuring tape: Exact measurements will be necessary to make certain that the liner you want to purchase will be able to fit inside the cage properly.
Velcro Strips or Clips
You can also use Velcro strips or binder clips to ensure the liner does not move out of place within the cage. These will also enable the liner to be fastened down around the perimeter of the cage so as to avoid shifting around due to the movements of the guinea pig.
Steps to Make a Fleece Liner
The process involved in creating a fleece liner is not complicated as it is a simple make-do task that requires some sewing skills and some time. Let us go through each step in detail:
Measure Your Guinea Pig Cage
The first thing that you are required to do is take the specific dimensions of your guinea pigs cage. This is very important in order to make sure that the fleece liner is not too big or too small and hence there is no movement of the fleece liner within the cage.
Use a measuring tape to measure the length and width of the bottom of the cage. Additionally the height of the sides of the liner is also measured if the liner has to extend to the upper edges of the cage.
For example, if your cage has a top with an unusual shape like that of “V” when seen from directly above, you have to be careful with the measuring tape within those areas.
Don’t forget to add an extra 1-2 inches in the measurements so as to cater to the sewing allowance area for the liner if any.
For example, if your cage is 36 inches by 24 inches, you are going to buy fabric that is a little bigger, around 38 inches by 26 inches.
Now it’s finally time to work on the fleece fabric, now that the necessary measurements have been taken. Since Fleece fabric is manufactured with some chemical treatment to make it more water resistant, it is wise to wash the fleece fabric as a first step before employing it.
Pre-wash instructions: The dry fleece is to be washed in a hot water only without any fabric softener (as fabric softener reduces the wicking ability of Dharma fabric). The fleece should be dried on hot for the removal of the buzz of the chemicals present.
After straining, stretch the fleece fabric on a smooth surface then ask in its measurements and cut its pieces living allowances for seaming.
Laminating the Fleece Layering and the absorbent layer
Having prepared your fleece fabric, you now feel the need to build up the layered configuration of the liner. Begin by placing your fleece fabric in the right orientation with fleece fabric on top and the soft side on the bottom surface.
Put the absorbent layer (like towels or U-Haul pads) over the fleece layer. You may opt to have more layers than one, depending on the amount of absorption which the liner should consider.
If a waterproof layer is used, place it after the absorbent material. So naked fleece on the bottom, absorbent material in the middle, and waterproof layer on the top.
Proceed to follow this step after ensuring all the layers are properly aligned
Pin and Sew the Layers Together
To keep the layers from moving out of place as you work on the machine, it is now necessary to fasten the stacks of layers.
With a sewing pin, tack the ends of the fabric to hold it securely. Pin along all the four sides except one, which should have a small opening of about 4 to 6 inches to enable you turn the liner the other side after sewing it.
If you are using a sewing machine, run a straight stitch along the entire edge of the liner except for that small opening left on one side. Ensure you run the stitch about half an inch from the edge to allow for the seam allowance.
Where you are doing it manually, use running stitches or a backstitch rather than a normal stitch to join the layers of fabric.
When you finish stitching all around the entire piece, pull the liner to the outside from the opening you left. Once you do turn it inside out, you can sew the opening by hand or use a sewing machine.
If you wish to, you can topstitch around the liner for extra strength in the seams and to prevent the fabric from moving away from the reinforced seams.
Guinea Pig Fleece Liner Maintenance
One amazing thing with fleece liners is that they are economical since they can be reused. Nevertheless, in order to extend the wear and the overall efficiency of the fleece liners there is need for special treatment of such items. How to wash the fleece liners and take care of them is explained below.
How to Wash Fleece Liners
Frequency: Depending on the number of guinea pigs and how often they soil the bedding, you are likely going to wash the fleece liner once or twice every week.
Shake off debris: Shake the fleece liner gently to remove any flyaway hay, poop or any debris before washing. This can be done out of the house or over a dustbin.
Washing instructions: Fleece liner washing must be done either with cold or warm water and a gentle pet friendly or a pet safe detergent. Never use fabric softener or dryer sheets since this coats the fleece and renders it incapable of wicking moisture.
Vinegar for Odor Control: For the people that are sensitive to strong odors, an option to add the vinegar to the wash will be a suitable choice for leaving the clothing clean but odor free. This is due to the ability of vinegar to mask smells without being strong.
Drying the Fleece Liner
Air-drying: The fleece liner may also be air dried that is hung outside or placed on a drying rack. It is the best method as it does not cause damage to the fabric and the absorbent materials.
Machine drying: If there is no alternative but to use a dryer, the user should set it at low heat or tumble dry. Excessive heat will cause the product to shrink or the absorbent layers to get damaged.
Dealing with stains: It is advisable to remove stains on the liner before returning it back to the cage. It is thus very useful in reducing incidences of molds or mildew
Dealing with Stains and Build-up
In due course, the fleece liner may undergo dirt accumulation or stains or you may experience melanin deposition due to urine. We have some tips to keep the liner clean and free of odors.
Baking soda soak: If stains are really stubborn, try a method in which you soak the liner in water and baking soda before putting it in the washing machine. Baking soda normally assists in the breaking down of stains as well as deodorizing the areas that have been stained.
Routine deep cleaning: In many instances, you can deep-clean the liner by soaking it in a vinegar and baking soda solution instead of throwing it into the washing machine for permanent rinsing.
In this way, by following these care tips, the fleece liner will be more durable and will also be comfortable for your guinea pigs.
Conclusion
It is pleasurable to sew a guinea pig fleece liner and also has great advantages to you and your pet. You do not only become cost effective in the future where you will be avoiding non re-usable bedding, they also get a soft bedding which keeps them dry and very happy.
It is easy for you to make a fleece liner that is appropriate for your guinea pigs cage if you follow the short guidelines that are contained in this guide. You will be able to use the fleece for months if not years through proper care in order to provide the furry friends with a warm and clean place to stay.
