How To Clean Guinea Pig Water Bottle? In 4 Easy Steps!

If you are a pet owner, you need to know how to clean guinea pig water bottle.

This is important for maintaining the hygiene and good health of your guinea pig.

For cleaning your guinea pig’s bottle, the first thing you have to do is put hot water inside it to disinfect and cover it with a cloth.

After that, you shake it as hard as you can so that the bacteria and dirt will come off.

In this article, we will learn the right steps in cleaning a guinea pig water bottle so that you won’t have a hard time doing so.

Are you ready? If the answer is yes, let us delve into it! 

How To Clean Guinea Pig Water Bottle ? 4 Easy Steps!

A dirty and moldy water container is sure only to give you a headache because your piggies can get sick due to bacteria.

It would help if you learned how to clean a guinea pig water bottle so that you can be assured of your cavy’s health.

The following are the step-by-step instructions on how to clean a guinea pig water bottle.

Always keep in mind that a clean pet is a comfortable pet.

Step #1. Unscrew the cap of the water bottle

Hot water needs to be put inside the container because a starter rinse will make your work easier.

Some of the molds will come off with hot water, and you won’t have much hassle with the next steps ahead.

Step #2. Fill in 2/3 full of hot water

The next step would require you to put hot water in a more considerable amount and then put the cap on again.

This time, you must shake as vigorously as you can because the dirt will be scrubbed off of the water bottle.

I am sure that the dirt build-up won’t stand a chance but rather lose its hold.

Do not forget to rinse the guinea pig’s water bottle with clean water after you do so. You can then see that the glass or the plastic is almost clear of unwanted stains and dirt.

Step #3. Get a cotton swab

If you have noticed that the container is not fully cleaned-up, you should get a cotton swab and manually clean it.

You can usually see this hard-up dirt in the dispenser area, so you must check each corner and hidden places.

Step #4. Use a brush to clean the bottle thoroughly

After you have done all the steps above, you can have the chance to get a brush and scrub the inside and the outside part of the bottle.

Soap can be used but only in small amounts to ensure a bacteria-free finish, only that you have to be sure to rinse the soap well so that there won’t be any risks for your piggy.

As a piece of advice, you can also use rice and shake it again as hard as possible to act like a brush. This can be an intelligent alternative if there isn’t any brush available to use in your household.

Water Bottle Cleaning Tips 

If you are a very meticulous guinea pig owner, there are steps that you can make, and in this part of the article, we will discuss it right away.

Like me, I do my very best to clean Ginger’s (my cavy) water bottle each day so that I can be assured of her health.

I do not want to risk her immunity decreasing even slightly because I know regrets come last.

These tips are sure to help secure your cavy’s health, and we will also give you easy steps for non-daily clean-up.

Here are the following:

Daily

You need to empty the water bottle of what is left from yesterday’s water supply. The water is totally dirty by that time, so you must pour it out of the container.

Do not forget to rinse it with hot or warm water every time. This step should never be omitted because it is an essential thing for you to remember.

Since there is no dirt build-up, you can wipe off the dispenser area while running hot water into it.

After you have completed the steps, you can now fill in freshwater for your cavy to consume for the whole day.

Every other day

Again, you must throw away the leftover water from the day before. Why?

Because it is never recommended that you fill the bottle with fresh ones because the water from the day before is sure to be very dirty!

Since you are cleaning every other day, it is necessary that you use a brush to clean it. Nice hot water is never absent in this step, and you do not need to use soap.

Double-check for any leftover mold and make sure that you take it out.

For the cap, you can use a cotton swab to clean the hard-to-reach areas. Rinse the cap of the bottle with hot water, just like the body of the bottle.

After that, return the cap to the container and fill it in with fresh water for your beloved pet’s consumption.

How Often Should I Clean the Water Bottle? 

As a rule of thumb, the recommended time for you to wash the guinea pig’s water bottle is every other day.

However, several pet owners prefer daily clean-up. It is also a good move because you can have a high percentage of assurance that the water which your cavy drinks is safe every day.

If you try to use soap, make sure that you will rinse the residue so that there won’t be any changes in the water taste.

Furthermore, it would be wrong if your cavy ingests water with soap. This can send your cavy to your nearest vet.

Should I use a water bottle or a bowl for my guinea pig to drink water from?

You can always use a bowl for your guinea pig but it has its own pros and cons.

However, water bottles are usually preferred over bowls because bowls are open containers and can lead to bacterial build-up, and other contaminants including urine, poop, and hay can stick inside.

Guinea pigs also have a chance of tipping over the bowls especially if you have baby guinea pigs.

Conclusion

If you just let the water bottle be all clogged up, I am sure that your cavy will be dehydrated if ignored. Dehydration in guinea pigs can lead to poor appetite, sticky saliva, and dry feces.

Cotton swabs are very useful in taking out dirt that is stuck on the water dispenser.

By that, you are sure that the water coming out of the container is fresh and clean.

If you desire to use soap for the process, you need to rinse the bottle well.

Why? Because some of the leftover soap can be mixed with clean water and may contain chemicals that can be dangerous for the health of your guinea pig.

If you have reached this part of the article, you must know how to clean guinea pig water bottles.

I hope that you will apply the steps correctly, and clean your guinea pigs bottle. 

Thank you very much for reading!