Bunny laundry

[sibelabmom]

Had extra laundry to do this week, so bunny laundry didn't get to hit the washer until ALL pee pads were used up. Washable pee pads are great in terms of saving money, but when they marinate until they can get to the washer, they are a bit overwhelming. Overpowering. Ripe. Eye-watering. I've often wondered if having a second washer and dryer just for pet laundry would be a good idea if I could work it into the budget (currently, there are seven bunnies, five dogs, 2 cats, and ten sugar gliders...the humans in the house are sadly outnumbered and outclassed!). I use both vinegar and fabric softener in their laundry, and I must have amounts wrong, because it still smells distinctly rabbity even after coming out of the dryer. It's nowhere near as horrendous as when it went in, but it definitely doesn't smell like the fabric softener I added. I've also tried vinegar alone and it doesn't help. So I'm wondering what other folks do when laundry has to sit for a bit, and what you do for odor control? I'm desperate!!!

 

[JBun]

A little vinegar and 1/2-1 cup (usually) hydrogen peroxide, depending on the size of the load and the amount of soiling. Vinegar and unscented laundry soap alone was never effective for me either. Still had a urine smell left. But adding the hydrogen peroxide, when the right amount was added, pretty much got rid of the urine smell entirely. Didn't use fabric softener.

Wet urine that sits, will have that build up of ammonia, that yes, can be very over powering. Letting it dry out first will help reduce that. I always put mine out in the garage to dry first, before putting in a laundry basket. So not putting in a pile until it's dry first. Or if you don't have the space for drying or a drying rack, put in a can with a lid to contain the smell. But maybe take outside when opening that lid or you might faint Might also promote mildew to keep it this way.

 

[Blue eyes]

Maybe I'm missing something here but I'm trying to figure out why one would have rabbit urine on any fabric to begin with, especially on a regular basis. Are the rabbits not litter trained?

As for other pets like sugar gliders, are you using a fleece pad that has absorbent material in the middle? If so, the fleece is supposed to wick the moisture down to the center. Fabric softener is not supposed to be used on fleece because it can inhibit wicking (creates a barrier).

 

[sibelabmom]

Maybe I'm missing something here but I'm trying to figure out why one would have rabbit urine on any fabric to begin with, especially on a regular basis. Are the rabbits not litter trained?

As for other pets like sugar gliders, are you using a fleece pad that has absorbent material in the middle? If so, the fleece is supposed to wick the moisture down to the center. Fabric softener is not supposed to be used on fleece because it can inhibit wicking (creates a barrier).

I'm having a bit of trouble with litter training, and there are babies as well. What I'm using are washable puppy pads, but they're not fleece. I believe they're cotton, with an absorbent middle layer.

 

[JBun]

Maybe I'm missing something here but I'm trying to figure out why one would have rabbit urine on any fabric to begin with, especially on a regular basis. Are the rabbits not litter trained?

As for other pets like sugar gliders, are you using a fleece pad that has absorbent material in the middle? If so, the fleece is supposed to wick the moisture down to the center. Fabric softener is not supposed to be used on fleece because it can inhibit wicking (creates a barrier).

With mine, as they got old, they started becoming incontinent or had trouble making it into the litter box for various reasons.