How to Clean a Rabbit Hutch

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It's a chore, but you need to know how to do it properly. These same steps can apply to guinea pig hutches as well.

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Steps

1
Take your rabbit(s) or guinea pig(s) out of the cage. Put them in a exercise pen or crate, at a place where other pets can't bother them.

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2
Gather your supplies. See Things You'll Need below.
3
Scoop up the dirty shavings and put them in the bin bag. Hopefully, you will have put newspaper down under all the wood shavings or hay, in which case you can roll up most of the debris in the newspaper and dispose of it more easily.
- Scoop up the remaining loose shavings and hay and then brush up all the last bits with a brush and dustpan.
4
Wash and disinfect the floor of the hutch. Use an old bucket and cloth: put some warm, soapy water in the bucket - the soap or disinfectant you use must be bunny- or guinea pig-friendly. Never use bleach or household cleaners, as these may kill bunnies or guinea pigs.
- Dry the floor with an old towel.
5
Put down newspaper all over the floor. Make this a few layers thick so that it won't disintegrate when you next clean the hutch.
6
Put down new shavings. The shavings should be 1cm thick all over the floor.
7
Clean the food and water containers, and the hay rack. Replace the food, water, and hay.
8
Add a layer of hay. Hay is preferable to straw, as the animals eat it as well as play and sleep in it.
9
Put the rabbits or guinea pig back in the cage and you're done!

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Tips

If you have a two-story hutch, clean the top of the hutch out first, disinfect and leave to dry naturally. While this is happening, clean the bottom out, and by the time you have done that, the top should be dry to put newspaper down etc.
Keep old newspapers to put on the floor to soak up all the urine and protect the floor from feces.
Never use scented product for your pet and try not to use shavings as they have dust, these things may cause respiratory problems (breathing problems.) .
Clean the cage out at least once a week and make sure all shavings and hay are clean and dry.
Be sure not to use bleach while cleaning the hutch.
Scatter scented wood shavings or use dried soap to help ease off unwanted odors.
Wash the towel you use to clean the cage after each cleaning.
If you're using organic material as bedding (e.g. wood chips, newspaper, hay, etc.), consider putting the cleaned-out cage lining, manure and all, into your garden. You can turn it in directly to a bed you haven't yet planted or if you prefer, you can add it to your compost heap. Since rabbits are herbivores, their manure is an exception to the no-pet-manure rule.

Warnings

Don't put rabbits and guinea pigs together, as the rabbit could badly injure the smaller guinea pig, or even kill it with a powerful kick.
If you have a pregnant rabbit, leave her nesting box alone and clean around it.
Never use pine or cedar shavings - these can result in respiratory problems, liver disease, and death.
Make sure there are no thistles in the hay, as they can kill rabbits.
Don't use household disinfectants - use a pet-friendly one, which you can purchase from pet stores or online.
Don't use the bucket, cloth or towels for anything else, to prevent cross-contamination.