Help! Washing guinea pig fleece bedding!

[PseudoBadger]

I was so happy to switch my piggies to fleece bedding, but I've got my first one in the washing machine now and it's so heavy when it's sodden with water that I can't spin the machine!!! I've tried the slowest spin too. I have googled and no one else seems to have this issue. Am I alone?!

I have no advice but have had a similar problem and hope someone can come along with a solution :)

Where did you buy your fleeces out of interest?

This one is a Guineadad brand, but I have another from Etsy. There are lots of supply problems due to Covid and the Guineadad was an easy purchase. I'm so annoyed!!!

I would be too. I tried to wash some blankets we used with the pigs, I put them in one of those bags that are supposed to catch pet hair, and had the problem you describe.

We do it on the fastest spin inside a pet bedding sack, it's not the specific guinea pig fleeces we use but pet blankets (fleeces) that come up every now and then on the offers in Sainsbury's petrol stations, the pigs love them and thru dry on the line really quickly. It's possible to change them daily.

When I say blankets they are not huge, small fleece throws.

Yes, that's what we use.

@penelopeplums what’s the fastest spin available on your machine? I think mine only goes up to 1400.

The problem must be the absorbent layer in the 'cage liners' rather than just a fleece blanket, but literally no one else has mentioned this. I washed it in a pet bag, worried that had made it go into a ball which unbalanced the machine, tried to spin it without the bag but same problem.

I think it's 1200.

Maybe if I wash a normal fleece blanket too it would balance it?

Mine is 1209

1200

I just wash the fleeces on their own, they don't have the absorbing layer as far as I know. We use them on top of puppy pads and hay.

Now I’m wondering if I didn’t put enough in to balance the load. I’ll have to try again when the weather is good enough to dry them If it’s another fail!

I've just added some dog towels and am trying again - wish me luck. Or rather wish the washing machine luck!

I was so conscious of not overloading it that I have underloaded it

That has worked - fleece is drying now

@PseudoBadger hooray! I will try this again :)

This is the Etsy shop I used www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MPsal?ref=cart_shop_name_click&cart_id=3266259746

Thank you!

Is there a reason not to use ordinary blankets/ throws in a guinea pig indoor run?

We're rehoming 3 pigs on Saturday - we had some a decade ago and wanted to avoid sawdust indoors this time.

This happen when I wash some of my fleeces sometimes, normally because the machine is underloaded, this is on a 1600 spin. I have to wring them out in the garden until they're not totally sodden and then usually the machine can cope spinning them.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Is there a reason not to use ordinary blankets/ throws in a guinea pig indoor run?

We're rehoming 3 pigs on Saturday - we had some a decade ago and wanted to avoid sawdust indoors this time.

No, no reason except heavy blankets will be a nightmare to wash and get dry.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Is there a reason not to use ordinary blankets/ throws in a guinea pig indoor run?

We're rehoming 3 pigs on Saturday - we had some a decade ago and wanted to avoid sawdust indoors this time.

Polar fleeces will help wick any liquid away from the piggies feet, I use fleece on top of bathmats/ towels/ puppy pads. Mainly need this under any hides and hay piles as that's where they prefer to toilet