steam cleaners for cages

[knuckles]

I know there has been some discussion (in chat I think) about using steam cleaners on cages.  Do they work?  if so, what model do you have.   Do you use anything else in addition to the steam cleaning?

[menagerie]

I tried one of those handheld steamers that you can get from Target, I thought it was a waste of time. I'm sure the steam sanitized everything but it didn't do a good job of getting the gunk off.

Pressure washers work great though

[knuckles]

and no problem with the pressure washer taking off the powder coating??

[menagerie]

and no problem with the pressure washer taking off the powder coating??

Nope

[Absolute Mischief Rats]

I have a Euro-Pro Shark steam cleaner that I bought specifically for cleaning cages, but it doesn't work nearly as well as I had hoped it would.   Like menagerie said, it just doesn't get the 'gunk' off, and since mine is relatively high-powered, it also takes off the powder-coating if I spray it in one spot for too long.  It does work great for almost anything else though - just not cages.

[Bratratbeds]

Umm why the need for a power washer?  I have found the pressure from a hose nozzle gets everything off for me... am I just "odd" (....be quite MEAN!!!  Yes I "KNOW" what you were thinking!   )  I just hose off my 695 with a hose that has a regular sprayer nozzle on it and put some weak bleach water on it then rinse it off real good to make sure there is none left on to hurt the girls.  I don't think I have seen any build up on it.

[menagerie]

Umm why the need for a power washer?  I have found the pressure from a hose nozzle gets everything off for me... am I just "odd" (....be quite MEAN!!!  Yes I "KNOW" what you were thinking!   )

I wasn't gonna say anything, honest. 

I just hose off my 695 with a hose that has a regular sprayer nozzle on it and put some weak bleach water on it then rinse it off real good to make sure there is none left on to hurt the girls.  I don't think I have seen any build up on it.

The hose does work, however, it takes a lot longer to clean a cage using a hose than it does a powerwasher. With as many cages I have, I need all the shortcuts I can get. 

[Bratratbeds]

Yeaaahhh sure you weren't!!!   

And if you didn't HOG all the cool ratties to yourself then you wouldn't need a power washer   

[menagerie]

Yeaaahhh sure you weren't!!!   

And if you didn't HOG all the cool ratties to yourself then you wouldn't need a power washer   

LMAO, Marius is all mine and you can't have him 

[jessiree]

I bought a steam cleaner for my cages...thought I was going to just LOVE it.
I used it twice and it's been in a box ever since.  I HATED it. did NOTHING for the gunk..and I think the warm water made the smells WORSE.
I'm buying a small pressure washer next week, hopefully I'll like it because for $89 I'm going to have to use it! 

[knuckles]

we went with a power washer instead.  The kiddo used it last weekend and really had fun with it. (anything to make chores more "fun" is a big bonus)

[sunshineILMI]

My dad just bought a nice pressure washer for the house since he's repainting.  I can't wait to give it a try on the rat cage!

[jessiree]

Just wanted to say that I got my pressure washer and it works GREAT!!!  Took off powdercoating only on the already chipped areas--I'm looking into re-coating the cage anyhow.  It got off all the gunk and it smells MUCH better...and it only took a few minutes!! I highly reccomment them!

[Adventure Rats]

I have to jump in on saying that pressure washers are the BEST!!! I don't know what the rest of you have but Scott got mine...so...it's a 2.5hp gas powered...something like 2500psi. If I get real close it will rip the powder coating right now. I hit my foot with it the other weekend..OUCH!!!

With 18 cages I NEED it. I now pressure wash them almost every week. No more of this once a month stuff and spending hours scrubbing and scrubbing my cages.