How to Clean a Bird Cage, Perches and Dishes

Birds are messy eaters. Seed hulls fly out through the bars, droppings land on the perches and the cage floor, fruit gets smeared on everything, and feather dust settles all around the room. A bird cage needs a little cleaning every day and a thorough scrub every week. Birds are also sensitive to fumes, so what you clean with matters as much as how often. This guide covers the cage liner, dishes, perches and toys, the full clean, and which cleaners and fumes to keep away from your bird.

It is based on bird care advice from RSPCA Australia, the RSPCA in the UK and the Oregon Humane Society, hygiene guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and a University of Illinois veterinary article on nonstick coatings. Ask an avian veterinarian if you are unsure about anything for your bird.

Every day

Change the cage liner. Both RSPCA Australia and the Oregon Humane Society list a fresh paper liner as a daily job. Fold the old one up with the droppings and hulls inside.
Wash the food and water dishes. RSPCA Australia puts cleaning and disinfecting the dishes on the daily list, and the Oregon Humane Society says to clean and refill water bowls and bottles every day. A spare set of dishes lets one set dry while the other is in use.
Take out fresh food your bird has not eaten before it spoils, and put in fresh food.
Spot clean droppings on perches and the cage bars with a damp cloth.
Check rope and fabric toys for loose threads or frayed ends your bird could get tangled in.

Which cage liner to use

Plain paper is the easiest to keep clean. The Oregon Humane Society suggests plain paper, newspaper, paper towels or paper bags cut to fit the cage floor. Paper lets you see your bird’s droppings each day and costs little, so you will not be tempted to leave it in longer. Skip sandpaper liners and loose bedding such as wood shavings, cat litter or corncob, which your bird could pick at and swallow.

Every week: the full clean

The Oregon Humane Society recommends a thorough clean of the whole cage once a week, including the tray and perches, followed by a good rinse and a full dry before your bird goes back in. Step by step:

Move your bird to a travel cage or carrier in another room, away from the cleaning and any fumes.
Take everything out: dishes, perches, toys, swings and the tray.
Scrape off dried droppings from the tray, grate and bars. Soak stubborn spots with warm water first so they soften. The CDC advises against picking up droppings with bare hands, so wear gloves or use a scraper.
Wash the whole cage with warm, soapy water or a bird-safe cage cleaner, using a stiff brush for the bars and corners. Do it outdoors if you can. The CDC says to keep cages and their supplies out of the kitchen sink and away from food preparation areas, and to use a bathtub or laundry sink if you have to clean indoors.
Disinfect if you choose to, using a product made for bird cages and following its label for dilution and contact time.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water, so no soap or disinfectant is left on the cage, perches, toys or dishes.
Dry everything and put the cage back together with a fresh liner before your bird goes back in.
Wash your hands. The CDC says to wash your hands right after cleaning a bird cage or handling its perches, toys and dishes.

Also wash the floor and surfaces around the cage, which the Oregon Humane Society includes in the weekly clean.

Perches

Scrub perches with a perch brush and warm, soapy water during the weekly clean, and whenever they are soiled. The CDC notes that keeping perches clean stops droppings from building up. Rinse them and let them dry completely before putting them back.
Replace wooden perches when they are worn, cracked or stained in a way scrubbing will not shift. Natural wood is porous and never comes fully clean.
Throw out heavily soiled rope perches rather than trying to rescue them.
Place perches carefully. RSPCA Australia advises against placing perches directly above other perches or food and water dishes, and the RSPCA in the UK gives the same advice so droppings do not land on other birds or in their food and water. That alone cuts down on cleaning.

Toys and swings

Clean rope and fabric toys every week, or sooner if they get dirty, and replace them once they are frayed or stained.
Wash plastic and metal toys in warm, soapy water with the dishes, and rinse them well. The Oregon Humane Society says to keep toys clean and free of loose or broken parts.
Keep spare toys to swap in while the others dry.

Safe cleaners for a bird cage

Warm water and a mild dish soap for most jobs, rinsed off well.
Cage cleaners made for birds. Follow the label and rinse where it tells you to.
Bleach only with great care, if at all. Bleach gives off strong fumes. If you use it, do it outdoors or well away from your bird with plenty of fresh air, rinse it all off, let the cage dry and air out, and never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners.

Fumes to keep away from your bird

Birds react to airborne fumes much more strongly than people do. RSPCA Australia advises keeping birds away from fumes from cleaning products, paint, cigarette smoke, air fresheners, scented candles and incense.

No aerosols, air fresheners or scented sprays near the cage. Clean the rest of the house with your bird in another room and the windows open.
Nonstick (PTFE) coatings. A University of Illinois veterinary article explains that PTFE, best known as Teflon, is used on nonstick pans and also on some heating elements, irons, ovens and hair dryers. When heated, these can give off a gas you cannot see or smell that is deadly to birds. Product labels often mention very high temperatures, but the article notes that a damaged coating can release the fumes at much lower heat. The Oregon Humane Society also warns about fumes from self-cleaning ovens and overheated nonstick cookware, and advises keeping the cage away from the kitchen.
Lock cleaning products away from a bird that flies free in the house.

If your bird is exposed to fumes and has trouble breathing or seems unwell, move it to fresh air and get it to a veterinarian straight away. The University of Illinois article advises rushing a bird with breathing trouble after PTFE exposure to the nearest veterinary emergency room.

Around the cage

Use seed guards or a cage skirt to catch hulls, and put a washable mat or tray under the cage.
Vacuum or sweep around the cage daily. Seed hulls and feather dust spread fast. See how to clean a pet hair vacuum and its filters to keep your vacuum working.
Wipe nearby walls and windows, which collect droppings and splashed food. For glass, see how to clean pet nose prints and drool off glass, using a cleaner that is safe to use near birds.

A simple routine

Every day: new liner, washed dishes, fresh food in and old food out, droppings wiped off perches.
Every week: take the cage apart, scrub the cage, tray, perches and toys, rinse, dry and reassemble, and clean the area around it.
As needed: replace worn wooden perches and frayed rope or fabric toys.
Always: wash your hands after cleaning, and keep cage supplies out of the kitchen sink.

For other cages and dishes, see how to clean a hamster, guinea pig or rabbit cage and how to clean pet food and water bowls.

For a lizard, snake or gecko, see how to clean a reptile terrarium or tank.

Keep cleanup supplies ready

Our Pet Cleanup Kit is made for dog and cat accidents on carpets and fabrics. It is not for a bird cage: clean that with warm water and a bird-safe soap as above, and keep any cleaning sprays away from your bird.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I clean a bird cage?

Put in a fresh paper liner and clean the food and water dishes daily, as RSPCA Australia and the Oregon Humane Society advise, and give the whole cage a thorough clean once a week.

What is safe to clean a bird cage with?

Warm water with a mild dish soap, or a cage cleaner made for birds. Keep bleach and other strong smelling products away from your bird, rinse off all residue, and clean with your bird in another room.

What should I line the bottom of a bird cage with?

Plain paper, newspaper, paper towels or paper bags cut to size, as the Oregon Humane Society suggests, changed every day. Avoid sandpaper liners and loose bedding your bird could swallow.

Where should I clean a bird cage?

Outdoors if you can. The CDC says not to clean cages, dishes or other supplies in the kitchen sink, and to use a bathtub or laundry sink if you clean indoors.

How do I clean bird perches?

Scrub them with a perch brush and warm, soapy water, rinse and dry them fully. Replace wooden perches once they are worn or will not come clean, and bin rope perches that are badly soiled.

Sources

CDC: Birds (Healthy Pets)
RSPCA Australia: How to help your pet bird have a good life
RSPCA: Housing and environments for pet birds
Oregon Humane Society: Budgie care sheet (PDF)
University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: Keep Teflon, avocado, lead, and zinc away from pet birds

This guide is general cleaning information, not veterinary advice. If your bird’s droppings change, or it seems unwell after any exposure to fumes, contact an avian veterinarian at once.