Parrots have efficient respiratory systems for flight at high altitudes. Consequently, owners MUST avoid using chemical-laden products when cleaning and disinfecting their homes.
Many cleaning products release toxic fumes that cause breathing problems. The inhalation of chemicals like ammonia, bleach, chlorine, and phenols has life-threatening consequences for pet birds.
Use natural solutions like white vinegar and baking soda. Parrot-safe cleaning products like Poop-off, F10, GuanoFix Plus, and Johnson’s Veterinary Clean ‘n’ Safe can also be safely used for cage cleaning.
When buying cleaning products, don’t assume that “pet-safe” means “bird-friendly.” The safety labels may have been produced with non-avian companion animals in mind.
Safe Cleaning Products for Parrots
Parrots drop food and defecate in their cages, creating a breeding ground for disease-causing pathogens. This means the cage should be spot-cleaned (as required) and deep-cleaned at least weekly.
The safest option is to buy cleaning products from an exotic pet store because what they sell is free from toxic and dangerous substances. Recommended cleaning products for birds include:
- Poop-off.
- Johnson’s Veterinary Clean ‘n’ Safe Disinfectant Spray.
- F10 Disinfectant.
- GuanoFix Plus Avian Disinfectant.
Here are some everyday parrot-friendly cleaning products:
Dish Soaps
You’ll rarely go wrong with dish soap to clean a parrot’s cage. Most over-the-counter soaps are bird-friendly. A handful of caveats still apply, so select a mild soap, dilute it, and use it sparingly.
Dish soap can be used to clean food and water dishes. Use a soft cloth, and don’t scrub too hard because this risks leaving tiny grooves in the dish, allowing bacterial microbes to grow and multiply.
Rinse dishes to remove traces of dish soap that would otherwise be left behind. If a parrot swallows dish soap, it may experience mild digestive distress.
Castile is a parrot-safe alternative to dish soap, a natural product made from various oils (mainly olive oil). Dilute it to a ratio of 1 part Castile soap and 10 parts water.
Disinfectants
Is Fabuloso safe for parrots? Whether Fabuloso is bird-friendly is uncertain, so it should be avoided.
How about other brands with natural, non-toxic ingredients? Is Perfect Green safe for parrots? There’s no reason to believe it would be harmful because it contains nothing dangerous.
Are Method cleaners safe for parrots? Method cleaning products won’t release toxic chemicals or fumes that could damage birds’ lungs and air sacs.
F10 Disinfectant
F10 is a disinfectant widely utilized in veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and animal care facilities. The F10 range kills various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and fungal spores.
Active ingredients like quaternary ammonium compounds and biguanides kill microorganisms. When the manufacturer’s instructions are followed, F10 disinfectants are bird-safe.
Only use F10 in a well-ventilated area and let it dry before allowing birds on treated surfaces.
Virkon S
Virkon S is a disinfectant used in animal husbandry to control the spread of disease-causing pathogens.
The active ingredients are potassium peroxymonosulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sulfuric acid. Together, they kill viruses and disrupt the cell walls of bacteria and fungi.
Virkon S can disinfect bird cages and surfaces but allow them to dry after usage.
White Vinegar, Grapefruit Seed Oil, or Apple Cider Vinegar
White vinegar is nature’s way of eliminating bacteria, so dilute some and wipe down the cage. Wash it off afterward, and allow time for the moisture to evaporate.
We’re referring to pure vinegar, not malt vinegar, which isn’t bird-friendly. If you dislike vinegar, use apple cider vinegar (ACV) instead, diluting ACV to a 1:1 ratio.
Grapefruit seed extract can be used but won’t kill bacteria in the cage.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is bird-friendly, but it’s a potent abrasive. Sprinkle this on the cage floor. Then, wipe it away with a damp cloth or towel. Don’t leave baking soda for the parrot to peck at and swallow.
Mix baking soda with water and put it in a spray bottle—combine 3 tablespoons of baking water in 3 cups of warm (never hot or boiling) water. Apply 3 tablespoons of lemon juice for extra potency.
Steam Cleaning
A dedicated steam cleaner allows you to clean a cage without damaging a parrot’s lungs and air sacs. Steam cleaning will strip away poop, decaying food, and mess that dish soap and water can’t.
Steam cleaning can be used in conjunction with other approaches. Disinfectants and heating in the home can dry out a parrot’s skin, but too much humidity (steam) leads to mold growth.
Toxic Household Cleaners
You’ll need to explore the components of each product. Avoid products that include:
- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
- Chlorine.
- Ammonia.
- Phenolics (phenols).
Let’s look at each of these ingredients:
Aerosols
As discussed in Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, parrots can get upper respiratory conditions. Unfortunately, aerosols can cause and aggravate respiratory problems, sometimes fatally.
Inhaling fumes, especially CFCs, can be life-threatening. Never spray antiperspirant or air freshener in a parrot’s room. Instead, use a roll-on deodorant and natural scent products.
Be mindful of spraying other cleaning products, like furniture polish.
The fumes can make their way into the cage. If you must use these cleaning materials, move the parrot elsewhere temporarily and allow fresh air into the room.
Once the scents have dissipated, you can return the cage to its usual location.
Carpet Cleaners
Carpet shampoos often cause problems due to the fumes they emit. Chemicals like Perchloroethylene and Naphthalene are frequently used in dry carpet cleaning products.
If you get a carpet professionally cleaned, let the room air out for at least 24 hours, ideally longer.
Bleach
Parrots must be housed away from bleach due to the fumes emitted, namely hypochlorous acid and chlorine gas, which are extremely dangerous.
The aroma of diluted bleach is intense, and the risk of respiratory problems is ever-present.
Laundry Detergents
Leading detergent brands contain carcinogens, air pollutants, and hormone disrupters.
Some owners line parrots’ cages with towels, providing them somewhere soft to play, land, and sleep. However, wash anything in the cage with a parrot-safe cleaning substance.
Most laundry detergents contain synthetic fragrances. To reduce the risk of detergent remnants, personal laundry should be done with unscented Tide pods. Also, avoid fabric softeners.
Window Cleaners
If you use commercial chemicals to clean windows, don’t use a product containing ammonia. Ammonia is deadly to parrots and takes about one week to dissipate.
If ammonia is combined with chlorine-containing water, chloramine gases will be released.
Use baking soda, white vinegar, and organic apple cider vinegar to clean a parrot’s cage and windows.
To keep the home clean and sanitary, use homemade parrot-safe cleaners and cleaning products like Poop-Off. Before you begin, put the parrot in a separate room.
