Yes, you can vacuum rabbit poop – but it might clog up your vacuum. Certain types of pet vacuums are designed for things like rabbit poop and are worth buying. Read on to find out what makes a good vacuum when you have rabbits!
You should note that if the poop isn’t completely dry, it could damage the vacuum. If you pick up fur, hay, and other debris it can also cause problems. As well as that, these vacuums won’t clean urine and the liquid might damage electrical components in the vacuum.
What Makes a Good Vacuum When You Have Rabbits
When you’re choosing a vacuum cleaner that you’ll be using for your rabbits, there are a few things you should look for. Bear in mind that some household vacuums are designed for dust and dirt (not rabbit poop).
A good vacuum for rabbits might be a little more expensive but will be significantly more efficient. The time you’ll save and the convenience are often worth the investment of this one-time purchase.
Your rabbit vacuum should:
- Be easy to clean out: Having a vacuum that is easy to clean and take apart will prevent the poop (and other dirt) from smelling so bad.
- Have a large dust canister: If you don’t have a big dust canister then you’ll have to empty it way more often than you would if it was bigger to start with.
- Have strong suction: The stronger the suction, the better. It needs to be able to get the rabbit poop from the floor and into the dust pipe without blocking any pipes.
- Have a HEPA filter: This is beneficial if you have allergies or asthma (e.g. if your rabbit or the hay causes you to sneeze). It’s designed to pull the allergens from the air, leaving your home cleaner and fresher.
Make sure that you empty the vacuum bag regularly and if you keep on top of cleaning your rabbit out, it’ll be much easier to manage it. Every so often you should disinfect and clean the vacuum out to remove any bacteria and odors.
Are Rabbits Afraid of Vacuums?
Most rabbits will be startled by loud noises and their instinct is to run to escape any potential danger.
A rabbit will be scared of plenty of noises from inside the house – kitchen appliances, loud music, lawnmowers, and vacuums (to name a few). The first few times that a rabbit hears a vacuum they’ll almost definitely be frightened.
Over time, your rabbit will get used to the sound of the vacuum and realize that it isn’t something they need to be scared of. You can help your rabbit get used to it by comforting them when the vacuum is out, letting them explore it up close (if they want to), and try having one person pet and play with your rabbit while someone vacuums in another room.
Alternatives to Vacuuming Rabbit Poop
Rabbits urinate and poop, and sometimes accidents happen where it doesn’t end up in their litter tray and needs cleaning up.
But it isn’t always practical to use a vacuum, and it depends on what you’re cleaning up – a few hard poops can be swept up faster than you can get the vacuum out and plugged in.
A healthy rabbit’s poop should be dry and solid making them easy to clean up. They don’t have much of a smell either. It’s only if they’re loose (usually caused by diarrhea) that it’ll be harder to clean and where you might need to do some scrubbing.
To clean solid rabbit poops you could use a dustpan and brush – this is a tried and tested method of cleaning. It’s cheap to pick up the dustpan and brush (if you haven’t already got one) and for small amounts of mess, it’s super easy to sweep them up.
Rabbit Litter Trays
Another option is to litter train your rabbits. Though poop and urine might inevitably get in other places, this will keep it mainly in one area.
When cleaning this out, you can tip the tray into a bag or use a dustpan to shovel it out. Once the tray is empty, spray it with rabbit-friendly cleaning products and wipe it down. When it’s dry you can re-fill it and use it again.
Once you’ve finished cleaning, you could then vacuum the area around the cage to pick up any remaining poops or stray dirt.
Cleaning Up Rabbit Urine
Urine has a lingering smell and can be difficult to clean off certain surfaces. This is more difficult to clean up than simply vacuuming up some poop.
Top tips for cleaning your rabbit’s urine from carpet:
- As soon as you spot a patch, clean it up. Letting it soak in will be a big mistake here. If it’s on the carpet, warm soapy water should do the trick.
- If there’s a strong smell, try water mixed with vinegar (half and half). Spray it onto the stain and layer baking soda on top. After around 30 minutes this should’ve worked and you can vacuum the baking soda up.
- If you have a white carpet, you might need to use some hydrogen peroxide (bleach) for one final scrub to get rid of any lingering smells and stains. Using bleach on anything other than white would leave a bleach stain so this tip should be skipped.
Top tips for cleaning your rabbit’s urine on hard floors:
- Once you find a puddle, use paper towels to absorb the worst of it.
- Spray and soak the area with a mixture of water and vinegar.
- Let it sit for a few minutes before using bleach on it.
- Leave the bleach to soak for a few minutes.
- Wipe the whole area, making sure it’s dry.
If you’re cleaning somewhere your rabbit spends time (like in their cage) make sure that you use pet-friendly products. Don’t let your rabbit near an area where you’ve used bleach or chemicals until it’s been properly cleaned up.
Also, you must never mix vinegar and bleach, this creates a chemical reaction that is poisonous and can be fatal to you and your rabbit (and anyone else sound).