Everything Anti-Pill Fleece and U-HAUL Furniture Pads

Fleece is a soft fabric used for making clothes. It can and is widely used for your pet’s cage bedding as it allows urine or pee to wick through, does not cause respiratory problems to your pet and finally it looks neat.

When buying fleece, it is important to purchase anti-pill fleece.

Anti-pill simply means that your fleece will not form little balls of thread during use or after washing. It will stay smooth and comfortable.

Here are different fleece terms you need to understand

Anti-Pill Fleece fabric/blanket

This has one layer/ a single sheet. You can purchase these, they go for about $5-$8 for the 36.00 x 60.00 x 0.25 Inches.

Anti-Pill Fleece liner

These have two layers made from two anti-pill fleece fabric/blanket and sewn all around the edges. You can purchase these already made or you can DIY.

Anti-Pill Fleece pillow

These resemble pillow cases and have two layers made from two anti-pill fleece fabrics/blankets and sewn around three edges, leaving one side open. You can purchase these already made or you can DIY.

DIY Making Fleece Liners/Pillows

• See detailed video of how to make anti-pill fleece liners/pillows from anti-pill fleece blankets/fabrics.
• Note that in this video, the tray used to measure fleece belongs to a critter nation or ferret nation cage.
• When cutting the fleece, use measurements of the type of cage you have for your pet.

Making fleece liner

Tip – Use U-Haul Furniture Protection Pad

• In your pet’s cage and under the anti-pill fleece fabrics/blanket/liner or inside the fleece pillow, use an absorbent layer like the U-Haul Furniture Protection Pad – Moving and Packing Blanket – 68″ x 85″ – 1 Pad Included.
• If you use fleece alone, your pet’s pee will not be absorbed. Fleece only allows pee to wick through and settle at the bottom, which can be unhealthy for your pet.

See how the U-Haul Furniture Pad is placed when DIY making liners.

Making u-haul for fleece liner

An alternative to placing your cage floor pan in a fleece pillow, you can just place the U-HAUL furniture pad on the cage floor pans/floor, then place the fleece fabric on it and secure it using binder clips. This option would be great for DIY cages.

See what we mean by using binder clips:

Using binder clips on fleece

Are you too lazy to make fleece liners or pillows?

• You can buy ready made fleece liners or pillows from stores. NB: Anti-pill liners from stores are NOT usually sold with U-HAUL sewn in them.
• You can have them made by someone at a fair price. There are individuals who make them according to your specifications, you can inform them to put U-HAUL in them.

Anti-Pill Fleece fabric/blankets/liners/pillows Need to Be Prepared Before Use

Preparation of the anti-pill fleece simple means trying to make it wick and also preshrink.

Wash the new anti-pill fleece fabric/blankets/liners/pillows at least 3-4 times with warm or hot water before use.

• For those going the DIY making anti-pill fleece liners/pillow way, you will need to wash the fleece fabric/ blanket before cutting as it is known to shrink when washed with hot water. You will want to start cutting on it once it has shrunk not before.
• For those who have purchased their already made anti-pill liners/pillows, wash before use in cage.

DO NOT use scented detergents or any kind of softeners!!! DO NOT use dryer sheets!!

You can use unscented free and clear detergent, a good example is All Liquid Laundry Detergent, Free & Clear

See video on what you are trying to achieve (wicking).

wicking fleece

How do you wash the fleece?

This is a video of cleaning dirtied fleece. You can have a watch to get an idea of how to wash the new fleece.

How to Wash Fleece Liners and Cozies

U-Haul Furniture Pads Need to Be Prepared Before Use

Preparation of the U-HAUL furniture pad simply means trying to make it preshrink, shed some fiber (which can clog drains) and become more absorbent.

Wash the new U-HAUL Furniture Pad at least 1 time with warm or hot water before use.

• For those going the DIY making anti-pill fleece liners/pillow way, you will need to wash the U-HAUL before cutting as it is known to shrink when washed with hot water. You will want to start cutting on it once it has shrunk not before.
• For those who have purchased their already made anti-pill liners/pillows, wash before use in cage. Anti-pill liners from stores are not usually sold with U-HAUL already sewn in them. However, if you have someone who sews them for you, you can give specifications on what you want.

DO NOT use scented products or any kind of softeners!!!DO NOT use dryer sheets!!

You can use unscented free and clear detergent, a good example is All Liquid Laundry Detergent, Free & Clear

For some pets, for example, a hedgehog or short-tailed opossum, an alternative to using U-HAUL can be disposable/ washable pee/puppy pads.

• US: Disposable/washable pee/puppy pads – AmazonBasics Dog and Puppy Pee, Potty Training Pads, Heavy Duty X-Large (28 x 34) – Pack of 25
• UK: Disposable/washable pee/puppy pads –AmazonBasics Heavy Duty Pet and Puppy Training Pads, Regular -50-Count

You can see a video of using disposable/ washable pee/puppy pads below.

Disposable pee pad use in hedgehog cage

Tips

• When using Fleece, you will require to have a litter pan in the cage (usually at a corner) or kitchen area (for guinea pigs) to guarantee cleanliness and less smells.
• You don’t want your pet soiling the fleece too many times, forcing you to thoroughly clean your cage daily.
• You will also need to train your pet to use the litter pan.

Litter pan and fleece use

In this litter pan, you will definitely have to use a different material from what you are using as cage bedding. Some good examples are:

• • Hardwood Wood Stove Pellets or
  • US: Back 2 Nature Small Animal Biodegradeable Paper Litter, 10 Litre
  • UK: Back 2 Nature Small Animal Bedding – 30 L
  • US: Disposable/washable pee/puppy pads – AmazonBasics Dog and Puppy Pee, Potty Training Pads, Heavy Duty X-Large (28 x 34) – Pack of 25
  • UK: Disposable/washable pee/puppy pads –AmazonBasics Heavy Duty Pet and Puppy Training Pads, Regular -50-Count