The Science Behind Cage & Toy Wash / Cage & Toy Shield

Here's a fact: enzyme cleaners work pretty well in the short-term but they often leave the job unfinished. Odor-causing bacteria remain behind which is why odors return. Spot clean-ups of urine from dogs & cats AND cleaning up food and waste from bird and small animal cages both have this problem.  Cage & Toy Wash and Cage & Toy Shield were created to address this challenge in a simple, completely natural way.

For dog & cat urine and other "spot" cleaning uses, the science is pretty simple: enzyme products rely on bacteria to consume waste products, but this process often leaves some waste product behind. Bacteria return and feed on these waste products, which creates new odors. The Cage & Toy products block the ability of bacteria to return and feed, stopping the creation of "lingering odor".

For owners of birds and caged small animals, the problem is a bit more complex but the solution is the same. In cages, the ongoing, daily buildup of dust, seeds, foods,urine and droppings cause airborne bacteria and mold spores to quickly multiply. But regular washings of the entire cage & accessories is laborious and time-consuming. And despite best efforts, a lingering smell often remains behind. The continued odor results from bacterial waste that remains attached. This is described by scientists as "bacterial attachment".

Simply put, when bacteria attach to a surface, they become less likely to be killed by a cleaning agent. This situation often leads to the formation of Biofilm, which is even more resistant to cleaning efforts. Plus, it provides a platform for even more stuff - including new viruses & molds - to grow.

So what can be done? You can break down the bacterial attachment by using harsh chemicals along with a lot of "mechanical activity" (that's science speak for scrubbing every square inch really, really hard). And it's very tough to do. For example, most toys have too many crevices and cracks where bacteria can hide.

Instead, you can make it very difficult for bacteria to begin the attachment process in the first place. And that's what both Wash and Shield do. It's like putting a bacterial raincoat on items to resist the bacterial attachment AND help eliminate any bacteria that may linger on surfaces when cleaning.  

The difference between the two products is this: In addition to the long-term odor control function, Cage & Toy Wash is focused on the initial cleaning job using natural surfactants (cleaners), where Cage & Toy Shield creates a slick surface that makes it super easy to wipe off dirt and gunk in between cleanings.  Used together, Wash & Shield make cleaning and maintaining pet cages, food bowls, toys super fast, easy, and odor free.