Renovation of 2nd hand Bunny condo !

[Vienna Blue in France]

So the exciting news is that a double depth xxl hutch that I found on a second hand site is now sitting on my patio outside.

None of the hutches in shops or websites were deep enough for my two to shelter/siesta happily side by side together outstretched.

Long story short – tried to find car (free) wouldn’t fit  – Had to hire a van, so much easier. 3 hrs driving later, done. Sorted.

Now the work begins on the outdoor condo renovation

From the photos, I thought it would just need a quick rub down, clean out and let Z&H loose….

However , on closer inspection it needs a THOROUGH clean and scrub and major disinfecting, a BIG sandpaper down and probably some external wood treatment to make it weather worthy and nice looking.

(I think I’m going to be like someone who buys a house for the land it is on, flattens the house and then rebuilds !!!  )

The lady said she had cleaned it out…. and with bleach (!), but anyone know what I can get the white splashes, splodges and leaks off with? They must be urine leaks because they go down to the bottom (cupboardy) part…. beurk.

Her 3 buns (one after other) must have sprayed everywhere….

This is the ‘sleeping’ part but I think I’ll take this wall out…. or move it, as I only need the separation wall to protect the hole in the bottom I’m going to make (so they can jump up onto the first floor), so they don’t need as much space as the sleeping part offers.

Below is the bottom part of the double decker. So you can see the drips going down the wall… I can’t paint over it as not safe for buns, but I’d like to make it nicer to look at !! It’s got doors on but I think i’ll use the same set-up as I have already – I’ll take the bottom doors off (don’t need them, it’s not high enough for them to ‘fall’ out!), and they can use that area as litter (if it fits) or the dining room (!)

Or else…. I whack the whole load up onto the set-up I have now and they’ll have a 5 story condo outside, but I think i’m just making work for myself !!!  LOL

So any cunning cleaning ideas for the urine stains….?

[sarabelle]

Baking soda and vinegar, maybe that might work.

[Azerane]

I agree with the vinegar/baking soda option, however given that it’s timber it might be too ingrained to actually be able to remove it. However I would try cleaning with that, let it dry and give it a little sand, or even just straight up sand it first

For the wire mesh, get a wire brush and use the vinegar/baking soda with it on that.

[Q8bunny]

Sand (get an electric sander or sandblaster if you can) then douse with baking/soda vinegar (not diluted), then rinse and sun bake. That should do it.

The five storey condo sounds amazing, but really, will the two use it fully? Likely not. I’d focus on making it spacious vs cooly compartmentalized and let the buns decide where they’d like their “areas” to be

[Vienna Blue in France]

then rinse and sun bake

!!!! rotfl

Where do you think I am? Kuwait !!!!!!!

[Vienna Blue in France]

OK vinegar/baking soda efforts tonight….

(You can only get baking soda at the pharmacists in France, in smallish packets !!! OH they are SO behind times here!!!)

[Q8bunny]

Weeeiird…

[sarabelle]

You can buy 5 pound boxes here….weird..indeed.

[Vienna Blue in France]

In zero temperatures I’ve been outside scrubbing away on some of the wood (done half a panel so I can see the (if any) difference.)

100% neat white vinegar, scrub scrub scrub (spraying myself rather effectively without knowing it whilst scrubbing the front grid oops – work coat now in washing machine)

I left it to soak for 30 mins and then went outside to chuck a bucket of water over it (expect ice rink patio tomorrow morning !!! )

Watch this space for the resulting photos tomorrow…. da da dumm !!

[Q8bunny]

Now I’m expecting Buns on Ice promo photography

[jerseygirl]

Ooh! I hope all your hard work pays off.

Could the previous owner used Lime (as in lime that is used for livestock pens etc) or a powder bleach and that is what the white areas are?

You could try painting the wood after withreally strong black tea. The tannins in tea are supposed to rejuvenate wood. There is even a tea+vinegar wood treatment method floating around on the internet. But I suspect you will be so OVER using vinegar by the time the cleaning stage is done.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Had a peak out just now and I’m quite excited…. (not dry yet so not getting too excited).

I’ve tried another area without letting it soak for 30 mins to see if same result… so if it is working and it is this easy I will be a…. happy bunny !! LOL

[Vienna Blue in France]

Really strong black tea – oooo, I’ll have to try that one on a hidey bit first…..

[Vienna Blue in France]

2 photos with 2 difficult “spot the difference” games to play…

Hmmmmm, now which half of each of these 2 panels have I cleaned with 100% vinegar and then rinsing ?

SORTED !! 

(No need to answer – the questions are pointless – lol) 

Now on to finish the job…. bbbbrrrrr

[Q8bunny]

Lakeland sells black tea leaf floor treatment or somesuch…

Or you could do like the housekeepers of Downton Abbey and other venerable estates do, and save the dregs from every pot of tea, sprinkle them on your wooden floors, and then sweep them accross the room. Over time, parquet gets a rich glossy colour

[jerseygirl]

That’s come up great, Vienna!

Q8, interesting about the tea leaf floor treatment. I knew you could wash wooden floors with tea -DIY style- but wasn’t aware there was specific products marketed.

[Azerane]

Woah, check that out! It has come up a real treat Vinegar is amazing stuff.

Imagine how much more they could have sold it for had they taken the time to clean it up first. It’s amazes me what people are unwilling to do.

[Author]

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