I have tried several ways, depending on my work schedule (different jobs, different hours, some of the time unemployed).
I basically try to leave stuff with their stink on it at all times, lol. This cuts down on over-marking.
When doing a thorough cage clean, every 4-6 weeks, I take everything out of cage and wipe down all the cage bars with v/w solution, every other time I also use my hand-held steamer. I make sure I replace several
toys and furnishings without cleaning. (I would really love to eventually be able to take the cage outside every few months and really wash down with dish soap and rinse with hose, but have not been able to keep the cage where this is possible, if you can do that, I recommend it.)
The cage cover gets changed whenever I fit it in between thorough cage cleaning. (I confess, sometimes I just change it when I do the thorough cage cleaning because of all the items I have to remove to clean and change cover)
Drop tray, I used to do every two or three days, now I do daily, it's easy, especially since I started using nothing to line the tray. I spot clean cage floor and walls where and as needed weekly.
The fleece, mostly the sleeping pouch and the bridge that's between the two
wheels gets replaced each week usually, sometimes it's a day or two off. These items usually get air-dried, occasionally I've tumbled them dry though.
Other fleece items I may keep in there another week or so, if it's part of a toy I'm not switching out or see used frequently.
Hard surface large
toys and furnishings (
wheels, and floor
toys) I usually wipe down every other week and alternately give them a good scrub, using dish soap and rinse well.
Small plastics (small
toys and toy bin) get done about every week to two weeks, sometimes I just don't get to them each week (seems the usual lately). They get soaked in either dish soap or v/w solution and then rinsed.
I switch-out some
toys during the weekly/bi weekly cleanings, but sometimes change things around (rearranging set-up) during thorough cage cleaning. Even though I will replace some items without cleaning, I will place things in different locations. I tend to usually keep their sleeping pouch and
wheels in the same location, but I have moved their
wheels from time to time.
You will notice we all have different routines that fit our schedule or just to our liking, but most everyone will agree on leaving something with their stink in there at all times, doesn't mean you don't ever clean whatever, just alternate the cleaning of items a bit.