Regular litter box cleaning is important for your home. Not only does cleaning a litter box make the box more inviting for your cat, but proper cleaning can help keep a cat litter from smelling.
While you may keep your home in tip-top shape, there’s a good chance that you aren’t cleaning your cat’s litter box often enough. Here are some tips for cleaning a litter box, both on a daily and weekly basis.
Regular Litter Box Cleaning
In general, you should lightly clean a litter box at least once a day. This includes scooping out any waste or, if you use clumping litter, any clumps that have formed. Keeping your litter box clean of waste encourages your cat to come back.
To keep odors low, be sure to remove any waste from your home. While you might just scoop it into a garbage bag, leaving that bag open in your home can release foul smells that will be obvious to anyone coming into your home.
Putting used litter in a sealed bag is a great way to trap odors before garbage day. Alternatively, you can move litter waste outside — however, this can lead to odors near where you leave the litter.
Finally, you should clean up any mess on or around the litter box. Spilled litter that’s on the floor should be scooped or vacuumed, and the outside edges of the litter box should be wiped clean.
Deep Litter Box Cleaning
Aside from daily scooping and cleaning, you should do a deep cleanse of a litter box once a week.
The deep clean should involve removing all litter in the box and throwing it out. Even though it might not have clumped or disintegrated, the litter is still exposed to trace amounts of waste every time your cat uses the litter box. To keep a fresh home, replacing all the used cat litter is key.
Once emptied, take the opportunity to scrub the litter box clean. You’ll probably be surprised at how much litter sticks to the inside of the box! When cleaning, make sure to use a no-odor soap. You don’t want to bring any new scents into the litter box that might scare off your cat.
Finally, replace the litter with fresh litter. We recommend choosing healthy cat litter with no added scents and no dust.
FAQs for How to Clean a Litter Box
Yes, Clorox wipes and similar products can be used to clean a litter box. Make sure that any residue left over from the wipes is removed before adding fresh litter to the box.
Cat litter should go in your waste bin. Some cat litters are biodegradable, so you don’t have to feel bad about adding waste to a landfill.
You should never put cat litter down your drain. Litter will clog up your pipes, and any feces or urine in the litter could end up contaminating reusable water.
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