How to Clean a Litter Box
Toilet tray. If you are a cat owner – especially if you have cats that maim half of their weight every day, like mine – an unpleasant rectangle is particularly unsettling. Cleaning is a task every cat owner dreads. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Cleaning the litter box gives you a choice: either do a little work every day, or do a lot of unpleasant work all at once. So it’s best to clean up a little every day, the reward is that it’s a reasonable amount.
So what ‘s the best way to empty your trash can?
Cats are special, so give them what they want
When it comes to doing business, cats are very picky. While it’s tempting to blame the fact that they’re cats, let’s be honest: everyone prefers a clean, private bathroom. Cats are no different.
A general rule of thumb is to have at least one litter box per cat and at least one litter box on each floor for easy access. Although there are different types of litter, from traditional clay litter to self-adhesive and biodegradable, cats are fussy and unresponsive to change. Better to stick with the type they are used to and not overfill the box. A couple of inches is enough.
The litter box should be placed in an accessible area that provides a little privacy, not too dark or damp. As much as you want to shove the litter box in the back of the toilet or in a dark corner of the basement, if you do, chances are the cats just won’t use it. Would you like to go to the bathroom in a dark, isolated place? Probably no.
Plus, if the litter box is too smelly, dirty, or full, they might discard it.
Collect your trash litter regularly
It is important to regularly scoop up the litter as this will prevent the litter box from turning into a big, smelly mess. To make this task manageable, try to scoop every day, or at least every other day. You will need a dustbin that has small slats that allow the debris to fall out, leaving large clumps behind. Litter builds up urine into hard lumps, which can then be easily scooped up. Waste should be sent to a plastic trash bag, which is then tied up and thrown into the trash can. You don’t need to buy separate bags for this task, as a plastic grocery bag will do just fine.
Discard the litter periodically
Every few weeks, you will need to discard the bedding and refill the crate with fresh ones. To make this easier, there are toiletry liners that fit on the bottom of the drawer and get covered in debris. The advantage of liners is that they prevent wet bedding from sticking to the sides and bottom of the box. Many liners have laces around the edges that can be easily pulled to remove the litter and liner at once.
You can also empty the litter box itself when throwing away the litter. Put on rubber gloves and scrub her with dishwashing detergent, water, and a cat-box sponge. Adequate dish detergent is sufficient , as the stronger chemicals can be harmful to your cat (and can leave odors that will make him abandon the litter box). Allow the box to air dry or wipe dry before putting in new lining and filler.
Taking out the trash and cleaning the litter box is a task that gets easier when it becomes a habit, and is worth spending a little time on it each day rather than facing the big, smelly symbol of your procrastination. Scoop away. Your cats will be grateful to you. At least that’s what you can tell yourself. They are cats, after all.