How to Clean Your Cat's Litterbox

(Yes, I also post on cat care)

If the "kitty smell" lingers in  the house no matter how many times you spray with odor neutralizer or air freshener, it might be your litterbox. Your litterbox also needs its own general cleaning. Your litter will also be less sticky and your cats will love you for it. They are in fact, very OC little things.

Show your love to your furbaby by keeping their potty clean. 

What you need:

• Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Hot water
• Detergent to soap your litterbox down (I used Domex to kill bacteria)
• Fresh litter
• Scrubbing pad
• Hand Gloves
• Face Mask

Preps: Be sure to wear face mask and hand gloves to protect your hands from germs and harsh ingredients.

Steps:
1. Remove cat litter from litterbox and place it in another container (I use a big trash bag). Scrape off any caked-on litter in your litterbox and strainer and discard. Discard as well litter that's gotten too moist and sticky.
2. Pour on some vinegar and sprinkle some baking soda on the litterbox. This will neutralize the ammonia odor. There will be some bubbly fizzes, so don't be scared. I use regular white vinegar to clean. White vinegar is not only awesome in adobo and sinamak. It's a great household cleaning tool!
3. Pour hot water on your litterbox. the caked-on litter will loosen magically. Let it stand for a while until the hot water cools a bit.
4. Discard the water and waste.
5. Wash your litterbox, strainer, and scooper with water and strong disinfecting detergent scrubbing the litterbox, strainer, and scoopers clean. Rinse it well.
6. Because I'm OC, I oftentimes do a rubdown of the litterbox with rubbing alcohol to kill germs.
7. Air dry completely.
8. Reassemble your litterbox and pour fresh litter and odor neutralizer (I use Arm and Hammer Litter Box Deodorizer). Pour the litter you saved on top.

Cleaning your litterbox at least weekly will avoid embarassing "kitty smell" at home, especially if you live in an apartment. it will also avoid accidents of your cats soiling in other places aside from the litterbox. Don't forget to scoop litter out at least twice a day and always have an ample amount of litter for the kitty to dig (2 inches deep  of litter would be okay) . Throw away litter that seems to be wet. Your kitty will be happier with a better potty.

Photo credit:
Photo of me and Candy by Daemon Becker