Best way to clean litter pan when there is no litter box liner

[otto]

PS That Quick Sift doesn't look too bad! At least the cats don't have to sit in a 'tomb of filth' :lol3: Looks kind of small.

Hard to dump and scrub though. And that's one of my beefs with these kinds of systems. People don't wash these boxes often enough, in my opinion. But, I like things clean, and so do my cats. Shrug.

 

[binkyhoo]

I envy you cat owners who can use the plastic liners. Mine get (or used to) get scratched to bits.  I gave up on that idea.

I envy you cat owners who have an outside water source.  It would be so nice just to go out in the back yard and turn the hose on it.

I have to do the tub thing. I dump the litter and try my best, with paper towels to get all the granules out as to not clog the pluming.  Then I wash in the tub, but dump the water down the toilet, And inevitably I spill it all over the bathroom floor.

I like the idea about the paint scraper to free the clumps that get stuck to the walls of the box. My scooper is defective, it likes to brake the clumps.

 

[tim bronsen]

If you're using clumping litter - try the ClumperDumper. I really mean it - it's the fastest, easiest way to clean litter and it GETS it clean. My one cat, an older male tabby, had "issues" because the scoop always left a few pebble sized clumps and he "objected". But this thing (clumperdumper) gets it really clean and I also think it keeps more litter in because I'm not digging around and throwing litter out the side of the box by mistake. And I just think litter these days is so expensive so I've noticed I'm using it longer. Any way good luck and don't use bleach.

 

[natalie_ca]

Every apartment I've been to had water somewhere outside.   Just flop it in the trunk and wash it when you wash your car. 

(Unless you use those scratch-o-matic drive through ones!  Worst invention everrrrr, heh.   *cringe*)

Not all apartment buildings keep the water to the outside turned on. My apartment for example doesn't.  And not everyone owns a car or drives. Me for example.

 

[brightlily]

I do my litter box washing outside because it's easiest.  I live in a townhouse with a water spigot on the patio, but I like to wash with hot water so I carry my water out in gallon milk jugs.  I dump litter, wash and refill outside because I don't want the litter and dust everywhere.  I have 4 cats using 2 litter boxes with regular litter, so I change the boxes about 2x a week.  I've had my cats less than a year so I don't know what I'll do when it gets cold, maybe use the bathtub if necessary or wait for a mild day to do it outside.

Maybe this would work for you?  Surely there is an "off the beaten path" area around your building where no one would object if you spent 5 minutes washing and rinsing your boxes?   

 

[jcat]

I use clumping litter, piled deep, and scoop at least twice a day. The boxes are steam-cleaned, wiped with an old washcloth, steamed again and allowed to air dry. No chemicals, no mess, no smell.

 

[bastetservant]

My house has a utility sink in the basement that I use to clean the litter pans. But for much of my life I lived in apartments with no outside water. I used the bathtub and washed it (scrubbed it) well afterwards. Besides I've mostly always lived in a climate where there is no water access outside during winter due to below freezing temperatures.

I'm wondering about all you who write about clumps sticking so hard to the sides and bottom of the pans that you have to use scrapers to get them off. You must be using hard clumping clay litter (all or part sodium bentonite*). For many reasons, this being one, I finally gave up that stuff a couple of years ago. I use a corn crumble litter, similar to World's Best Cat Litter, and there is no such problem. None sticks hard to the plastic storage bins I use for litter pans. All the litter easily goes in the garbage bag before the pans are washed. After a year of using these storage bins, and using only Dawn or Mr. Clean to wash them, they are not holding oders at all. And they only cost $6 or $7. I think they are great.

Last night I saw a commercial for the sifting cat liners. I just have to laugh. Such junk! As was all the "and that's not all" stuff that came with. There is a lot of stuff on the market for cats that just doesn't work well, or at all, or isn't actually a good idea.

Robin

*You may want to do a search regarding possible health problems associated with clumping clay cat litter.

 

[otto]

I keep forgetting to mention this: Scoops can carry odor too. Like the two sets of litter boxes, I have several scoops. I keep a little container with baking soda in it and stick the scoop in the baking soda (the level is high enough to hold the scoop upright). Each week when I dump and scrub the boxes, I dump and scrub the scoop and baking soda container, too. If the scoop gets really yucky at any time during the week, I wash it right away, and use one of the extras.

 

[lana mack]

Hope you can answer my question ? I love all animals but have a problem with my husband washing our cats litterbox in the kitchen sink and often have arguments as i feel it is unhyginic

Please tell me if i am wrong to feel this way even though i love our cat Willow

Regards Lana

 

[sophie1]

Fellow apartment dweller here.

I would not risk washing out a litter box with clumping, non-flushable litter indoors.  Even a small amount of that stuff can clog plumbing.   Instead, I simply wipe with paper towels after spraying with either white vinegar or this nontoxic, unscented enzyme cleaner:

https://www.thecleanteam.com/Red-Juice-Ready-To-Use-16-oz-spray-bottle_p_53.html

Bleach is total overkill.  "Killing germs" is a bizarre notion given that nothing in your home (including your hands) is sterile.  The stuff that makes the cat box stinky is mainly ammonia compounds and other non-bacterial substances.  I don't have any bleach product in my house and never will.

And it's not necessary to empty the box to clean it.  When I used clumping litter, I spot cleaned whenever a clump got stuck to the box.  Push the litter aside, spray and wipe, then let it dry for a minute or two before re-spreading litter.  Changing the litter was rarely necessary.  I did this by scooping old litter into doubled plastic grocery bags to toss out.  When the box was emptied, I wiped down the inside of the box as above.  No need even to move it, except for floor vacuuming purposes.