Dealing with a smelly litter box

Dealing with a smelly litter box

As a crazy cat lady, I several litter boxes in my house -- four to be exact. Two of them are in the kitchen, while the others reside in my bedroom. There is nothing worse than coming home after a long day at the office, only to be greeted by the foul aroma of a freshly used litter pan as soon as you open the front door. What can you do to keep your home smelling rosy when your cat's potty isn't so fresh?

Scoop your litter boxes on a daily basis.

This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised by the number of cat owners that only empty their litter box on trash night. Conventional clay litter may have an attractive price, but it doesn't work well for scooping the poop. I prefer to use a clumping litter instead. I scoop the boxes every morning before I go to work, and once again before heading to bed. Most people who come over to my house have no clue that a litter box is only a few feet away. Scooping your boxes everyday is essential to keeping your home smelling fresh.

Deep clean the boxes once a month.

That's right, as long as you scoop every day, you only need to wash and bleach the litter box once a month. Dump out all of the litter, and rinse the box outside with a water hose. Use a high pressure nozzle to remove any residue. Pour equal parts of water and bleach into the bottom of the pan. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Rinse the box a final time, and allow it to air dry.

Add baking soda to the bottom of the litter box.

Baking soda absorbs aromas. That's why your mother used to keep an open box in the fridge. The same concept works in a litter box. Sprinkle a generous amount into the bottom of the pan before adding fresh litter. You can even use it between deep cleanings or after an especially potent incident. There's no need to invest in pricey litter box deodorizers. Look at the main ingredient...it's baking soda!

Following these simple tips will eliminate most of the litter box smell from your house. Of course, you never know when your cat may have explosive diarrhea, so keep a bottle of air freshener nearby in the event of an emergency. Neither you nor your cat want to smell an unclean litter pan.