Meowful chore guide: How to clean a cat litter tray

Scooping litter is one of life’s less exciting moments. But as any cat owner knows, keeping the litter tray fresh is essential for your feline friend’s hygiene and the home’s well-being.

This guide walks you through all the steps on how to clean a cat litter tray, including the tools you need and safety measures to pay attention to when dealing with the stinking cat’s litter tray.

We also share some tips on how to choose suitable kitty litter, how often to clean a cat litter tray, and the best time to get a cleaning expert, especially if you have more than one cat.

Read on to learn how to keep calm and scoop the poop.

Preparing to clean your cat’s litter tray

The best way to clean a cat litter tray is to have everything you need handy. Here are the essentials:

• Litter tray cleaner, which is usually a litter scoop to remove the clumps

• Hot water with unscented dish soap or mild detergent to clean the litter trays before refilling them with fresh litter

• Baking soda or branded neutralisers for odour control

• Paper towels to wipe off excess water and speed up the drying process

• Scrub brush to lift stubborn residue

• New litter or kitty litter tray

• Face or dust mask and disposable gloves to avoid inhaling the fine particles and touching the dirty litter

• Liners to keep the cat’s litter tray clean in between maintenance and reduce particles cluttering the floor

• Garbage bags for disposal

• Limescale remover or vinegar for deposit buildup

Cleaning the litter trays is not precisely back-breaking or dangerous to your health unless you are pregnant or prone to asthma. In these cases, consider hiring a domestic cleaner and talk to your doctor. Avoid using harsh chemicals.

Steps to cleaning a dirty cat litter tray

Are all your supplies ready? Then, get ready to work. Cat owners should perform daily litter tray maintenance, or the house will reek of ammonia and poop. But besides daily cleaning, the trays require more comprehensive upkeep weekly and monthly.

Daily cleaning

1. Wear disposable gloves and a face or dusk mask for safety.

2. Keep your tools nearby, especially the litter scoop and garbage bag.

3. Using the scooper, remove urine clumps, cat poop, and other types of waste from the litter tray. Place them in the garbage bag and dispose of it properly.

4. Clean the tray once or twice a day, depending on how many cats you have.

Weekly cleaning

1. Wear disposable gloves and a face or dusk mask for safety.

2. Keep your tools nearby, especially the litter scoop and garbage bag.

3. Using the scooper, remove urine clumps, cat poop, and other types of waste from the litter tray. Place them in the garbage bag and dispose of it properly.

4. Remove all the tray’s contents by tilting it.

5. Clean the litter tray. On how to clean cat poop from the litter tray, use a scrub brush to soften and lift any hardened residue. Then, wash with hard water and pet-friendly mild detergent or dish soap to get rid of the smell of urine. Rinse and wipe with paper towels until completely dry.

6. Add fresh litter to the tray. The new litter should be an inch or two thick.

7. Sprinkle neutralisers or baking soda to absorb cat urine. Reach out to odour control specialists for ideas on brands and hacks, particularly if you own multiple cats.

Monthly cleaning

1. Wear disposable gloves and a face or dusk mask for safety.

2. Keep your tools, especially the litter scoop and garbage bag, nearby.

3. Using the scooper, remove urine clumps, cat poop, and other types of solid waste from the litter tray.

4. Remove all contents by tilting the tray.

5. Clean the litter tray. On how to clean cat poop from the litter tray, use a scrub brush to soften and lift any hardened residue. Then, wash with hard water and pet-friendly mild detergent or dish soap to eliminate the urine smell. Rinse and wipe with paper towels until completely dry.

6. For more thorough cleaning, combine vinegar with hot water or create a baking soda paste to remove hard deposits in the cat litter tray. Usually, this happens because cat urine leaves a yellow stain. Hard water and cleaning supplies also contribute to mineral buildup in the litter tray.

7. Replace the litter in the empty litter tray.

General litter tray cleaning tips

• If the litter is clay or silica, it should go to the general waste bin. Biodegradable options, such as paper, wood, and corn, can be in the green or general waste bin. Do not flush cat litter even if it is ‘environment-friendly’ because of its pathogenic content.

• Avoid scented litter. Most cats are sensitive to it and are less likely to use the tray.

• Throw away the entire litter tray if it is already warped, damaged, or cracked.

Quick ways to keep your cat’s litter tray clean

How often should you change cat litter? The answer is daily. But you know it is tedious, especially if you live in a multicat home. Spend less time doing it with these tips:

• Choose the right litter. Non-clumping litter makes it easy to scoop loose waste and produces less small. It is also more comfortable for your cats’ paws. However, it produces more dust. Clumping litter is more expensive than non-clumping and is less eco-friendly. But it controls odour more effectively and makes scooping fast and easy. Do not use scented litter because most cats tend to avoid it.

• Invest in a better cat’s litter tray. A tray is the cheapest and most convenient to clean but spreads odour quickly. Fine particles can also quickly accumulate on the floor. Consider buying a tray with an enclosure or, when budget allows, a self-cleaning litter box.

• Clean daily. A daily scoop takes less than a few minutes, even if you have many trays and cats at home. It keeps your home smelling and looking clean, and it encourages your kitties to poop and pee in the tray, not on your couch or carpet.

• Have enough litter trays at home. Do not let them use the same litter tray! Poop and pee can accumulate fast. More sensitive cats might also avoid using the tray, causing health problems later. The general rule is the number of cats plus one. If you have four cats, you need five litter trays.

• Replace the old litter tray at least three to six months, up to a year, if you are doing the bare minimum. It helps prevent bacteria buildup, and older (and damaged) trays are more challenging to clean, even with baking soda paste and other effective cleaning materials.

• Neuter or spay the cat. Male and female cats differ in many ways, but intact ones are more likely to spray urine (or mark) than their neutered or spayed counterparts, regardless of gender.

• Ask for help. Don’t have time to clean the litter tray? Many housekeepers already offer such a service. So do pet sitters.

Simplify cat litter tray cleaning with Airtasker

As much as we love our feline friends, cleaning out that dreaded litter tray is a chore few cat owners enjoy. However, skipping proper maintenance creates an unhealthy space for you and the pet.

This is where Airtasker can lend a helping hand. The online platform connects you to qualified, background-checked service providers nearby. These include cat care specialists, pet sitters, and professional house cleaners.

Joining is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Create a free account.

2. Post a task with detailed information. Include your budget, how many litter trays you have, and the number of cats. Specify the service you need. Do you want them to clean the litter tray? And would you like someone to change the cat litter while you’re on a trip?

3. Wait for Taskers to submit custom quotes or reach out to them directly.

Take the hassle out of cat litter tray cleaning by hiring a cat waste removal pro. It’s convenient and keeps your cat happy with a pristine space!