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There are a lot of great things about having a cat, but managing their litter box is not one of them. Unfortunately, not taking care of your cat’s litter box is even worse. Cats need a clean place to go potty, and attending to your cat’s litter box regularly—and properly—is key to both managing litter box odors and minimizing the risk of illness.
To keep you and your cat safe and healthy, we put together a complete guide for how to clean a cat litter box. Below, you’ll find the expertise of two veterinary experts, tips for keeping everything clean, and important details to stay safe in the process. It takes a little bit of effort, but it’s all worth it to keep your cats and your home happy.
How To Clean a Cat Litter Box
“To properly clean your cat’s litter box, you should scoop it daily,” says Dr. Kathryn Rosalie Dench, a veterinarian and member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. “Weekly, it’s essential to do a thorough cleaning.”
Scooping means removing solid matter from the litter box. That includes poop as well as any clumps formed with liquid waste (if you’re using a clumping litter like the World’s Best Clumping Corn Cat Litter).
Using a slatted scoop designed for cat litter, lift the solid pieces and shake to let the loose litter fall back into the box. Toss the clumps into a plastic bag. Once you have all the solid pieces out, stir the litter left behind. This helps to uncover anything your cat buried, but it also helps the litter last longer by evenly distributing fresh litter particles throughout the box.
If the litter box isn’t near a trash can, keeping a litter disposal system like the Litter Genie close by can help with daily scooping. Deposit the clumps and solids into the top of the Genie, then pull the lever to drop them into the bag at the bottom. This seals the dirty litter away for less-frequent trips to the trash can.
For a more thorough weekly clean, Dr. Dench recommends removing and disposing of all litter, then washing the empty box with water and a mild soap. When it’s dry, simply refill the box with fresh litter.
How to dispose of used cat litter
Traditional litters, including those made with clay and silica gel, should be placed in a bag and thrown out with your regular household trash.
If you’re using a non-clay cat litter made of wood, wheat, or even walnut shells, you’ll probably see the word biodegradable on the packaging. Theoretically, this feature offers a wider range of disposal options. Plant-based litters often say they can be trashed, flushed, or even composted—but make sure you read the fine print before you toss your cat litter in the toilet or the garden.
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite carried by cats that can spread easily through their waste, posing health risks for humans and other animals. To be composted safely, cat litter should be separated from food scraps, and you shouldn’t use composted litter to fertilize edible plants.
In California, legislation prohibits cat litter of any type from being flushed due to the potential harm to sea lions. Some other states, such as Rhode Island, similarly warn against flushing even flushable cat litter. Not all household septic systems can handle cat litter—and especially not clumping cat litter that may clog pipes.
How to manage a multi-cat litter box
There’s no getting around it: the more cats you have, the more litter you have to clean. But it’s not enough to just scoop one box more often.
“For multiple cats, provide one litter box per cat plus one extra,” recommends Dr. Dench. This is also known as the “n+1” rule. While three litter boxes for two cats, as an example, may seem extreme, it helps to ensure access to clean litter and cuts down on territorial disputes too.
Using a multi-cat litter such as Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Clumping Clay Cat Litter can help to keep things fresh in homes with more than one cat. Beyond that, the same rules apply: each litter box should be scooped daily and cleaned weekly.
How to clean a litter box when you’re away
Cats’ independence makes them a great companion for people who work long hours or are frequently away from home for a night or two. Having a friend or pet sitter that knows how to clean a cat litter box is ideal. An automatic, self-cleaning litter box is the next best thing.
Self-cleaning litter boxes do the work of scooping for you, but they’re not entirely self-sufficient. You’ll still need to check, empty, and clean them regularly.
How To Deep-Clean a Litter Box
A once-monthly deep clean of your cat’s litter box is essential to keep your cat’s toilet area—and your cat—healthy.
“Deep cleaning every few weeks involves a full scrub-down and disinfection to prevent odors and bacteria buildup,” says Dr. Dench. To do so, you’ll want to remove all litter and scrub out the box with something a little more potent than your weekly mild soap.
Choose a disinfectant solution that is safe for use around cats, avoiding dangerous ingredients like chlorine, phenols, and essential oils. If you’re working outside with a hose, you’ll want to think about environmental safety too. Give the box a good all-over scrub, then rinse it thoroughly and allow it to fully dry before you refill it with fresh litter.
If you’re worried that your cat will need the box before you’ve finished, you can fill a temporary solution like a travel litter box or even cardboard. Just remember to clean and/or dispose of the temporary litter box as soon as you’re done.
How to deep-clean a litter box in an apartment or other small space
When space is limited and you don’t have access to a hose, how do you deep clean your cat’s litter box? To start, consider using plastic litter box liners.
Litter box liners fit over the base of your cat’s litter box and create a barrier. This helps to prevent litter from sticking, minimizes odor build-up, and makes disposal easier—just lift the edge of the liner, cinch, and toss in the trash. Some cats scratch through liners, so you may need a second bag to move used litter to the trash. Even so, you’ll likely be left with less mess in the box.
Even with liners, you should still periodically disinfect your cat’s litter box. For that task, look no further than your bathroom. A standard bathtub offers plenty of room for a good soak. An inexpensive storage bin can also work as an alternative, suggests Dr. Mollie Newton, DVM, founder of PetMeTwice.
How To Keep a Cat’s Litter Box Area Clean
Most pet parents aren’t lucky enough to dedicate a whole room to their cat’s litter, but, even then, nobody wants litter spreading outside of the box. Some tracking of litter is normal—especially for enthusiastic litter kickers. However, some litters contain low-tracking properties to help minimize their spread, such as BoxiePro’s Deep Clean cat litter.
Make sure your cat’s litter box is large enough to let them do their business comfortably. A good litter mat under the box can help to capture and contain any litter stuck to your cat’s paws before it goes any further. For homes with a variety of pets, dog-proof litter boxes can help to keep your cat’s litter in and your pup out.
Dr. Newton recommends vacuuming or sweeping around your cat’s litter box regularly. You might also include area around your cat’s litter box in your monthly deep-cleaning routine. Disinfect the floor and other close surfaces with pet-safe cleaners to prevent the spread of bacteria before setting everything back up.
Is Cleaning a Litter Box Safe When You’re Pregnant?
Because of the risk of toxoplasmosis associated with cat litter, people who are pregnant or immunocompromised should avoid it as much as possible. That means no scooping or deep-cleaning the litter box. Self-scooping litter boxes can help to maintain your cat’s litter on a daily basis, but you will still need help to fully dispose of waste. Some house-cleaning services include taking care of pet waste, or you might be able to find a dedicated litter-cleaning service near you.
When choosing the DIY route, Dr. Newton says, “Always use gloves. Make sure to wash your hands post-cleaning, and ensure the litter is non-toxic.”
Keep and clean your cat’s litter box in a well-ventilated area, and always dispose of used litter quickly to minimize exposure. Once you know how to clean a cat litter box properly, you can rest assured that it’ll pose little threat to you or your cat’s health.
How We Chose the Products in This Article
The various products linked throughout this article were selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with veterinary experts. We prioritized products we would personally trust for our own much-loved and strongly-opinionated pets, and were guided by the experience of living and playing with them.