This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Healthy Pet for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
We have two cats so I’m definitely familiar with all of the challenges of trying to keep up with the whole cat litter situation. It can be tough to settle into a routine that allows you to keep the smell down, the actual litter contained, and the whole area generally clean, all while hopefully not having to dedicate every waking hour to it. There have been times where I’ve really felt like spending an hour or more everyday on keeping that area clean was the only way I was going to get it under control. I’ve been in the trenches of cat litter cleaning for about nine years now so luckily, I’ve learned a few tips that have allowed me to regain the cleanliness of my home and my sanity. All while still managing to enjoy getting to snuggle up with our two fuzzballs every day.
Have enough litter boxes
You may be surprised to find out that you aren’t using enough litter boxes. I think a lot of people just have a single litter box, no matter how many cats they have, and just think that adjusting the litter formula is enough. A good rule of thumb to follow is that you should have one litter box for each cat, plus one more. So, for our two cats, we have three litter boxes. We’ve been using two of these domed litter boxes lately, plus one regular uncovered litter box as an extra and it seems to be working out pretty well. Cats really like to have a nice, clean, fresh spot to do their business and having an extra allows them to continue to feel comfortable and not start searching elsewhere in your home for somewhere to leave you a nice “surprise”.
Use a great litter
Using a great litter is SO important! It really makes such a difference in odor control and ease of scooping. I’ve also really come to love the new “lightweight” cat litter options that have become available in the last few years. Anything that makes your cat little chores a little easier pays off in the end because you’re so much more likely to do a good job. A lightweight litter helps make it easier for you to keep a good supply of extra litter on hand because it’s just so much less of a burden to bring home from the store and place near your cat litter area compared to those big 1000 pound boxes and bags that we’ve all been dealing with for so long. I love this new ökocat litter because it’s the only one that offers this lightweight option, combined with seven day odor control and it’s biodegradable as well! No other litter has had these three features before and this stuff really hits the nail on the head. Plus, it’s made from wood and it smells really good.
Have an arsenal of tools available
This list is going to look a little crazy to some people I’m sure, but here are the tools that I like to keep on hand to help keep my cat litter area clean. I find it so much easier to just get organized and go for it, rather than just doing a half-decent job and hoping that the area will somehow stay clean on its own for a little longer than last time. That’s just not going to happen.
- Small garbage can to collect scooped litter (I use a compost can with a lid)
- Sturdy scoop
- Wipes (for touching up the edges of the litter box)
- Dust pan and brush
- Vacuum Cleaner (if you have space to keep an extra one dedicated just for this, even better!)
- Dedicated mop and deck brush just for this area
- Pressure washer (For cleaning off mats and cleaning out litter boxes)
Do a weekly deep clean of the area
I’m honestly not really a big fan of weekly cleaning lists, because I think you usually end up wasting time by doing some things too often, while also doing other things not often enough. For my two cats though, once a week seems to be just about the right timing for deep cleaning the litter box area. If I wait any longer than that, it’s a total disaster, but any more often than that is just crazy. I like to take my mats, trays, garbage can, and litter boxes outside and give them a good spray down with the pressure washer and then let them dry in the sun. I’ll also give the floor in the cat litter area a good mop and scrub while I’m at it. Because we have old crumbly floors in the basement where our cat litter is usually, I’ve also been known to throw down another coat of paint, just to keep the floor sealed up and prevent any smells from seeping into the porous concrete. Don’t worry, it’s just a little landing area and that only takes about 5 minutes.
Switch out your litter as often as you need to
It’s important to completely switch out the litter in your litter boxes on a regular basis. I’ve known some people who live in small spaces who would switch it out daily, or even more than once per day. The only rule to follow here is to make sure you’re switching it out often enough that you feel comfortable and feel like the odor is under control. I really like ökocat litter because it can last up to a full week with full odor control, so that means that I usually only need to switch it out when I’m doing my weekly deep clean. I find the fact that ökocat is lightweight to be helpful here too, because it makes the whole process of switching out the litter so much easier and it keeps our garbage pails from weighing 1000 pounds every week when we go to take the garbage to the dump. Speaking of which, did you know that clay cat litters generate over 2.5 billion pounds of landfill waste every year in North America? I love the idea of using a biodegradable litter like ökocat so you can have the comfort of switching out your litter and keeping odor under control, while knowing that your litter is completely biodegradable and not contributing to landfill problems.
ökocat is encouraging us to be better than clay and try this new option for our cat litter instead. It’s now available for purchase at over 5000 stores, you can Buy ökocat online at Amazon
or you can Buy on Chewy.com. Use the store locator to find an ökocat retailer near you and print an ökocat coupon and save today!
Have you tried ökocat litter? What are your tips for keeping a clean and tidy cat litter area?