4 Quick & Easy Ways of Cleaning A Litter Box In An Apartment
Owning a pet is becoming increasingly more common nowadays. With caring for such majestic creatures, comes the tiring responsibility of cleaning their poop! This is particularly difficult when the owner and the pet are living in an apartment.
Apartments don’t have a backyard or an open space for pets to roam around and get the job done. Therefore, being aware of how to manage and get rid of your pet’s stool from a litter box is crucial. It’s not wise to use your sink or bathtub while cleaning the litter box. This is because you will be contaminating that space, which will later be used for washing dishes or bathing.
A commonly asked question all pet owners dwell upon is how to clean a fully-loaded litter box in an apartment, quickly and easily? In this article, I will talk about 4 quick and easy ways of doing exactly this. Keep reading to find out how to clean the mess your fur babies make in your apartment!
Flush Away The Mess
This is a fantastic little trick that makes pet care a lot easier. Wood pellets can be used instead of regular clay litter. It’s unlikely that your pet would enjoy it, but it’s a viable option.
Flushable litter is an excellent method to keep old litter from moving from box to garbage bag to trash. Each step increases the chances of trash spilling all over the floor anyway!
Simply flush away the fresh discharge when you see your pet has emptied itself. Grab the poop with toilet paper and flush it. Spritz the litter box area with unscented bio-based cleaners or detergents to clean it.
There is a wide range of flushable litter available, created from a variety of materials. Flushable litter can be made using the following:
- Wood chips
- Corn
- Wheat
- Recycled paper
- Green tea
- Cassava
- Shells of nuts
The box must be placed in the bathroom for this setup to work. Keeping your litter box closer to the toilet ensures that the scoop travels the shortest distance possible when disposing of the waste. This eliminates the need for garbage bags and litter trails.
Wet & Wipe
To clean the litter box, use a general-purpose sponge and a mild non-scented detergent. Just wet the sponge enough to make bubbles. After you’ve finished emptying the litter box, use the sponge to clean the whole surface. Wipe the wet litter box with a towel or cloth right after
Before replacing with clean litter, make sure the litter box is completely dry. Soap residue on the litter box is a no-no.
The sponge should now be discarded since it is too dirty to be used again. Simply throw it away and replace it with a clean one for the next time. When cleaning, try to use very little water. There is no need for the added hassle of contaminating the water supply!
Make It One-Time-Use
Another way to make cleaning your litter box easier is to make it disposable. This is especially helpful for those who can’t afford to automate every part of their life. You may save a lot of time cleaning the litter box by not having to scoop it out every time. This can be done by using a disposable box or a litter box liner.
When you’re ready to do a full clean, you may either throw everything away or change the liner into its rubbish bag. Then you may begin over with a completely clean litter box that you didn’t have to scrape.
Skip the pricey litter box liners and go for a plain garbage bag if you want a less expensive option that works just as well. Large kitchen bags will easily go over a normal box.
You may also double-bag your litter box to avoid any unexpected tears while removing the litter. Simply place the garbage bags inside out on your smaller box for efficient removal.
The Self-Cleaning Mechanism
These complicated gadgets are typically costly and difficult to install. While the convenience is unrivaled, you should be ready to pay a high price!
When it comes to where to place a simple litter box, there aren’t many limitations. On the contrary, for a self-cleaning litter box, you will need a plug, a cold-water supply, and a toilet or washing machine drain. For installation, you may need to contact a skilled plumber and electrician.
The box cannot wash and clean itself without all of these elements. Not all flats will have enough room to allow you to provide your litter box with this sort of help. This is another hurdle you will face while using this technique.
The machine, if properly installed, should be able to clean the whole litter box. Use of a cleaning solution and water is needed for this step.
The waste is eventually flushed down the toilet drain by the self-sanitizing box. This removes the need for human effort or cleaning the box entirely. Perhaps you could use a self-sanitizing litter box if you wish to automate this entire procedure.
What Supplies Are A Must-Have For Cleaning A Litter Box In An Apartment?
If you’ve read this far, then you already know the essentials for litter box cleaning. However, just to make things a bit easier, here’s a list of some vital products and tools you might need for cleaning litter boxes.
- A big litter box
- Clumping litter
- A slotted scoop
- Trash bags
- Disinfectant wipes
How Often Should Litter Boxes Be Cleaned?
Depending on which method is used, the frequency of cleaning out a litter box can vary. The recommended average for changing the litter is between 3-4 weeks.
If this is not done on time, there is a risk of ammonia building up which is harmful to humans. In addition to that, an unclean litter is welcoming viral infections and other diseases for your pets!
Therefore, it is absolutely important to clean out litter boxes on time, even if it is a tedious and tiresome task.
Conclusion
Several products and tools are available in the market for cleaning litter boxes in an apartment. But at the end of the day, all of it will depend on what your pet prefers. So observe your pet’s behavior carefully and how they are responding to the way their litter boxes are being cleaned.
If you notice your pet is not liking something, take that into account. Switch out any chemicals they may be allergic to. Also, keep an eye out for their comfort in all of this.
Owning a pet is a wonderful feeling. But once they become a part of your family, cleaning their litter becomes a daily chore. Work out the best way for you and your pet. A happy pet means a happy you!