Litter Box Smell Solutions

Bella the coupon clipping cat has lived with me in my 750 square foot condo for the last fifteen years.  She has been a wonderful roommate and is super friendly when I have people over.

My biggest worry has always been that someone will walk into my place and smell my cat before they see her. I know when I first got her I struggled with trying to find Litter Box Smell Solutions.  I got a self cleaning litter box but found myself being lazy about even cleaning that.

After experimenting with different litters and boxes I thought I finally had it figured out.  Even without the automatic litter box I got the smell under control.

But my biggest pet peeve was always location- Bella and I shared my only bathroom.  Every morning for 15 years I stepped on litter.  Any litter that she tracked ended up under my feet- which is not an altogether pleasant feeling.  Also, since her box was tucked in a small corner, after so many years of use the walls and baseboards have experienced some damage.

Now that I have begun considering a bathroom renovation I knew I was going to need to get her kitty litter box out of the bathroom. But when you live in 750 square feet you only have so many options.  The kitchen was out of the question.  My bedroom has nice, thick carpet that would be terrible.

So that left my living space- the first thing people could smell when they come in.  No longer would I be able to go even a day without cleaning out the litter box- I would need to stay on top of it to be sure that there were no issues.

My one complaint with cleaning it each day was the bags.  I have always cleaned the contents, put the waste in plastic grocery bags and tossed it in the garbage.  As a result I use many, many bags.  As I am becoming more environmentally conscience I have been trying to use cloth or paper bags at the store but needed the bags as supplies.  So when I had the chance to grab the Litter Genie® Cat Litter Disposal System from Target on sale I got it.

It’s been about a week now and I am a big fan.  In my living room there is a container full of used cat litter and I can’t smell it at all.  This earns two thumbs up from Bella and I.

Basically once you set it up (super easy) you scoop anything you want out of the box into the top of the Litter Genie® Cat Litter Disposal System. Then you pull the handle and everything slides in the bag on the bottom.  It seals VERY tight and keeps odors and germs locked away from the outside world. When the bag is full you just throw out that one bag and replace it.

That, combined with these steps below, are keeping my living space smelling fresh and clean.

10 Litter Box Smell Solutions

1. Choose the Right Litter Box– Choose a litter box large enough that your cat doesn’t accidentally go outside of the box.  Over the past fifteen years I have used tons of different products for litter boxes (I think my favorite were the aluminum pans that you cook a turkey in).  When I moved Bella to the living area I got one with a cover and filter to help contain any odors.  The filters are changed out periodically (frugally) and help keep the smell contained.
2. Add Baking Soda to the Litter– Mixing baking soda in with the litter adds an extra layer of smell protection.  I buy my litter in 20 pound containers so I just dump the baking soda in the container and stir it in.
3. Use Litter Box Liners– With my new covered litter box I have been able to use litter box liners for the first time.  I love them.  With the old litter boxes I would have to completely clean the litter box (like with bleach and water) every two weeks or so.  With the liners I just collect everything, dump it in a garbage bag and throw it out.  It also means the cat smell isn’t working it’s way into the box itself.
4. Scoop the Box Daily– This should be the most obvious tip.  This was why I grabbed the Litter Genie® Cat Litter Disposal System!  It’s so small it sits right by the litter box and isn’t an eye sore.
5. Replace All the Litter Every Two Weeks– Using the box liners this is such an easy task.  Just pull it up, dump it in the garbage and line and load the litter box.  While this can get expensive (use coupons to help cut the litter cost) it’s really necessary to keep smells under control.
6. Completely Clean the Litter Box Once a Month– This is another step that is super easy with the litter box liners.  I just grab a wipe and make sure it’s clean.  Or if it has gotten bad I rinse it in the bath tub with some bleach.
7. Air Out the House– Even in the winter if possible open the windows at least a few minutes a day.  This simple step can have a huge impact on the house’s air quality.
8. Location, Location, Location– While I am out of options many people have multiple locations available for your litter box.  Try to put it as far away from your living areas as possible.  This also gives your cat additional privacy.
9. Small Vacuum Cleaner– I bought a tiny, hand held vacuum cleaner for around $20 that I keep by the litter box to suck up the litter daily.  Whenever I scoop the box I go ahead and clean the area to get all the litter she may have tracked out or I may have dropped.
10. Chose Rugs Wisely– Try to find rugs where the litter won’t get caught.  I actually have a rubber mat in front of the litter box that makes it easy to be sure every piece is cleaned up.

Do you see any tips I missed?